H.—3l

58

It is unfortunate that owing to parts of what will in all probability ultimately become Greater Auckland being still in the embryonic stage of local government nominally as Road Boards, general statistics for purposes of comparison are only available for Auckland City and the Boroughs of Birkenhead, Devonport, Grey Lynn, Mount Eden, Newmarket, and Parnell. The periods covered in compiling general vital statistics are for the calendar year. For infectious diseases the period still commences on the Ist April, the beginning of the departmental year. The populations upon which the year's statistics are treated are: — Auckland City (mean of 1907) ... ... ... ... ... 41,916 Auckland with the surrounding boroughs ... ... ... ... 70,068 The population of Greater Auckland by the census of 1906 was ... 82,101 Birth-rate. The births in Auckland City were ... ... ... ... ... 1,242 In Auckland and suburban boroughs (Road Boards not included) ... 1,924 Per 1,000 of , Mean Population. Auckland City ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 29"63 Auckland and suburban boroughs ... ... ... ... ... 2746 The satisfactory increase in the birth-rate referred to in three previous reports as to Auckland District is thus maintained. It is again observed that both the birth and death rates and the infantile-death rate are greater within the city than in the surrounding boroughs, the increase as to the two last factors being proportional to the aggregation of population per acre. Deaths occurring in hospital are omitted except where deceased previously resided in the city or suburban boroughs. Death-rate. Per 1,000 of Mean Population. Auckland City ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 - 38 Auckland and suburban boroughs ... ... ... ... ... 1143 The increase during the last year is due to the prevalence of epidemic diseases such as enteric fever, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping-cough, measles, and infantile diarrhoea, all of which have been rife in this district. For the last five years, — Auckland Auckland and Suburban City. Boroughs. 1903 ... ... ... ... ... ... 12-97 12-23 1904 ... ... ... ... ... ... 11-11 10-20 1905 ... ... ... ... ... ... 12-15 10-52 1906 ... ... ... ... ... ... 12-51 9-90 1907 ... ... ... ... ... ... 13-38 11-43 The deaths in Auckland in 1907-8 were ... ... ... ... 561 And in Auckland and suburban boroughs ... ... ... ... 801 Infantile Mortality. In Auckland and suburban boroughs, — Deaths of infants under one year were ... ... ... ... 187 Between one year and five years ... ... ... ... ... 76 263 Deaths of children under one year to every 100 births for five years,— Auckland Auckland and Suburban City. Boroughs. 1903 ... ... ... ... ... ... 12-08 12-15 1904 6-93 7-01 1905 ... ... ... ... ... ... 10-13 9-15 1906 ... ... ... ... ... ... 9-92 8-58 1907 ... ... ... ... ... ... 10-55 9-72 Slight increase due to infectious or preventable diseases. : i Natural Increase of Population. Total Total Natural Na^*H£, PBr Births, Deaths. Increase. I £J££ B Auckland City 1,242 561 681 16-25 Auckland and suburban boroughs 1,924 801 1,123 1603