H.—l9b

Session 11. 1918. NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. HEALTH OF THE TROOPS IN NEW ZEALAND FOR THE YEAR 1917.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. Health of Reinforcements in New Zealand for the Year 1917. Strength. —The total number of officers and men who have been present in the trainingcamps during the year 1917 equals 36,191. The average strength was 9,991. Admissions to Hospitals. —The total number of admissions to hospital was 4,104, giving an admission-rate per thousand of 410 and a constantly-sick rate of 12-49, as against 1,023 and 19*59 in 1916. In the Imperial Army in 1913 (the last statistics available) the admission-rate was 437 per thousand and the constantly-sick rate 2353. Deaths. —There were 30 deaths from disease, of which 15 were in camp hospitals and 15 were in civil institutions elsewhere. In addition there were 7 deaths from accidents, of which 5 occurred out of camp, and 8 from suicide, of which 2 occurred out of camp. The total number of deaths in and out of camps of men on the strength of the Expeditionary Force was therefore 46, equal to a death-rate of I' 2 per thousand on the total numbers and 46 on the average strength. The Assistant Director of Medical Services (Sanitary), however, estimates the death-rate at 3'B, for reasons noted in his attached report, with which I agree. The deaths of males between ages 20 and 40 in New Zealand in 1913 was 402 per thousand. The prevailing disease was influenza, but only to a moderate extent. The disease which caused the chief mortality was cerebro-spinal meningitis—9 deaths —one a case which had remained over ill from 1916. Pneumonia caused 1 death. The disease in this case, however, was contracted in Wellington, and the man died there. Health of Camps. —As regards the four camps, the admissions and constantly-sick rates, based on the average strength, with the number of deaths, were as follows : —

Thus Trentham had a higher admission and constantly-sick rate than Featherston. And whilst Awapuni had a higher admission-rate than Narrow Neck, it had the lowest number constantly sick of the four camps. At, Rotorua and Hanmer are stationed N.Z.M.C. camp men on duty, and the statistics refer to these, and not to the sick and wounded in the hospitals and convalescent homes there. It will be noticed that under all headings the numbers show a great improvement on those of the previous year, and compare favourably with the Imperial Army in time of peace.

I—H. 19b.

Camp. Featherston Trentham .. Narrow Neck Awapuni Rotorua Hanmer Average Admissions . Strength. 6,474 2,296 3,015 1,622 212 61 226 112 41 3 23 10 Admissions per Thousand. 354 504 287 495 73 434 Constantly Sick. 65-10 53-81 3-53 1-82 0-17 0-36 Constantly Sick per Thousand. 10-05 17-84 16-65 8-05 4-14 15-65 Deaths i: Disease. 17 10 1 1 1 n and out oJ Accident. 5 2 : Camps. Suicide. 7 1