H.—3l

during the past two years, coincident with the decline in the number of still-births, there was an increase in the deaths of infants within twenty-four hours of birth. In the table below the number of still-births, and the rate per 1,000 live births for the last five years are given : —

- Still-births (Number and Rate) in New Zealand, 1930-1934. Total Number of Rate of StillYear. Still-births births per 1,000 registered. Live Births. 1930 .. .. .. .. ..865 32-3 1931 .. .. .. .. ..809 30-4 1932 .. .. .. .. ..746 30-0 1933 .. .. .. .. ..722 29-7 1934 .. .. .. .. ..687 28-3 (Note. —Still-births are not included, either as births or deaths, in the various numbers and rates given elsewhere in this report.)

THE PRINCIPAL CAUSES OF DEATH

The following table gives the main causes of deaths during the year and the actual number of deaths therefrom, and also the death-rates per 10,000 of mean population for each of the last five years:—

Heart-disease (All Forms) —The figures and rates given above show an increase in the number of deaths, and in the crude death-rate per 10,000 of mean population due to some form of heart-disease. An analysis of the deaths from this group of diseases, according to age and sex incidence, is, however, necessary before any conclusion can be arrived at as to whether the incidence is increasing or not. In Table C the death-rates have been calculated by sex and age groups, for seven, successive quinquennia. It will be noticed that there has been a definite improvement under age 40 (males) and 55 (females), and a definite move in the other direction above age 60 (males) and 65 (females). In the case of males between 40 and 60 years there has been a change from a downward tendency to an upward one of recent years. Owing to the deaths of approximately 17,000 of our healthiest men overseas during the war, most of whom would to-day have been included in the age-groups mentioned, the percentage of " unfits " in these age-groups has been increased. In addition, the strain of war service is possibly showing its effects amongst those who returned.

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1934. 1933. 1932. 1931. 1930. Cause. — Number. Rate. Rate. Rate. Rate. Rate. Heart-disease (all forms) .. .. .. 3,348 22-67 21-12 20-15 19-50 20-33 Cancer .. .. .. .. .. 1,699 11-50 11-07 10-11 10-33 10-19 Violence .. .. .. .. .. 848 5-71 5-61 6-37 8-06 6-86 Chest-disease (total) .. .. .. .. 746 5-05 4-42 5-23 5-88 7-03 Pneumonia .. .. .. .. .. 256 1-73 1-65 1-91 2-26 3-01 Pneumonia, secondary to influenza, whooping- 56 0-38 0-34 0-35 0-96 0-61 cough and measles Bronchitis .. .. .. .. .. 217 1-47 1-21 1-42 1-40 1-88 Broncho-pneumonia .. .. .. .. 217 1-47 1-23 1-55 1-25 1-53 Tuberculosis (all forms) .. .. .. 621 4-20 4-16 4-22 4-27 4-55 Kidney or Bright's disease .. .. .. 560 3-79 3-82 3-98 4-01 3-98 Apoplexy or cerebral haemorrhage .. .. 729 4-94 4-62 4-20 4-39 4-62 Diseases of the arteries .. .. .. .. 379 2-57 2-80 3-05 2-91 3-03 Senility .. .. .. .. .. 456 3-09 2-30 3-01 2-96 2-93 Diabetes .. .. .. .. .. 250 1-69 1-56 1-57 1-57 1-56 Hernia and intestinal obstruction .. .. 96 0-65 0-76 0-65 0-58 0-67 Diseases and accidents of child-birth (maternal 118 0-80 0-74 0-69 0-88 0-95 mortality) Appendicitis .. .. .. .. .. 116 0-78 0-74 0-69 0-73 0-69 Diarrhoea and enteritis .. .. .. .. 58 0-39 0-41 0-47 0-51 0-54 Epilepsy .. .. .. .. .. 51 0-35 0-28 0-28 0-38 0-39 Common Infectious Diseases. Influenza (all forms, including pneumonia) .. 186 1-26 0-70 0-46 1-53 0-92 Diphtheria .. .. , 4 .. .. 26 0-18 0-18 0-27 0-38 0-41 Whooping-cough .. .. .. .. 40 0-27 0-12 0-30 0-25 0-23 Scarlet fever .. .. .. .. .. 8 0-05 0-03 0-04 0-08 0-11 Typhoid .. .. .. .. .. 1 o-01 0-04 0-05 0-06 0-05 Measles .. .. .. .. .. 46 0-31 0-12 0-05 0-06 0-01