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Milk-supplies. The same cannot be said about the milk-supplies, however. The standard of purity in some cases admits of improvement. Food-supplies. Considerable improvements have been made in nearly all the larger towns in the premises where foodstuffs are prepared, handled, and sold. Our departmental regulations governing food-shops are now being carried out, and opposition of certain local authorities is gradually lessening. Tuberculosis Work. All our own Inspectors and most of the local-authority Inspectors endeavour to follow and keep in touch with tuberculosis cases, and send in a list every six months of cases living in the district. The migratory habits of T.B. cases cause considerable difficulty in tracing the movements of these people from one health district to another. We are, however, now getting better returns of admissions and discharges of chronic T.B. cases into and out of the public hospitals. Nurse Inspectors' Work. The work of Miss Broad and Miss Lea is very satisfactory. They make at least two inspections of all private hospitals in their districts a year, and furnish complete reports to the Medical Officer of Health. With one or two outstanding exceptions, the general management of private hospitals is quite satisfactory. In addition to inspecting private hospitals, the Nurse Inspectors visit all registered midwives and maternity nurses in their districts, as well as dental nurses. Recently the inspection of beauty parlours, masseuses, and chiropractors' premises has been added to the list of their duties. SECTION 3.—CANTERBURY-WESTLAND HEALTH DISTRICT. Dr. T. F. Telford, Medical Officer of Health. Part 1. Infectious Diseases. Scarlet Fever showed an increase over the preceding year, of thirty-two cases. Diphtheria likewise showed an increase over the preceding year, of 147 cases. This is largely accounted for by an outbreak of this disease in the Ashburton Borough and Ashburton County, the total cases running to 133 Regarding both scarlet fever and diphtheria, the total increase in each case respectively is below the average for the preceding five years. Enteric Fever. —There were only nine cases notified under this heading, as against thirty-one in the preceding year, and four of these cases arrived in this health district while incubating the disease. Two cases were traced to Dunedin, one to Wellington, and one to Ohakune, in the Wellington District. Puerperal Fever. —I am glad to know that this disease shows a diminution over the preceding year, the figures being forty-four, as against forty-seven. Food Poisoning. There were thirteen cases notified, the majority of the cases being in one outbreak, which was traceable to pressed corned beef, the infecting organism being the Bacillus coli. Anthrax. During March a case of anthrax was reported, the lesion being situated on the left side of the face of the man contracting the disease. This man was engaged in an occupation necessitating the handling of imported hide-trimmings from India. Bacteriological examination of the hair in the shaving-brush proved negative to anthrax, as also the various samples taken at the works where this man was employed, the samples comprising dust from the various places where these imported hidetrimmings were stored and handled, also portions of the trimmings which were open to suspicion. Further examinations are being made of the material submitted, and the result will not be known for some time yet. Tuberculosis. The notified incidence of this disease shows a distinct upward tendency in this district. The notification of this disease is very faithfully carried out in this district, and in all cases of suspicion they are referred to Dr. Blackmore, Medical Superintendent of the Christchurch Consumptives Sanatoria, who decides whether the case is positive or not. It is likely, therefore, that more incipient cases are notified in this district than in others, where the facilities of expert opinion are wanting. During the year 648 school-children were treated with Moro's ointment for diagnostic purposes, and of this number 113 reacted positively. Of the 113 cases, only two children had definite chest symptoms. These two are being treated in the sanatorium at the present time. Sanitation. Christchurch—-The Christchurch Drainage Board's extension scheme is progressing rapidly, and already three localities are ready for reticulation—viz., Riccarton, Spreydon, and Opawa. The pumping-stations in connection with these areas are also complete. A difficulty is likely to arise in making the household connections with the sewers, owing to the statutory limit placed upon the rate of interest on loans which local authorities raise for this purpose.

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