H.—3l.

Last year it was pointed out that the decrease in the number of still-births during 1933-34 was accompanied by an increase in the number of deaths of infants within twenty-four hours of birth. In 1935, there was an increase in still-births but a decrease in deaths 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, 1931-35. Total Number of Rate of Stilly ear . Still-births births per 1,000 registered. Live Births. 193 809 30-4 1932 . .. .. •• ..746 30-0 1933 722 29-7 1934.. .. ■■ •• •• 687 28-3 1935 .. .. ■ ■ • • • ■ .. 738 30-8 (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 total number of deaths and the crude death-rate per 10,000 of mean population due to some form of heart disease continue to increase. Judged from, these figures, the outlook does not appear promising, but when the figures are analysed and the various factors affecting the number of deaths are considered, the position is found to be more encouraging. . . When the factor of changing age and sex constitution of the population is eliminated by standardizing the death-rate, the rate thus obtained still shows a marked increase, indicating that heart disease as the certified cause of death is increasing. When, however, the population is divided into two groups, those under sixty-five years of age and those of sixty-five years of age and over, and standardized rates calculated, it is found that the increase during the past thirty-five years has occurred in the older age-group.

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1935. 1934. j 1933. 1932. 1931. Cause. I Number. Rate. Rate. Rate. Rate. Rate. Heart Disease (all forms) . . •• 3,458 23-27 22-67 21-12 20-15 19-50 CaIlcer . 1,656 11-15 11-50 11-07 10-11 10-33 Violence i. .. .. .. 778 5-24 5-71 5-61 6-37 8-06 Chest Disease (total) .. 712 4-79 5-05 4-42 5-23 5-88 Pneumonia .. . . • • • ■ 240 1 • 61 1-73 1-65 1-91 2 • 26 Pneumonia (secondary to influenza), 32 0-22 0-38 0-34 0-35 0-96 Whooping-cough, and Measles Bronchitis . 199 1-34 1-47 1-21 1-42 1-40 Broncho-pneumonia . . . • • ■ 241 1-62 1-47 1-23 1-55 Tuberculosis (all forms) .. .. 576 3-88 4-20 4-16 4-22 4-27 Kidney or Bright's Disease .. .. 528 3-55 3-79 3-82 3-98 4-01 Apoplexy or Cerebral Haemorrhage .. 721 4-85 4-94 4-62 4-20 4-39 Diseases of the Arteries .. 388 2-61 2-57 2-80 3-05 Senility .. .. ■ ■ 354 2-38 3-09 2-30 3-01 2-96 Diabetes .. ■. ■ ■ • • 226 1 -52 1 ■ 69 1-56 1-57 1 ■ 57 Hernia and Intestinal Obstruction.. .. 100 0-67 0-65 0-76 0-65 0-58 Diseases and accidents of childbirth (maternal 101 0-68 0-80 0-74 0-69 0-88 mortality) Appendicitis .. .. 107 0-72 0-78 0-74- 0-69 0-73 Diarrhoea and Enteritis . . . . . ■ 81 0-55 0-39 0-41 0-47 0-51 Epilepsy .. 43 0-29 0-35 0-28 0-28 0-38 Common Infectious Diseases. Influenza (all forms, including Pneumonia) .. 110 0-74 1-26 0-70 0-46 1-53 Diphtheria .. .. .. ■ • 33 0-22 0-18 0-18 0-27 0-38 Whooping-cough .. .. 42 0-28 0-27 0-12 0-30 0-25 Scarlet Fever .. .. •• •• 8 0-05 0-05 0-03 0-04 0-08 Typhoid . •• •• 10 0-07 0-01 0-04 0-05 0-06 Measles 1 0-01 0-31 0-12 0-05 0-06