4

A.—4a,

As a result of tho activities of the Department, which were more educative than punitive, tho sanitation of Apia has been rapidly brought up to a reasonable standard. The Administration set an example by improving, as rapidly as finance and labour permitted, the conditions prevailing in the buildings under its control. The two largest drainage schemes installed in Apia are at tho hospital and the schools. A photograph of the plan of the drainage at the hospital will be found elsewhere in this report (Fig. 19). Most of the work has been done by Nativo labour under white supervision, with the help of a few Chinese artisans. For the information of tho various workers in plumbing and drainage, none of whom were qualified plumbers or drain-layers, models illustrating the various methods of jointing used in plumbing and the proper arrangement of vents, junctions, &c,, in drains, wore prepared. These have greatly assisted in improving the standard of work done. (Figs. 3 and 4.) Water-supplies. Tho reticulation, of Apia with a high-pressure water-supply system has been completed. In several villages water has been piped into the villages from springs in the hills. In other villages where such is not possible, large reinforcod-conorete tanks aro being erected to receive tho rain-water from church buildings. The type of tank is shown among the illustrations (Fig. 1.6). A plan (Fig. 17) is also given of the type of concrete bath and shower installed in Native villages with reticulation water-supplies. Vital Statistics (Samoan). The Native population of Western Samoa at the census of the 17th April, 1921, was 32,601. By the 31st December, 1922, the population had increased to 33,685 (estimated). During 1923, 1,701 live births wore reported, and 1,398 deaths, giving an excess of births over deaths of 303. The departures from Western Samoa (982) exceeded the arrivals (794) by 188. The population at the 31st December, 1923, was therefore 33,800 —a net increase of 115 for the year. The moan population for the year was estimated to be 33,685. Births. The births of 1,701 living children (Samoan) were registered in Western Samoa during 1923, as against 1,622 in 1922 : the birth-rate was thus 50-49 per 1,000 of mean population, as against 48-52 per thousand for f922. The number of live births in 1.923 is the second highest recorded, the highest being 1,792 for 1912, with a population of 34,239. (Note. —Still-births, of which 21 were registered during the year, are not included cither as births or deaths in the various numbers and rates given in this report.) Sixteen pairs of twins were registered, of which both were males in seven instances, both females in six, and in three instances one male and one female. Births of Samoans, Western Samoa, 1923 :— Males. Females. Total. Savai'i .. .. .. .. .. 301 296 597 Upolu .. .. .. .. ..557 547 1,104 858 843 1,701 Births by months : — Males. Females. Total. January .. .. .. .. ..71 71 142 February .. .. .. .. ..58 55 113 March .. .. .. .. ..84 73 157 April .. .. .. .. ..67 66 133 May.. .. .. .. .. ..79 82 161 June f . .. .. .. ..66 81 147 July % .. .. .. ..77 90 167 August .. .. .. .. ..69 61 130 September .. .. .. .. ..71 76 147 October .. .. .. .. ..78 56 134 November .. .. .. .. 86 65 151 December .. .. .. .. ..52 67 119 858 843 1,701 Deaths. The number of deaths registered during the year was 1,398, as compared with 899 in 1922. The relatively large increase was due to an epidemic of dysentery, referred to elsewhere in this report. The crude death-rate was 41-50 per 1,000 of mean population. The'new system of registration of deaths of Samoans, fully described in last year's report, and introduced on the Ist January, 1923, has made it possible to tabulate the deaths under one year of age with a reasonable degree of accuracy, with the exception of deaths occurring during the twelfthmonth. This difficulty will not appear in the future, as it will be possible to check records of deaths at twelve months of age by reference to the Births Register. In the table given on the following page, deaths at twelve months of age have been included in the totals given under heading " 1 year."