542
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 19

NUMBER of Deaths of Persons of Sixty-five Years and upwards registered in the Four Chief Towns (and Suburbs)
of New Zealand during the Year 1899.

BIRTHS AND BIRTH-RATES.*

The total number of births registered as occurring in the four chief centres and suburbs in 1899 was 4,563, as against 4,629 for the previous year, thus coinciding with the decrease in number and rate as shown for the whole colony.
The births in the four cities fell from 2,878 in 1898 to 2,854 in 1899, and in the suburban boroughs from 1,751 to 1,709.
The birth-rates for last year were,—

| Auckland City | and five suburban boroughs | 25·77 | 25·30 |
| Wellington City | and three suburban boroughs | 24·24 | 24·97 |
| Christchurch City | and four suburban boroughs | 18·74 | 22·05 |
| Dunedin City | and eight suburban boroughs | 20·82 | 21·55 |

By the inclusion of the suburbs the rate is raised at Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, but lowered at Auckland. It will be observed that Auckland has the highest rate, Wellington next highest, Christchurch and Dunedin following with intervals. The difference between the Auckland rate (25·30) and the Dunedin rate (21·55) is considerable. The birth-rate for the whole colony last year was 25·12 per thousand. Auckland is thus over the average, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin below it.

Taking the births in the four central boroughs without their suburbs, and comparing the numbers for 1899 and 1898, an increase is observed at Auckland of 72, but a decrease at Christchurch of 50, at Wellington of 29, and at Dunedin of 17. The figures for the last five years are,—

| Auckland (without suburbs) | 1895. | 1896. | 1897. | 1898. | 1899. |
| Wellington | 1,000 | 1,005 | 1,067 | 1,065 | 1,036 |
| Christchurch | 359 | 370 | 376 | 390 | 340 |
| Dunedin | 475 | 498 | 498 | 507 | 490 |

The birth-rates for the four central boroughs last year show in each case a fall when compared with 1898. In Auckland the rate fell from 26·96 to 25·77; in Wellington, from 25·75 to 24·24; in Christchurch, from 22·07 to 18·74; and in Dunedin from 21·61 to 20·82. The rates for five years, 1895 to 1899, are,—

| Auckland (without suburbs) | 1895. | 1896. | 1897. | 1898. | 1899. |
| Wellington | 28·04 | 28·39 | 28·29 | 26·96 | 25·77 |
| Christchurch | 20·36 | 21·81 | 21·88 | 22·07 | 18·74 |
| Dunedin | 19·87 | 21·83 | 21·54 | 21·61 | 20·82 |

DEATHS AND DEATH-RATES.*

The total number of deaths registered for the four centres in 1899 was 2,254—viz., 1,523 in the cities, and 731 in the suburbs. In 1898 the number was 2,203—1,489 in the cities, and 714 in the suburbs.
By including the suburbs the death-rate for last year is lowered at each of the four centres. The rates for the year are,—

| Auckland City | and five suburban boroughs | 13·02 | 11·98 |
| Wellington City | and three suburban boroughs | 11·16 | 10·86 |
| Christchurch City | and four suburban boroughs | 12·68 | 11·58 |
| Dunedin City | and eight suburban boroughs | 13·47 | 11·99 |

If the suburbs are included the death-rate is found to be highest in Dunedin and lowest in Wellington; Auckland and Christchurch taking second and third places respectively. The death-rate for the colony in 1899 was 10·24 per 1,000 of mean population. The four centres, as might be expected, each show a higher average than this.

If the number of deaths of infants under 1 year be excluded, the mortality among the rest of the population is found to have been for 1898 and 1899 in the following ratio to the 1,000 living:—

| Auckland (including suburbs) | 1898. | 1899. |
| Wellington | 8·97 | 8·40 |
| Christchurch | 8·52 | 7·91 |
| Dunedin | 8·40 | 8·43 |

The degree of infantile mortality is perhaps best shown in the proportion of deaths of children under 1 year of age to every 100 births. For 1898 and 1899 the proportions at the chief centres are,—

| Auckland (including suburbs) | 1898. | 1899. |
| Wellington | 15·10 | 14·17 |
| Christchurch | 13·11 | 11·79 |
| Dunedin | 9·16 | 14·30 |

Thus the proportion at Dunedin is considerably less than that found at the other chief cities.

Again, the percentage of deaths of children under 5 to the total number of deaths is—in Auckland, 37·60; in Christchurch, 34·94; in Wellington, 33·14; in Dunedin, only 22·35. The total of deaths under 5 is 720, or 31·94 per cent. of all deaths, as against 642 and 29·14 for 1898. The deaths of persons of 65 and upwards numbered 505 last year; in 1898 they were 506.

*NOTE.—The rates given must not be regarded as absolutely true. To correctly estimate the population of a town for any year at long distance from a census is a matter of extreme difficulty. The natural increase by excess of births over deaths is of course readily found, but the migration of people from one part of the colony to another cannot be determined with accuracy.