H.—3l

50

We have, however, received these notifications from 18 out of 40 Registrars in my district, leaving 28 who have not sent notifications. Probably in some of these districts no such deaths have occurred since such notices were required; but in several instances I have discovered from other sources, or by the newspapers, that persons have died from infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis, so that some of the Registrars are neglecting this duty. I may mention one thing in connection with the notices we receive from Registrars that is causing trouble and giving rise to complaints from local authorities—that is, tho long period which may elapse since the death and the date at which it is recorded to the Registrar. This sometimes prevents action being taken by our Department or by the local authorities to have the disinfection of clothes, premises, &c, attended to in time to bar reoccupation of infected houses, or the disposal of clothes, furniture, and suchlike after a death. In New Zealand thirty-one days is allowed for the registration of a death, but in England it must be registered within five days, in Scotland within oight days. There seems, now, no sufficient reason for such latitude in registering deaths, since communication is easier than it was in the early days of the colony, when the regulations for the registration of deaths, &c, were enacted, and it would greatly facilitate the work of disinfecting premises and clothing, &c, after death from an infectious disease if the time were shortened to, at least, the English five days or the Scotch eight days. There would be no great hardship in this to the people concerned, and the Registrars could then notify our Department, who might see to the necessary disinfection within a reasonable time, preventing the reoccupation of infected rooms or houses, the wearing or selling of the infected clothing, &c. In one instance recently I heard by chance that the household furniture, &c, of a house in which a man had died of consumption after a prolonged illness was about to be sold by auction, the information just coming in the nick of time to prevent the infected articles being spread broadcast, carrying danger with them to unsuspecting persons. This case had not been notified to me during the party's lifetime. Special Provision for Treatment of Infectious Diseases, I am glad to report that the hospital in Invercargill is now making good progress, and will be in full operation during the year. In Dunedin the matter is still hanging fire, although some further progress has been made. But the Hospital Board is still in a state of suspended animation, and appears unwilling to push the matter on. In the other hospital districts within my district provision exists in the way of annexes to their hospitals—for instance, at Riverton, Naseby, Frankton, Arrowtown, Lawrence, and Cromwell— sufficient for requirements. Vaccination. The vaccination of children in the district having been of late years much neglected, the Registrar of Births for the Dunedin District made a request to Dr. Mason, who happened to be in Dunedin, to be furnished with a circular to be sent to defaulting parents, calling their attention to the matter. This request was granted, and several thousands of the circular, accompanied with a pamphlet showing its advantages, were issued early in January. And, as the result of a talk with the Registrar for Southland, at Invercargill, and with the aid of Inspector Cameron, a number of similar notices and circulars were sent to the Registrars of the Southland Sub-district to be distributed by them. The good effect of this whip-up is shown by the fact that, while in year April to March, 1905-6, vaccine-tubes to the number of 1,837 were supplied to medical men and Public Vaccinators, in the year just ended, April to March, 1906-7, the number has mounted up to 2,813, or nearly one-third more than the former year, causing over or about nine hundred children to be vaccinated who would probably have been neglected had these special circulars not been sent out; and the colony is thus additionally protected against small-pox. Sanitar? By-laws. - Pending the issue of a general scheme of sanitary by-laws of general application for the whole colony, we have been pushing the preparing of these for several of our towns, and I have approved of amended by-laws for Invercargill, Riverton, Queenstown, and Dunedin. Inspector Cameron took a great deal of trouble in this, preparing a very complete and up-to-date set of by-laws, which he got Invercargill to adopt, Riverton also following suit, and he is now pressing several other of his towns to follow this example. Queenstown, at my instance, adopted several amendments, which are now in use; and the City of Dunedin, also at my request, are considering a set of by-laws for the regulation of boardinghouses and of stables situated within the city limits. Inspection op Articles intended for Human Consumption. The following were found to be unfit for human consumption, and ordered to be destroyed : In Dunedin—Pigs' carcases, 24; pieces bacon, 34; whitebait, 78 tins; plums, 106 cases; peaches, 9 cases; peas, 7 cases; peas, 18 bags; cauliflowers, 24; tomatoes, 8 cases; apples, 7 cases ; bananas, 475 cases; passion-fruit, 3 cases, oranges, 262 cases; potatoes, 8 tons; mixed fruit, about 56 lb. In Invercargill— Mixed fruit, about 8 lots, by Inspector Cameron. We are now finding that the receivers of doubtful pigs, fruit, he, are advising us, and requesting us to examine these articles, instead of selling them off at what they would fetch, or waiting till we should find them out for ourselves. In this connection I may mention that I have been trying to have a sort of clearing-house for Dunedin, where all meat-carcases sent in from the, country should be inspected before being allowed to go to the curers to be made into bacon, &c. Much which now we suspect passes us from want of information might then be intercepted. The principal curers are at one with us in this matter, and it only requires the local authorities of the town and suburbs to undertake the matter. Meantime Inspector Gladstone, along with the local Inspector Donaldson, are doing all they can, by frequent visits to auction-rooms, stores, and suchlike, to prevent doubtful food-articles from passing into circulation.