3

A. —4a

The numbers of lepers from Samoa under treatment at Makogai at the end oi the year under review were : Samoans, seven males, four females ; Chinese, three males ; Half-caste Europeans, two males, one female ; Solomon-Islanders, two males ; Cook-Islanders, one male. (g.) Filariasis. —The Research Expedition from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which arrived in Samoa in January, 1924, departed for London in December, 1925. The report of the work carried out by this Expedition is awaited with interest. Quarantine. During the year 102 visits of inspection were made to vessels arriving from overseas, and in one instance (the monthly mail-steamer for April, 1925), owing to the prevalence of infantile paralysis in New Zealand, quarantine was imposed. Samoa is kept well informed as to conditions in the Pacific by regular weekly wireless messages from New Zealand, with extra messages at irregular intervals detailing any special information which may be of value to Samoa. Food and Drugs. The New Zealand Food and Drugs Act, 1908, with the regulations made thereunder, is in force in the Territory. During the year the following foodstuffs were condemned and destroyed under the supervision of an officer of the Department: Meat in kegs, 10,3801b.; canned meats, 1,045 Ib.; frozen meats, 1,426 lb. ; canned fish, 343 lb. ; frozen fish, 180 lb. ; bacon and ham, 247 lb. ; cheese, 6 lb. European Sanitation. Plumbing and drainage permits issued .. .. .. .. 62 Septic tanks installed .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 Feet of drainage laid .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,297 Water-closets connected .. .. .. .. ... .. 56 Sinks connected .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Baths connected .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 Loads of rubbish removed to dump .. .. .. .'. .. 1,248 Native Sanitation. Progress has been slow but steady, except for the setback due to the storm on the Ist January. Many of the latrines built out over the sea were destroyed by the heavy seas which accompanied the storm, and naturally the Natives in some districts feel that their labour of rebuilding may be labour in vain. Gradually, in those districts where good water-supplies are available, water-carriage disposal of excremental matter will be introduced, and properly constructed buildings will replace the present crude ones. In other districts where a water-carriage system is out of the question, drop latrines over the sea will have to remain, and in those villages where the unprotected nature of the coast-line is such as to render this type of latrine unsuitable, pit privies are the only solution. During the past few years there has been a marked improvement in the general cleanliness of the villages, and with the education of the women's committees, which i.s being carried out in connection with the child-welfare campaign, the improvement should be still more rapid. The Native Health Regulations, a draft copy of which was published on page 33 of last annual report, came into force during the year. These regulations deal with the building of Native fales (Samoan houses) ; latrines ; the disposal of rubbish, refuse, and dead animals ; water-supplies; the keeping of animals ; and gatherings of Natives in villages. Native Water-supplies. These are dealt with in the general report under " Public Works." Child Welfare. Systematic work on child welfare was commenced at the beginning of the year by the appointment of a Child-welfare Officer. In addition to the work carried out by this officer, Dr. Roberts, wife of the American Vice-Consul, has continued to give her services voluntarily throughout the year, and has taken charge of the district lying between Apia and Falefa —nearly twenty miles away. That the work carried out by these two ladies is bearing fruit is obvious, but no marked improvement in a short time can be expected, as the conservatism of the Samoan mother has to be overcome. This will only be achieved gradually. A short article on the work, by Dr. Mabel Christie, will be found in Appendix C. Vital Statistics (Samoan). The first six months of the year was an exceptionally satisfactory period. The births numbered 1,015, and the deaths 303, of which 111 were of infants under one year of age. The second half of the year unfortunately did not fulfil the promise of the first half, the deaths being 554, of which 268 were of infants. The increase was due partly to the prevalence of whooping-cough, and partly to the exceptionally, dry season. Although whooping-cough was prevalent during the first half of the year, it had very little effect on the death-rate. But in conjunction with the increase in enteritis amongst children, which occurred from July to November, it raised the mortality markedly. The association of the decreased rainfall and the increased mortality is clearly shown in the meteorological table given in Appendix A. In spite of the increase in the number of deaths, the natural increase in population was greater than in any previous year, the births (2,033) exceeding the deaths (857) by 1,176.