The 1918 influenza pandemic

Page 9 – South Island influenza death rates

These figures are taken from Geoffrey Rice, Black November: the 1918 influenza pandemic, Canterbury University  Press, 2005. The population figures are those of the 1916 census. Death rate is per 1,000 of population. Māori populations for counties are inclusive of interior boroughs. Only registered Māori deaths are listed, and these are not available for some districts. The national death toll was about 9000.

Region:

Marlborough

PlaceDeathsPopulationDeath rate (per 1000)
Sounds County and Picton82,3223.4
Marlborough116,9151.5
Blenheim273,8227.0
Awatere21,5421.2
Kaikoura91,9064.7
TOTAL5716,5073.4

Nelson

PlaceDeathsPopulationDeath rate (per 1000)
Waimea County119,3341.1
Motueka41,4752.7
Nelson298,7743.3
Takaka31,8581.6
Collingwood1,253 
Murchison61,2514.7
TOTAL5323,9452.2

West Coast

PlaceDeathsPopulationDeath rate (per 1000)
Buller County105,0711.9
Denniston1370218.5
Westport104,0672.4
Inangahua and Reefton124,1302.9
Grey County177,5192.2
Greymouth384,8637.8
Westland144,5783.0
Hokitika202,0919.5
Kumara36234.8
TOTAL13733,6444.0
Māori deaths181 

North Canterbury

PlaceDeathsPopulationDeath rate (per 1000)
Amuri County11,8363.8
Cheviot County91,2241.3
Waipara County112,0585.3
Kowai County71,4444.8
Amberley847017.0
Ashley County728
Rangiora County102,7473.6
Kaiapoi111,56010.8
Rangiora91,8084.9
Eyre County91,8064.9
Oxford County1098910.1
Tawera County18471.1
Malvern County62,7572.1
Paparua County (excluding Christchurch)62,5662.3
Halswell County21,7851.2
Springs County41,7852.2
Ellesmere County63,4411.7
Selwyn County71,4234.9
TOTAL12931,1174.1
Māori deaths1145 

Christchurch

PlaceDeathsPopulationDeath rate (per 1000)
City East315,1096.1
City Northwest264,3646.4
City Southwest293,9997.3
Riccarton112,8903.8
New Brighton132,3105.6
Sumner52,2872.1
Lyttelton213,7665.6
Addington103,0453.3
Sydenhem438,4185.1
Waltham72,2183.2
Beckenham59095.5
Spreydon East101,5656.4
Spreydon West41,6452.4
Somerfield61,0795.5
Opawa48904.5
St Martins12783.5
Woolston93,9902.2
Linwood South145,1952.7
Linwood North254,7585.3
Avonside and Bromley11,9330.5
Richmond162,6965.9
St Albans East224,7754.6
St Albans West335,6655.8
Papanui111,8665.8
Strowan and Merivale112,5674.2
Belfast and Styx81,8394.3
Marshland71,4544.8
Fendalton135,0782.5
Sockburn and Islington82,3973.3
Heathcote72,7382.5
Harewood31,0502.8
Soldiers who died in camp19  
‘Christchurch’, no address25  
TOTAL45892,7734.9

Banks Peninsula and Chatham Islands

 EuropeanMaori
Place Deaths Population Death rate (per 1000)Deaths Population Death rate (per 1000)
Mt Herbert County24054.9112016.6
Akaroa County131,9826.533
Akaroa45407.4   
Chatham Islands County12194.5525819.3
Wairewa County21,0361.927526.6
TOTAL224,1825.2848616.4

South Canterbury

PlaceDeathsPopulationDeath rate (per 1000)
Ashburton County4613,1363.5
Ashburton253,1098.0
Geraldine County115,1942.1
Geraldine58695.7
Temuka212,1739.6
Levels County114,3782.5
Pleasant Point47225.5
Timaru3812,2383.1
Mackenzie County62,8682.0
Waimate County136,9841.8
Waimate171,8679.1
TOTAL19753,5383.6
Māori deaths1023243.1

Otago

PlaceDeathsPopulationDeath rate (per 1000)
Waitaki County229,6942.2
Hampden436410.9
Oamaru465,1408.9
Waihemo County61,4464.1
Palmerston57526.6
Waikouaiti County62,8412.1
Waikouaiti46116.5
Seacliff*211,25316.7
Taieri County105,6621.7
Mosgiel111,7196.3
Bruce County34,7630.6
Kaitangata41,6812.3
Milton51,3173.7
Clutha County66,1940.9
Balclutha101,4097.0
Owaka district1570721.2
Tuapeka County44,8180.8
Lawrence48374.7
Roxburgh24494.4
Tapanui862712.7
Maniototo County2,527
Naseby22767.2
Vincent County73,9301.7
Alexandra967913.2
Cromwelll45497.2
Lake County11,7490.5
Arrowtown13073.2
Queenstown36574.5
TOTAL22362,9583.5

* includes Seacliff Mental Hospital

Dunedin

PlaceDeathsPopulationDeath rate (per 1000)
Roslyn226,3003.4
Maori Hill42,0751.9
North East Valley184,7503.7
Central Dunedin6321,2902.9
Mornington94,3812.0
St Kilda285,5205.0
South Dunedin306,6874.4
Caversham226,1653.5
Green Island151,8418.1
St Clair1,797
Port Chalmers202,6157.6
West Harbour11,6310.6
Tainui–Andersons Bay41,8712.1
Peninsula County11,7930.5
‘Dunedin’, no address (including soldiers who died in camp)36  
TOTAL27368,7163.9

Southland

 EuropeanMaori
Place Deaths Population Death rate (per 1000)Deaths Population Death rate (per 1000)
Southland County10023,5314.214323.2
Campbelltown (Bluff)81,8234.3   
Gore273,5517.6   
Lumsden55708.7   
Mataura131,12911.5   
Winton191,15516.4   
Wyndham1399113.1   
Invercargill17115,86610.7   
Wallace County657,7298.479276.0
Nightcaps and Wairio3371845.9   
Otautau2183725.0   
Riverton1698516.2   
Fiord County17   
Stewart Island County34914250
TOTAL49159,2518.2913964.7
How to cite this page

'South Island influenza death rates', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/influenza-pandemic/south-island-death-rates, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 24-Aug-2020

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