Fewer New Zealanders are contemplating suicide, say the Samaritans, who are receiving fewer phone calls from suicidal people.
In 2000, Samaritan centres in every region except Wellington received 30 per cent fewer phone calls from people who said they were suicidal.
Rocky Douche, on the Samaritans' committee of management, said Wellington showedthe least improvement in the number of suicidal callers.
The drop in suicidal callers reflects provisional figures issued by the Ministry of Health in April which show a five-year low in suicide rates in 1999.
In 1999, 514 people died by suicide compared with 577 in 1998 and 561 in 1997. The 1999 total was the lowest since 512 suicides in 1994.
"We see ourselves as one of the fences at the top of the cliff," said Charmian Heiford, co-ordinating director of Wellington Samaritans.
But adolescent physician Peter Watson said New Zealand's suicide rate was still too high, particularly among young people.
The figures still put New Zealand's youth suicide rate among the highest of OECD countries.
