H.—22

8

the exception of one case which, I believe, terminated fatally at the hospital, all the other patients sooner or later recovered. Of other miasmatic diseases, there was one case of measles, several sporadic cases of enteric fever, some of dysentery, and a larger number of diarrhoea; also, some cases of rheumatism and glandular swelling. Under parasitic diseases, I have to mention several cases of thrush among children, and of intestinal worms, which latter disorder is, as I have pointed out in my previous report, very prevalent in this district. One case of constitutional disease, viz. of cancer, occurred in a person above the middle age, and had ended in death. Of local diseases are those of the respiratory system, such as coughs, colds, and bronchitis, not uncommon during the rainy season; and those of the digestive organs, such as intestinal disorders, and some kinds of liver complaints are met with in summer. Two deaths, both of children who had suffered from convulsions arising from brain disease, had occurred within the last five months. Altogether, I consider the average state of health in this district to be favourable, and to bear comparison with any other district of the same size and population im the Middle Island of New Zealand. I have, &c, The Chairman, Arahura Board of Health. J. S. Caeo. The Town Clerk, G-reymouth, to the Secretary, Central Board of Health, Greymouth. Sic— Town Clerk's Office, Greymouth, 23rd July, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 40, 9th June, 1874, requesting the Local Board of Health of Greymouth to furnish a report, drawn up by a medical man, upon the sanitary state of Greymouth; and to transmit the attached copy of a report drawn by Dr. C. L. Morice upon the sanitary condition of Greymouth. I have, &c, John A. "Whall, Town Clerk. A. E. Tennant, Esq., Secretary to the Central Board of Health, Hokitika. Dr. C. L. Moeice to the Board of Health, Greymouth. Gentlemen, — Greymouth, 17th July, 1874. The town of Greymouth is at present free from any epidemic disease, a sanitary state not likely to continue long, unless the present privy and scavengering system, local and general drainage, be more especially attended to. I am, &c, The Board of Health, Greymouth. C. L. Moeice. The Secretary, Local Board of Health, Kanieri, to the Chairman, Central Board of Health, Hokitika, Sin,— Office of the Local Board of Health, Kanieri, 24th June, 1874. I have the honor, by direction of the Chairman of the Local Board of Health, Kanieri, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, and to forward you herewith a report on the sanitary state of the Kanieri District, and also respectfully to inform you that there is no medical man residing in the district at present. I have, &c, Robert Paul, Secretary, Local Board of Health, Kanieri. The Chairman of the Central Board of Health, Hokitika. The Inspector, Local Board of Health, Kanieri, to the Chairman, Central Board of Health, Hokitika. Sir,— Office of the Local Board of Health, Kanier, 24th June, 1874. 1 have the honor to report that the health of the inhabitants of the Kanieri Township and District at present is very good. Scarlatina was prevalent in this district for a few months, but it was of a mild form. As far as lam aware of, there is no evidence of epidemic or any other contagious disease existing in this district at present. The business places and dwellings throughout the district are, on the whole, clean and well drained. The slaughter yards on the beach, north of Hokitika, are very badly situated : the situation being so low, it is not possible to drain them, and keep them as clean as they ought to be. I have, &c, Robert Paul, Inspector, Local Board of Health, Kanieri. The Chairman, Central Board of Health, Hokitika.

No. 10. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to the Chairman, Central Board of Health, Dunedin. Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 7th October, 1874. Referring to the circular from this department No. 5, of the 10th January, 1873, I desire to call your attention to the concluding paragraph, in which the Chairmen of Boards of Health were requested to furnish to the Colonial Secretary, in the month of March in each year, a report upon the general sanitary condition of the province, and upon the working of the Public Health Act in any part of the province in which it has been put into operation: such reports to be laid before Parliament. I hope to receive a report of the nature indicated in the month of March, 1875, in accordance with the provisions of section 15 of " The Public Health Act, 1872." I have, &c, The Chairman of the Central Board of Health, Dunedin. Daniel Pollen.