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Milk-supply. —During the year a large number of samples of milk have been obtained for chemical and bacteriological examination. Samples for bacteriological examination were obtained at the farms shortly after milking or on arrival in the city and after pasteurization. The provision of refrigerators in certain farms for the cooling of the milk is a step in the right direction, and is to be greatly encouraged. The sale of milk in bottles has certainly increased, and premises carrying on such work have been the subject of special inspections ; also one prosecution took place for filling bottles on the milk-float in the street. The exposure of milk-cans awaiting transit to the city on roadsides still continues to a certain extent. Licensing of milk-shops has been extended in the suburbs by local bodies, and a general improvement in the standard has resulted. Special inspections of bakers' and butchers' shops, fish-shops, restaurants, and marble-bars were made by the Medical Officer of Health during the year, and the satisfactory conditions found reflect much credit on the shopkeepers and City Council Inspectors. Shipping and Anti-rat Work. All vessels entering the port, averaging some twenty-eight per month, have been subjected to careful medical examination by the Port Health Officer, and all prohibited or restricted immigrants detected have been reported to the Customs Department. There have, fortunately, been no serious outbreaks of disease aboard, and in only one instance was it necessary to order a vessel into quarantine, this being the R.M.S. " Aorangi," on which vessel a case of mild smallpox was detected on arrival here. The contacts were released under medical surveillance after vaccination and a period of isolation. Quarantine Station. —During the year a portion of Motuihi was handed over to the City Council as a park. The island was visited by thousands of the public during the summer, and, as only temporary sanitary provision was made by the City Council, conditions were, and are still, far from satisfactory, and require attention at the earliest opportunity. Supervision has been exercised by the Shipping Inspector over the sanitation of all vessels in the port, and all fumigations with cyanide-gas or sulphur have been carried out under his superintendence. In connection with the anti-rat measures taken here, the City Council and. Harbour Board have each a special officer assigned to this work, and good catches of rodents by trapping have been rejiorted. Poisoned baits are also laid by those officers, and the City Council distributes free baits to householders on application and reports a steady demand for these throughout the year. SECTION 2.—AUCKLAND AND THAMES-TAURANGA HEALTH DISTRICTS. Dr. Chksson, Medical Officer of Health. Infectious Diseases. The districts have been free from epidemics of infectious disease, although minor outbreaks have occurred, of scarlet fever and diphtheria at Hikurangi, in the North Auckland district, and of scarlet fever at Thames. The cases were mostly of a mild type. The two districts were practically free from the epidemic of dysentery which affected the Central and South Auckland areas, although a few sporadic cases were notified, and in one instance a family of five were affected at the Bay of Islands, the infection being traced to contact with a patient from South Auckland. Any cases which appeared were immediately placed under isolation and treatment, and any general outbreak was thereby avoided. But few cases of puerperal fever were reported, and careful investigation and precautionary measures against the possible spread of infection were adopted in all cases. Both the districts were practically free of the dangerous epidemic diseases, such as pneumonic influenza, infantile paralysis, and cerebro-spinal meningitis ; and enteric-fever notifications have also been very low. Generally it may be stated that the routine precautionary measures of isolation of cases and school contacts, and" disinfection, together with such other special measures as swabbing of diphtheria contacts, inoculation of enteric-fever contacts, &c., have proved efficient, in keeping the infectious diseases under control. General Administration. Supervision has been exercised over all sanitation and drainage matters, and much improvement has been made, especially in connection with household drainage. The districts being largely rural, many of the houses have private drainage, but most of the towns and boroughs have their own sewerage systems, which have been extended and improved during the year. The following are some of the sewerage improvements effected :— Whangarei : A new sewerage outfall installed, and an extension of the reticulation system was made. New Lynn : New septic tank and outfall completed on the Manukau foreshore, and general extensions made to the system. The whole of the borough is now sewered. Takapuna : Good general progress made with the extension of the recently instituted sewerage system. Thames : But few extra house connections have been made during the year, and this is not very satisfactory. A measure of pollution of the foreshore by sewage also occurred.