V

H.—3f

has again raised the hopes of the oivilised worid, but the data which hap oome to hand is still very meagre. It would seem that the celebrated French savant has, at any rate, advanced our knowledge of the disease—an important step. Metchnikoff, the Director of the jPasteur Institute, who was appointed to examine into Doyen's method of working, has put on record the fact that the Micrococcus neofonnans described by Dr. Doyen as the causative agent of cancer is an entity hitherto unknown to the scientific world. We all most earnestly wish that the good things hoped for may be realised; meanwhile the more natural life which is to be found in our open-air sanatoria must make largely as a preventative. In the report issued by the society established in London for the investigation of this disease special mention is made of Mr. Gilruth's work among fishes. It was found that a large number of the trout reared in captivity surfer from a form of this disease, which attacks the gills. The interdependence of the whole animal world is again illustrated, and the unwisdom of attempting to differentiate between diseases of the so-called lower animals and that of man is demonstrated. The inclusion of the following tables will greatly enhance the value of my report, and I again express my thanks to the Registrar-General. Births. The number of births registered in the colony during 1904 was 22,766, or 26.94 in every 1,000 persons living. The rate is the highest reached since the year 1894, the number of births being 937 in excess of that for the year 1903, an increase of 4.3 per cent. From 1882 until the year 1899 there was a regular fall in the birth-rate. The number of births registered in a year reached 19,846 in 1884, and, after falling to 17,876 in 1892, has risen to 22,766 in 1904 as stated above. The figures for each year from 1882 are worthy of notice, especially in connection with the subsequent particulars given to marriages solemnised and the growth of population : — Year. Number of Bate per 1,000 I Year. Number of Eate per 1,000 Births. of Population. I Births, of Population. 1882 19,009 37-32 1894 18,528 2728 1883 ... ... 19,202 36-28 1895 ... ... 18,546 26-78 1884 ... ... 19,846 35-91 1896 ... ... 18,612 2633 1885 ... ... 19,693 34-35 1897 ... ... 18,737 25-96 1886 ... ... 19,299 33-15 1898 ... ... 18,955 25-74 1887 19,135 32-09 1899 18,835 25-12 1888 ... ... 18,902 31-22 1900 ... ... 19,546 25-60 1889 ... ... 18,457 30-07 1901 ... ... 20,491 26-34 1890 ... ... 18,278 29-44 1902 ... ... 20,655 25-89 1891 ... ... 18,273 29-01 1903 ... ... 21,829 26-61 1892 ... ... 17,876 27-83 1904 ... ... 22,766 26-94 1893 18,187 27-50 The marriages have increased numerically, and the population of the colony also. Marriages Maoris). Marriages. Maoris). -. 1882 ... ... 3,600 509,309 1894 ... ..... 4,178 679,196 1883 ... ... 3,612 529,292 1895 ... ... 4,110- 692,417 1884 ... ... 3,800 552,590 1896 ... ... 4,843- 506,846 . 1885 :.. ..; 3,813 573,362 1897 ... ... 4,928- -721,609:.. 1886 ... ... 3,488 582,117 1898 ... - ... 5,091 736,->6O 1887 ... ... 3,563 596,374 1899 ... ... 5,461 749,984 . 1888 ... ... 3,617 605,371 1900 ... ... 5,860 .763,-594 ■;■ 1889 ... .. 3,632 612,716 1901 ... ... 6,095 777,96b' 1890 ... ... 3,797 620,780 1902 ... ... 6,394 797,793 1891 ...- ... 3,805 629,783 1903 ■■- ... • ■--■-... 6,748 .820,217 ■ 1892 ... ... 4,002 642,245 1904 ... ... 6,983 845,022 1893 ... ... 4,115 661,349 ■ "The average number of children to a marriage may be ascertained by.comparing the number of legitimate births for a series of years with the .marriages, but commencing with the marriages in the year preceding that for which the first number of births is taken. The figures for the twenty-year period 1885-1904 show a decline in the proportion of births to every marriage in the preceding year from 5.01 to 3.22, as below: — . -■ ...... . " Proportion of Births Year. Marriages. ia- im i? c Marriage solemnised Blrtbs - in the Preceding ~ '- : . Year. 1884 ... :... ... 3,802 ... »?.-" 1885 ... 3,815 19,063 5-01 1886 ... ... ... 3,489 18,697 490 1887 3,565 18,518 5-31 1888 ... ... ..: 3,617 18,352 5-14 1889 ... ... ... 3,632 17,845 - 4-93 1890 3,797 17,675 487 .