VITAL STATISTICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1325, 21 April 1877, Page 10

VITAL STATISTICS.

The Registrar-General'3 report on the vital statistics of the boroughs of Auckland, Thames, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Hokitika during the month of March has been published. There were 302 births and 125 deaths. The highest proportion of deaths to the 1000 of population was in Auckland, being 1.94 ; and the lowest at the Thames, being .85. The births were 24 more than in February. The deaths were 5 more iv number than the deaths of February. Of the. deaths, males contributed 73 ; females, 47 ; G5 of the deaths were of children under 5 years of age, being 52 per cent, of the whole number ; 44 of these were of children under 1 year of age. There wore 5 deatus of persons of 05 years of age and over ; 3 of these persons were niale« and 2 females ; of these, 1 male aged 70 ? and 1 female tged 87,

died at Auckland ; 1 male of 68 at Wellington ; and 1 male of 77, with 1 female of 76, at Dunedin. Out of the total number of deaths in 7 boroughs, 50, or 40 per cent. , were the resultf of zymotic diseases. The most fatal of these complaints was scarlatina, which caused 20 deaths — 10 at Dunedin and 10 at Hokitika; the death rate for the latter town is, on this account, extraordinarily h'gh, being 6.20 deaths per ICOO persons living. In Februaiy there were only 6 deaths from scarlatina— l at Christchurch, 3 at Duncdm, and 2 at Hokitika. The mortality from diarrhoea, coming next in importance, is considerably lower than in Feb-. ruary: the total number of deaths being 15 against 25. Of these 15 deaths in Mr.rch, 3 occurred at Auckland, 4 at WellnnLon, 2 at Nelson, sat Dunedin, and lat Hokitilrr. The decrease at Wellington during two months h ■ very considerable : January showing 20 deaths from bowel complaints, and February 8, against 4 abovennentioned in last month. Deuths from croup, whooping cough, and fever were the same in number as in February. Out of 4 cai.es, of typhoid fever, 2 were at Wellington. There were 13 deaths in. March from bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, asthma, and congestion of the lungs, against 7 from bronchitis and lung disease in February. Of the 13 in March, 4. occurred at Wellington. There-were- no violent deaths in the boroughs in March. The . total number of deaths in the boroughs during thelast month amounted to 42 less, than the.number in March, 1876. There were 50 deaths from zymotic diseases last month, the number from similar causes in March, 1875, having been 78. Scarlatina was more prevalent in March last ; but deaths from croup, dysentery, diarrhoea, and fevers were more numerous in March of the previous year. Developmental diseases, including premature birtha, deaths from malformations, old age, and debility in children, caused 8 deaths, and 20 in March 1876. . ■ - .