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Eepoet of the Sanitary Condition of the KAU waeeanga Highway Distrct, in accordance with Section 15 of " The Public Health Act, 1872." Health. —With the exception of measles, which has become epidemic, and has affected many of the adult population as well as infants, the general health of the district is good. Cleanliness. —The greater part of the district having a good fall for drainage, its cleanliness is satisfactory. The buildings are mostly detached, and with a better water supply the district would be much cleaner. General Sanitary Condition. —Earth closets are much used, and as a general rule the sanitary condition of the inhabitants is good. An abundant supply of good water for domestic use is, however, urgently required. Eobt. M. Mitchell, 20th April, 1875. Secretary.

No. 5. His Honor the Superintendent, Taranaki, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetart. (No. 89.) Sir, — Superintendent's Office, New Plymouth, 3rd November, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your circular No. 25,1874-2343 (7th October, 1874), in reference to the Chairman of the Board of Health furnishing to the Colonial Secretary, in the month of March, a report upon the general sanitary condition of the province, and upon the working of the Public Health Act, &c. In reply, I beg leave to state that the report asked for shall be duly forwarded. I have, &c, Peed. A. Careington, Superintendent, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, "Wellington. Chairman of the Board of Health.

No. 6. The Chairman, Board of Health, Taranaki, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, New Plymouth, 22nd March, 1875. Eeferring to your circular No. 25,1874-2343 (7th October, 1874), in reference to the Chairman of the Board of Health furnishing to the Colonial Secretary, in the month of March in each year, a report upon the general sanitary condition of the province, &c, I have now the honor to forward the report asked for from the Board of Health for the Province of Taranaki. I have, &c, Fred. A. Caerington, Superintendent, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, "Wellington. Chairman of the Board of Health.

Enclosure in No. 6. T. Gr. Bawson, Esq., M.D., Surgeon of Board of Health, to His Honor the Superintendent, Taranaki. Sin,— New Plymouth, 22nd March, 1875. I have the privilege of reporting to your Honor upon the general sanitary condition of New Plymouth during the past year. Two meetings of the Board of Health have been held during the year —one in the month of March, 1874, and the last during the present month. I have made inspections at different times of suspected neighbourhoods in the town; and the dangerous conditions which were not removed on my own representations and remonstrances, were laid before the Board on one or other of the meetings referred to, and have been promptly remedied as far as at present practicable. On the whole, the year has been a very healthy one. "We have had no contagious epidemics. The amount of illness and deaths has been greater during the last two months, but not more so than might reasonably be expected in an unusually hot and dry season. The prevalent complaints since the hot weather set in have been dysentery, diarrhoea, and stomach and bilious fevers, children being the most generally affected. The deaths have, I consider, been few, comjjared with the numbers attacked. In no instance has the sickness been traceable to any local condition, the disease occurring alike in the most airy and healthy localities and in the more crowded parts of the town. Those more prevalent complaints since the hot weather set in may reasonably be attributed to the excessive action of the skin, and the morbid sympathy of the liver, and the corfkequent acrid biliary secretions, and febrile and irritable condition of the lining mucous membrane of the stomach and bowels; hence, the bilious fever, dysentery, diarrhoea, and gastro-enterite, all links in the same chain of morbid sympathies. The Board of Health has no power to enforce habits of cleanliness, as important in the preservation of health, and the prevention of contagion, as clean premises. But the Board would act wisely in insisting on the establishment of free baths and wash-houses, for such as have not the necessary conveniences at home. I have, &c, T. Gr. Kawson, M.D., His Honor the Superintendent, Taranaki. Surgeon of Board of Health.