A.—3.

Child Welfare. —The child-welfare campaign continues as a very valuable complement to the medical work. The medical services and all members of the community are highly indebted to the voluntary work done by the Child Welfare Clubs. Medical officers have been saved a great deal of visiting, confinements have been supervised, illness among children has been promptly reported, and the assistance given in ante-natal work has been invaluable. Attendances at monthly lectures have been good, and papers written by members have shown satisfactory absorption of educational work. The organization watches the general welfare of all children up to five years of age when they pass to the schools. School-children of all schools are regularly inspected by the Medical Officer and the District Nurse. The Dental Officer attends to the teeth of all children. Thus the combined medical, nursing, dental, teaching, and child-welfare services watch over the welfare of children up to schoolleaving age. In the words of the Chief Medical Officer, " Under such a system we have no great anxiety over the rising generation, which now comprises nearly 50 per cent, of the population." Au Vaine Committee. —The District Nursing Sister attached to the hospital staff regularly makes house-to-house visits in all districts. In this work she is generally assisted by a women's organization known as the "Au Vaine." Their activities deal mainly with cleanliness of houses, beautifying surroundings, inspection of sanitation, water-supplies, &c. The Au Vaine also do valuable work in assisting the people to maintain their food-plant supplies, &c. An annual " tutaka " (inspection) of all homes and plantations is made by the Resident Commissioner and officials, accompanied through each district by the members of the Au Vaine, in which they join with much enthusiasm and enjoyment. The work of all these people, child welfare and Au Vaine, is considered of the greatest value to the community. Medical and Public Health.—The medical and hospital services of the Government have been carried out by a staff of a Chief Medical Officer, Assistant Medical Officer (part-time), Matron, Nursing Sister, two Native medical practitioners (part-time, three), two island nurses (European), and a trained Native staff. The numerical smallness of the medical staff renders it impossible to exercise proper supervision of the 5,000 population in Rarotonga and 7,000 scattered in the various Islands of the Group. The Outer Islands are, however, visited as often as circumstances permit. One District Nurse is stationed at Aitutaki and one at Mangaia. With the exception of visits of the European Medical Officer and the Native medical practitioner from Rarotonga, most Islands are without medical or nursing services. To overcome the difficulty as far as practicable the policy of providing additional Native medical practitioners is being hastened, with the object of stationing a Native medical practitioner in every Island of the Group. Leprosy. —During the year a leper concentration hospital was erected on the island of Te Sauma (Penrhyn), where all the lepers from the Group Islands are to be concentrated as they are identified, awaiting transport to the Central Leper Station at Makogai, Fiji. Despite the efforts taken in past years, this disease has a strong hold, particularly at Penrhyn Island, and every endeavour is being made to eradicate it. The Te Sauma station is equipped with a permanent administration building, wharves, water-supply, and Native-built houses for the patients. A Native medical practitioner is stationed permanently at Penrhyn and has the whole population under regular medical surveillance. The transport of patients from other Islands of the Group to Te Sauma presents difficulties, but this is being undertaken whenever possible.

Vital Statistics. Statistical Return for Year ended 31st March, 1938 (Islands of Lower Group and Northern Group Islands)

4

Births. Deaths. Marriages. Island. i European. Maori. European. Maori. p gan Maori. I M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. Rarotonga .. .. 4 .. 126 105 1 1 41 48 .. 65 Aitutaki .. .. . • • ■ 57 35 .. .. 9 12 .. 21 Manaaia .. .... .. 31 34 .. .. 3 10 .. 6 Atiu .. .. 26 26 .. .. 10 24 .. 9 Mauke .. .... .. 14 15 .. .. 3 4 .. 6 Mitiaro .. .. .. •• 4 3 .. .. 4 Manihiki .. .... 1 4 9 .. .. 7 8 .. 2 Rakahanga .. .... .. 6 7 .. .. 4 1 .. 1 Penrhyn .. .... .. 14 15 .. .. 3 5 Pukapuka . . .... .. 18 15 .. .. 7 5 .. 8 Totals ..4 1 300 264 1 1 91 S 122