15

H.—3l

Here, of European countries, Prussia, which has a birth-rate of 33 to 37 per 1,000 of population shows an infantile mortality of 173 per 1,000 births ; while New Zealand, with a birth-rate of 27 per 1,000 of population, loses only 68 infants per 1,000 births. So that, whatever may be the faults of ignorance or willulness in this country, from a statistical point of view it would appear that far better conditions obtain than elsewhere. The principal causes of mortality in children under one year for New Zealand are given, with the numbers ol deaths for five years from such causes. Premature birth stands first in order of importance diarrhoea and enteritis next, followed by marasmus or debility. Here it is seen how much mortality is attributed to these causes according to the medical certificates.

Causes of Deaths of Children under One Year —1905-9.

The proportions of deaths of children under one year of age to every 100 births for 1908 and 1909 at the chief centres are, — ~,,,.,,. , , 1908. 1909. Auckland (including suburbs) ... . ... g-19 g.^g Wellington „ "." 8 . 17 g. 42 Uhnstchurch „ ... ... g-78 6-28 ' Dunedin „ "; ;_" 7 . 45 4 . 86 The percentage of deaths of children under sto the total number of deaths is—in Dunedin 18-18 "■ in Christchurch, 22-35 ; in Auckland, 23-71 ; in Wellington, 29-53. CAUSES OF DEATH. A comparison of the causes of deaths in 1908 and 1909 arranged according to an abridged classification, the percentage of each group to the total deaths, and the proportion per 10,000 persons living is given in the following table : —

Number of Deaths from each Cause. | Percentage of Total. Causes. - J 1905. 1906. J 1907. j 1908. 1909. j 1905. | 1906. I 1907. j 1908. ; I i__ j_ _ j I i ~~ j i i r Whooping-cough .. ; 2 17 207 31 28 ! 0-13 1-13 9-29 1-76 Convulsions .. .. i 96 i 90 84 76 107 j 6-00 : 5-98 ' 3-77 4-32 Bronchitis and pneumonia! 207 j 170 269 148 i 168 12-95 : 11-29 I 12-08 8-40 Diarrhoea and enteritis 285 ! 232 557 418 [ 249 17-82 : 15-40 ! 25-00 23-74 Premature birth .. 360 [ 337 359 388 ! 347 22-51 ' 22-38 j 16-] 1 j 22-03 Marasmus, &c. .. 258 267 303 264 j 256 16-14 17-73 j 13-60 14-99 Other causes .. j 391 393 j 449 436 ; 479 24-45 j 26-09 } 20-15 ] 24-76 Totals .. .. 11,599 1,506 j 2,228 1,761 1,634 100-00 100-00 100-00 i 100-00 Percentage of Total. 1909. 1-71 6-55 10-28 15-24 21-24 15-67 29-31 1,761 1,634 100-00 1 100-00 100-00 j 100-00 J J 100-00

Number if Deaths. Proportion to Total j Proportion per Deaths. 10,000 living. Class. 1908. 1909. 1908. 1909. 1908. 1909. I. General diseases II. Diseases of the nervous system and of the J organs of special sense III. Diseases of the circulatory system ' .. J IV. Diseases of the respiratory system. V. Diseases of the digestive system VI. Diseases of the genito-urinary system and adnexa VII. Puerperal condition VIII. Diseases of the skin and of the cellular tissue IX. Diseases of the organs of locomotion X. Malformations XL Infancy XII. Old-age .. .. .. ,[ XIII. Violence XIV. Ill-defined causes Total. 2,206 930 I 1,251 830 1,042 387 119 37 Total. 2,187 920 1,369 784 843 407 135 50 Per Cent. | Per Cent. 2440 ; 2441 10-28 ; 10-27 13-83 i 15-28 9-18 I 8-75 11-52 > 9-41 4-28 : 4-54 1-32 J 1-51 0-41 . 0-56 I I 23-34 I 9-84 ! 13-24 i 8-78 ! 11-03 4-09 J 1-26 i 0-39 j 22-50 9-47 14-09 8-07 8-67 4-19 1-39 0-51 38 47 716 586 673 181 25 . 64 676 556 778 165 0-42 ! 0-28 0-52 j 0-71 7-92 J 7-55 6-48 ! 6-21 744 ! 8-68 2-00 . 1-84 0-40 I 0-50 7-58 ! 6-20 I 7-12 ! 1-91 I 0-26 0-66 6-96 5-72 8-00 1-70 Totals I 9,043 8,959 100-00 i 100-00 95-68 J 92-19 -™* *j **» I » y_f \j