H. 31.

Hotel Inspections. The standard of sanitation is good. In several instances the buildings are, of course, old, and the difficulties are increased. I have emphasized on local authorities their responsibility in taking action with regard to any nuisance which may occur, under the Health Act. Industrial Hygiene. Joint inspections with the Labour Department by the Medical Officer of Health and Inspectors. As opportunity offers, this work is being .developed and studied. Visits of inspection during the year were made 1 to all kinds of factories. Attention is required particularly to the means of ventilation, lighting, and removal of various dusts. Although dependent upon many other conditions, it would no doubt be preferable if industries in New Zealand were developed outside the towns. Sir Thomas Oliver, in his " Health of the Workers," states : "In fact, our increasing net work and the abbreviation of distances by telegraph and telephone have raised the question as to the desirability of transplanting factories into the country, where under more hygienic conditions the health and physique of the working classes might possibly be improved." Admin istbation . During the year the closest co-operation and co-ordination existed between the Medical Officer of Health and the Division of School Medical Work. In conclusion, I desire to express my appreciation of the valuable services rendered by nurses, Inspectors, the District Clerk, and general office staff. HOKOWHENUA-WANGANUI HEALTH DISTRICT. Dr. Shore, Medical Officer of Health. Part 2. Infectious Diseases. Scarlet fever has been very prevalent in the Wanganui and Palmerston North Boroughs throughout the year, the number of cases notified in these boroughs during the year being seventy-six each. From Wanganui this disease has spread into the surrounding district, thirteen cases being notified from the surrounding country district and fifteen from the neighbouring borough of Marton. The same spread into the surrounding districts is noticeable in respect to the Palmerston North district. Twenty-eight cases have been notified from the country district immediately around this borough, twenty-one from. Foxton, twenty-two from Levin, six from Shannon, and five from Feilding. Thirteen cases each have also been notified from Otaki in the south and Patea in the north of the district. An unusually large number —approximately about 20 per cent. —of persons of adult age have been notified as suffering from the disease. Throughout the cases have been mild in nature, and there is little doubt but that this has contributed largely to the spread of infection through undetected cases. Four deaths occurred in the 321 cases notified. Diphtheria. —The distribution and incidence of diphtheria in the district has closely followed that of scarlet fever. Forty-five casfes have been notified from Palmerston North, and seventeen cases from the immediate country district around the borough, eight being notified from Bunnythorpe. At this place preventive inoculation was carried out, 100 children being immunized. Fifty-six cases were notified from Wanganui, six from the surrounding country district, three from Marton Borough, and two from Feilding. Levin, where thirty cases were notified, and Shannon, with fourteen cases, have suffered from small epidemics during the year. Swabbing of all children in the Infant school at Levin was carried out, but gave no very satisfactory results as determining school infection. In the total of 207 cases notified nine deaths occurred. Enteric Fever.—A small outbreak in the Taihape district was responsible for most of the cases notified. A Maori shearer, who came into the district from Hawke's Bay suffering from the disease, was responsible for the start of this outbreak. An extensive T.A.B. inoculation of the Natives in this and the surrounding districts was carried out, about two hundred being treated in the various pas and settlements in the Taihape and Waimarino districts. No further cases have been notified from this district since this was done. Two deaths occurred in the total of nine cases notified. Pneumonia. —The number of cases notified has been exceptionally large during the year. Approximately 50 per cent, of the cases have occurred in the Palmerston North Hospital District, chiefly in Palmerston North and Foxton and their environs. One hundred and forty two cases were notified resulting in thirty-seven deaths. General Sanitation in the Boroughs and Larger Towns. Wanganui.—The general sanitation of this city is well maintained by a staff of three Inspectors, all of whom are qualified. Rubbish removal and disposal is efficiently carried out by the borough ; disposal by dumping and covering. A new site for the disposal of rubbish from the GonvilleCastlecliff area of the borough has lately been approved of. The sewage system of the borough discharges into the Wanganui River, which is tidal, by various outlets along its banks. Authority has been obtained from the Board of Health to expend a sum of £300 in improving these outlets. The work of providing a new outlet sewer at Castlecliff, reticulating - sewers in the Gonville -Castlecliff area, and Completing the reticulation of other portions of the city has made good progress during the year, and has been carried out well within the estimated cost. The borough water-supply has been found uniformly good during the year.

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