7

H.-31

Country Districts. Bay of Islands. —The 26 oases occurred in two distinct outbreaks—one in the early part of the year at Rawhiti Bay, some ten or twelve miles from Russell. This outbreak accounts for 17 of the cases notified. Later the disease cropped up in the neighbourhood of Waimate North, reappearing in December, January, and February, accounting for 9 cases. The first outbreak was traceable to the congregation of Natives at the obsequies of a Maori eventually buried in an advanced state of decomposition. Mongonui County has escaped altogether this year—a notable variation from its 15 cases during each of the preceding two years. Ohiine/inuri' a improvement noted last year continues. The Borough of Waihi escapes with 8 cases, as aginst 18 in the last year. Kotorua. —l am glad to note a great improvement in the Township and County of Rotorua. Together they have but 3 cases, against 27 in the preceding year. Whakatane has 10 cases, 8 of these being Natives. Hamilton Borough.- —This year Hamilton's record has risen to 11 cases. Careful investigation of the cause of this large number has been made by the Bacteriologist (Dr. Makgill) and myself. The water and milk supplies received special attention, but no source of infection could be found common to all cases developing the disease. I anticipate a marked decrease in enteric-fever cases when the denser portion of the borough is sewered. This is being done as quickly as possible. Cambridge maintains its reputation, not having had a case for six years. Thameis Borough has the heavy record of 7 cases, and the county of 5 cases, of which 3 were in "Block 27," adjoining the borough. Efforts are being made to impjove the drainage of the borough, but as long as such good intentions fail to be in accordance with the principles of sound sanitary engineering, they must be futile; indeed, it is not unlikely that two of the cases reported have had their origin in the -defective and unsafe character of the new attempts to remedy the sewerage of the borough, Scarlet Fever. The lessening in the incidence of scarlet fever last year, which I noted as being probably temporary and accidental, proved to be so, and this year I. record a return to something like the figures of previous years. The cases for the past five years are: — Auckland „, , Country Hospital and m. , City. Suburbs - Districts. Shipping. lotaL 1902-3 . 86 94 138 .. 318 1903-4 .. .. 110 112 145 .. 367 1904-5 .. .. .68 93 112 .. 273 1905-6 .. .. .47 86 107 .. 240 1906-7 .... 98 102 66 2 268 Auckland City lias more than double the number of cases of the preceding year. Grey Lynn (12), Newmarket, (7), Parnell (15), and Onelnmga (16) each have a disproportionate number. A disease so readily communicable quickly affects contiguous areas, so we find that almost all the suburbs have been affected: Epsom, 5; Remuera, 8; Mount Albert, 7, are heavy figures. In the country districts scarlet fever has, with the exception of Waihi (13 cases) and Hamilton (5), only made occasional appearances. For Hamilton and Waihi heavy records now extend over three years. Diphtheria. The outbreak of diphtheria affecting the city and suburbs in the first nine months of 1902-3 was followed by a period of comparative freedom. During the last two years, however, the disease shows renewed activity in the suburbs. The following is the quinquennial table: — Auckland „ , , Country ,„ , , City. Suburbs - Districts. lotal - -1902-3 .. .. .. 68 49 34 151 1903-4 .. .. .. ..18 24 29 71 1904-5 .. .. .. ..28 24 11 63 1905-6 .. .. .. 26 43 28 97 1906-7 .. .. .. ..20 48 35 103 Devonport (7), Mount Eden (7), Parnell (9), Eden Terrace (6) are the suburbs suffering most. Ohinemuri County, with 16 cases, and Whangarei County, 7 cases, are heavy records. The Ohinemuri County cases all occurred within an area of some twelve by four miles, extending from Paeroa to Waikino, and including Karangahake, Waitekauri, and Waitewheta. One case was notified from Waihi Borough. Of the Whangarei cases 5 occurred within the borough. Tuberculosis. The records for Auckland City for five years are 31, 38, 23, 18, and 23 cases. Mount Albert has so many as 8 cases, 2of these being in one family. Of the Whakatane cases (11) 9 are of Maoris. Six cases are from Thames. I am unable to say how many (if any) of these may be directly or indirectly due to miners' phthisis. Two deaths occurred there during the year from miners' phthisis Four cases reached the port of Auckland "oversea." Necessarily, the notifications of tuberculosis are a very unsatisfactory index of the prevalence of this disease.