A.—4A,

DEATHS BY MONTHS, 1926.

AGES AT DEATH (SAMOANS), 1926.

Infant Mortality. Prior to 1923 the system of registration of births and deaths did not permit of ascertaining the infant-mortality rate, but from the death-rates recorded it must have been high. In 1923 the rate was approximately 200, and in 1924 it fell to 155. Child-welfare work commenced in 1925, and during the first six months of that year the infant-mortality rate showed a marked improvement. During the second six months whooping-cough caused a rise in the number of deaths, making the rate for the year 186 per one thousand births. For the year under review the rate fell to 106. Thus two years' work on child welfare, coupled with four years' organized medical work in the out-districts, has already resulted in a marked improvement in the health of infants. The results are full of promise for the future. The improvement is shown not only in the first year of life, but also in the succeeding years. In 1924, of a total number of deaths of 766, 51-4 per cent, were of children under the age of two years, and 59-3 per cent, under the age of five years. In 1925 the deaths numbered 857, of which 55-8 per cent, were of children under two years and 62-8 per cent, under five years. In 1926, of a total number of deaths of 723, the percentage under two years of age dropped to 41-64 and under five years to 50-63. In connection with the percentages given above, it is necessary to note that the accurate returns which we have been able to obtain during the past four years show that 16 per cent, of the total population of the Territory is under the age of four years.

PERCENTAGE OF DEATHS AT DIFFERENT AGES TO TOTAL DEATHS.

6

— | Jan. Feb. j March, j April. May. June. j July. August.j Sept. Oct. Nov. j Dec. Total. Males .. 30 25 27 38 45 : 48 30 29 35 i 32 17 20 376 Females 28 30 39 33 ! 43 29 I 31 24 40 24 14 12 347 I ! | j I I | Total .. 58 55 1 66 71 88 ! 77 | 61 53 75 56 31 32 723 ■ i 'j | j | I j I 1 ' I

I I • I • • • • I • I / CO CO — f • . I • m I | • ' k* M M tc CO J 1 te I M M +=( • . •'§. 22 t£ I s2 2 3 ® I 5 ill 1 | 3 S a' ill I I filbs-asal §| | in ,$ £ | gl j -s 2 ° 2 ? 5 ?:?ls?iS S 5 sWjUi 3* £ 5 s ! °M I o I | J, I J> I i oj A ,-!, ti oj H -i ci I n 4. 2 : ° ! I I I I I I'lil i ! ! UPOLTJ—■ ! Males .. .. I 4 0 0 0 I 2 j 1 j 1 I 8 ; 1 2 1 12 6 14 I 41 i 73 |38 11 9 ! 7 7 98 243 Females .. .. j 3 0 1 0 j 0 j 0 j 3 j 7 4 1 1 13 1 12 27 j 53 33 11 6 j 2 9 108 222 Total. .. .. I 7 0 1 0 2 j 1 | 4 15 5 3 2 25 7 26 68 |l26 j71 ( 22 15 J 9 16 206 | 465 Savai'i —• ! II | || Males .. .. | 2 2 1 2 1 ! 1 I 0 9 4 2 1 16 I 3 4 23 46 10 4 0 3 3 67 133 Females .. .. I 3 0 2 1 0 j 0 j 1 7 5 0 0 12 4 7 j 13 36 12 6 2 | 4 8 57 125 Total .. .. 1 5 2 3 3 1 j 1 1 16 9 2 1 28 j 7 11 j 36 J 82 J22 |l0 2 7 11 124 258 Totals, Western Samoa Males .. .. 6 2 1 2 3 2 1 17 5 4 2 28 ! 9 18 64 |l 19 48 15 9 10 10 165 376 Females .. .. 6 0 3 1 0 0 4 14 9 1 1 25 | 5 19 I 40 89 45 17 8 6 17 165 347 I J I I I Total .. ..12 2 | 4 3 3 j 2 • 5 31 14 5 3 53 ( 14 37 104 |208 93 j32 17 16 27 330 723

Number of Deaths. Percentage of Total Deaths, 1924. J 1925. j 1926. 1924. j 1925. ! 1926. Under 1 week . . . . .. . . 34 50 31 4-44 5-83 4-29 From 1 week to 1 month . . .. .. 25 36 I 22 , 3-26 4-20 3-04 From 1 month to 3 months .. .. .. 28 51 14 3-66 5-95 1-94 From 3 months to 6 months.. .. .. 44 100 37 5-74 11-67 5-12 From 6 months to 12 months . . . . 164 142 104 21-40 16-57 14-39 From 1 year to 2 years .. .. .. 99 97 93 12-93 : 11-32 12-86 From 2 years to 3 years .. .. .. 31 31 32 4-05 ; 3-62 4-43 From 3 years to 4 years .. .. .. \ f 17 \ / 2-35 From 4 years to 5 years .. .. . . / \ 16 / 6 6 48 \ 2-21 From 5 years to 10 years . . . . .. 25 j 28 27 3-26 3-27 3-73 Over 10 years .. .. .. 287 i 293 330 37-47 34-19 ■ 45-64 766 857 723 100-00 100-00 100-00