The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]
Climate And Health
Climate And Health.
The climate of Otago varies a great deal according to the locality. Briefly, it may be said that, as far as rainfall goes, the east and south coasts are damp, the centre is dry, and the west and south-west coasts are remarkably wet. The Maniototo Plains, Idaburn and Manuherikia Valleys, and the country towards the great central lakes, fall within the dry belt. The prevailing winds, as generally throughout New Zealand, are north-east and south-west, the latter especially being regarded as the wind of storm and rain. On the West Coast, especially in the fiord country, which, strictly speaking, is a part of Southland, the nor'-west wind, a damp warm wind from the tropical seas, precipitates its moisture in the form of heavy rain, as much as 100 inches falling in the year. But the average fall is only from thirty to thirty five inches. For 1901 the rainfall at Dunedin was exceptionally high, 37.5 inches. The temperature during the same year varied from 25 degrees Fahrenheit in July, to 83 degrees Fahrenheit in February. The climate is thus not subject to any serious extreme of either page 40 heat or cold. Snow is not infrequent in winter in Dunedin, but does not lie many days in the streets. In the hill country it is, of course, a common occurrence, and among the small lakes and streams of Central Otago skating and curling are well established winter sports. But the coldest weather in Otago is nearly always dry and bracing. When the rain comes it seldom lasts long; indeed, it is spread so uniformly over the year that Dunedin has quite unfairly been described as an exceptionally wet city. As a matter of fact, the rainfall is comparatively small, and a good deal of it during the year amounts to little more than the national “mist,” said to have been imported by the founders of the settlement in the “John Wycliffe” and the “Philip Laing.” But wet or dry, there is no doubt that on the whole the climate of Otago is exceptionally healthy. The nature of the climate of Dunedin as affecting public health may be judged by reference to the vital statistics for 1901. The death rates per 1000 of population for the four principal cities and their suburbs were:
Auckland | 13.1 | 11.5 |
Christchurch | 13.1 | 12.8 |
Dunedin | 12.6 | 11.6 |
Wellington | 10.7 | 10.3 |
It will be observed that Dunedin recorded fewer deaths per 1000 in 1901 than any other New Zealand city but Wellington. Including suburbs, however, Dunedin's position is rather worse; as Christchurch alone surpasses her in the percentage of deaths, though Auckland is a very close third. It is noticeable that the inclusion of suburbs makes a serious difference to the figures for all these cities except Wellington. The reason, of course, is that Wellington has a very small suburban population, while the comparatively large numbers of residents in the suburbs of other cities live under more healthy conditions than those who dwell within the city limits. Of course, this explanation only makes the superiority of Wellington's figures to those of Dunedin and the other cities all the more startling; especially when it is remembered that less than twenty years ago Wellington was notoriously the most unhealthy town in New Zealand. The change has been brought solely by better drainage and improved sanitation; and this naturally suggests that in Dunedin, especially in the suburbs, much yet remains to be done to improve the hygienic conditions of life. Assuredly the Otago climate cannot be held responsible for the position that Dunedin takes among colonial cities with respect to its health statistics.
Further light is thrown upon the public health of Dunedin by the deaths per 1000 for 1901, excluding all infants under one year. Including suburbs, the figures were:
Christchurch | 9.9per1000 |
Dunedin | 9.7per1000 |
Auckland | 8.6per1000 |
Wellington | 7.6per1000 |
It is plain, therefore, that the proportion of deaths among infants is higher in Dunedin than in Auckland or Wellington. But the percentage of deaths of childeren under five years of age to the total number of deaths is as follows:
Wellington | 32.3 |
Auckland | 30.1 |
Christchurch | 27.0 |
Dunedin | 20.2 |
Here Dunedin has by far the best figures, and the difference shows that the hygienic and climatic conditions there are less unfavourable to young children than to those of more advanced age. This fact is borne out by the subjoined statisties, which give the average death rate per year for infants to every 100 births, taken over a period of five years, in the chief cities, excluding suburbs.
Auckland | 14.1 |
Christchurch | 13.1 |
Wellington | 10.8 |
Dunedin | 8.7 |
Melbourne | 14.3 |
Adelaide | 12.7 |
Sydney | 11.3 |
Brisbane | 10.9 |
Dunedin | 9.6 |
It can therefore be justly claimed that Dunedin, if not the healthiest city in the healthiest country in the world, approaches very closely to that level of hygienic perfection.