H.—3l.

1900-04 and in Table B the increases and decreases between the periods given. The most marked changes are the decline in senility and the increase in heart disease as the certified cause of death, but it will be noticed, also, that in respiratory diseases and in other causes not listed, the decline lias been considerable. Many of the changes shown in the table are probably due, in great part, not to increase or decrease in the actual cause of death, but in the recorded cause. The 6-3 per cent, of the population 65 years of age and over contributed 48-25 per cent, of the total deaths. Leaving this section of the community out of account for the moment, there is still a fertile field for preventive medicine in the remaining 93-7 per cent, under 65 years of age.

Table A. —Average Yearly Death-rates per 10,000 for that Section of the Population of 65 Years of Age and over, standardized on the Basis of the Age and Sex Constitution of the Population 65 Years of Age and over at the Time of the Census taken in 1911.

Table B. —Increase or Decrease in the Average Yearly standardized Death-rates shown in Table A for each Quinquennium as compared with the Rate for the previous Quinquennium given.

Still-births. A still-born child is defined as one " which has issued from its mother after the expiration of the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy, and which was not alive at the time of such issue." Still-births have been compulsorilv registrable in New Zealand since March, 1913. In 1935 still-births numbering 738 were registered, an increase of 51 on the figure for the previous year.

10

, Cerebral Pneumonia, 6 ®f es ,, Q .... Haemorr- M , ... Bronchitis, Other All Causes. of the Cancer. Senility. hage and Nephritis. and Heart. Apoplexy. Pleurisy. Males. 1900-0-1.. 715-32 140-30 66-00 161-73 50-05 28-38 81-84 217-02 1910-14.. 750-26 170-64 78-02 150-41 51-12 29-84 60-49 209-74 1920-24.. 713-39 185-94 83-50 131-11 57-56 25-10 65-09 165-09 1930-34.. 689-95 254-81 99-36 48-86 64-98* 36-89 41-23 143-82 . Females. 1900-04.. 637-94 111-88 57-05 165-11 50-46 13-13 74-59 165-72 1910-14.. 644-24 134-73 75-08 144-14 60-19 15-10 57-85 157-15 1920-24.. 627-58 158-26 78-39 116-99 67-37 17-66 54-71 134-20 1930-34.. 589-29 221-51 77-08 41-17 76-47* 31-13 ! 33-39 107-54 Persons. 1900-04.. 700-01 128-31 62-23 163-15 50-22 21-95 78-78 195-37 1910-14.. 705-53 155-49 76-78 147-77 54-94 23-62 59-38 187-55 1920-24.. 677-18 174-26 81-34 125-15 61-70 21-96 60-71 152-07 1930-34.. 647-48 241-18 89-96 45-62 69-83* 34-46 37-92 128-51 * Arterial disease with record of .cerebral vascular lesion included to make figures comparable with earlier quin - quennia.

Cerebral Pnemonia, ,1. „ Diseases Haemorr- AT , ... Bronchitis, Other All Causes. of the Cancer. Senility. hage and Nephritis. an(J Catjses _ Heart. Apoplexy. Pleurisy. Males. 1910-14.. +4-94 +30-34 | +12-02 j -11-32 +1-07 + 1-46 -21-35 - 7-28 1920-24.. —36-87 +15-30 + 5-48 —19-30 +6-44 — 4-74 + 4-60 —44-65 1930-34.. -23-44 +68-87 1 +15-86 I -82-25 +7-42 +11-79 -23-86 -21-27 Females. 1910-14.. + 6-30 +22-85 +18-03 -20-97 +9-73 + 1-97 -16-74 - 8-57 1920-24.. —16-66 +23-53 + 3-31 —27-15 +7-18 + 2-56 — 3-14 —22-95 1930-34.. -38-29 +64-25 - 1-31 -75-82 +9-10 +13-47 -21-32 -26-66 Persons. 1910-14.. + 5-52 +27-18 +14-55 -15-38 +4-72 + 1-67 -19-40 - 7-82 1920-24.. —28-35 +18-77 + 4-56 —22-62 +6-76 — 1-66 + 1-53 —35-48 1930-34.. —29-70 +66-92 + 8-62 —79-53 +8-13 +12-50. —22-79 —23-56