H.—3l.

Infectious Diseases amongst Maoris. Table D attached gives the number of notifications of infectious disease received for members of tlie Maori race. These figures are not included in the European figures, as a very large number of cases amongst Maoris are missed, due to the fact that a large proportion of Maoris fail to obtain medical assistance when they become ill. The figures, while very inaccurate, serve their purpose in indicating to what extent the Maori people are attacked by disease. Of the 261 notifications received, 115, or over 44 per cent, of the total, were from pulmonary tuberculosis, a disease to which the Maori is very susceptible. The next disease in order of importance of the number notified is typhoid fever, for which disease 90 cases were notified. Here, again, we have a disease which has a peculiar affinity for the Maori race, due, for the most part, to their lack of sanitation and the ease in which infection can and does spread. In none of the other diseases notified did the total reach double figures. SECTION S. Infant Mortality, 769. The infant-mortality rate for 1933 was 31-6 per 1,000 births.

Infant Mortality in New Zealand, 1929-33 (per 1,000 Live Births).

It will be seen from the above that there was a substantial reduction last year in the death-rate of infants, and those under one month of age shared in this reduction. Analysis of Deaths of Infants under One Month of Age, 1933. The following table gives the causes of these deaths during the year : : —

Thus 435 of a total of 555 infant deaths in the first month of life occurred during the first week and may be regarded as mainly due to pre-natal influences. It is also of interest to record .that well over half of the infant deaths (in the first twelve months of life) occurred in this first week—i.e.. 435 in a total of 769.

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rinrior One Month and T , , , I TT , One Month and „ , , , *«■ One U £th.|-tn T | OnSthJ T^ZX. i i i ■ ! 1929 .. 23-26 10-84 34-10 1932 .. 21-30 9-92 31-22 1930 .. 24-03 10-45 34-48 1933 .. j 22-81 8-79 • 31-60 1931 .. 22-69 9-46 32-15 I |_ I ■ ■ ,. i

. SH Kd P-t 3 jsj i ti .d TTH nd ® ® T| SB © H J J "§ ® Cause of Death. ™5 °SB= S S g fcgS S§| Tet.l. On.D.y, jlSjflJjJ'SS J 80 OJ H [ B"| [ g j O | Influenza .. . . . . .. .. ., Syphilis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 Meningitis .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .... 1 Convulsions .. .. .. .. .. 4 1 ..!.. 5 Broncho-pneumonia .. .. .. .. 3 3 3 4 ]3 Pneumonia .. .. . . .. .. 1 .. j i Diarrhoea and enteritis .. .. . . . . 1 .. . , .. 2 Congenital malformations .. . . 16 ] 30 13 10 7 76 Congenital debility .. .. .. 7 14 4 j j 25 Injury at birth.. .. .. .. 22 43 8 1 , .. 74 Premature birth .. .. .. 127 91 18 5 6 247 Other diseases .. .. .. .. 18 I 42 8 8 4 80 Accidental mechanical suffocation .. j 1 1 • • I 1 3 Other causes .... .. .. 3 10 6 4 6 29 Totals, 1933 .. . . 195 240 64 31 25 555 Totals, 1932 .. .. 164 | 24-5 65 31 25 530