814
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 22

BIRTHS AND BIRTH-RATES.

The total number of births registered as occurring in the four chief centres and suburbs in 1908 was 7,276, as against 7,018 for the previous year.

The birth-rates for last year were,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 30·56
and seven suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 28·48
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27·60
and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 27·76
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28·43
and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 27·39
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25·48
and six suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 24·66

By the inclusion of the suburbs the rate is raised at Wellington, but lowered at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin. It will be observed that Auckland has the highest rate, Christchurch next highest, Wellington and Dunedin following. The birth-rate for the Dominion last year was 27·45 per thousand. Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch are thus over the average, and Dunedin below it.

The birth-rates for two of the central boroughs last year show a fall when compared with 1907. In Christchurch the rate fell from 30·47 to 28·43; in Dunedin from 25·69 to 25·48; but rose in Auckland from 29·63 to 30·56; in Wellington from 27·53 to 27·60. The rates for five years, 1904 to 1908, are,—

Births per 1,000 of Population.

Auckland (without suburbs) .. 1904. 31·08 .. 1905. 30·06 .. 1906. 29·96 .. 1907. 29·63 .. 1908. 30·56
Wellington " .. 26·77 .. 29·72 .. 27·85 .. 27·53 .. 27·60
Christchurch " .. 27·53 .. 29·70 .. 28·19 .. 30·47 .. 28·43
Dunedin " .. 22·40 .. 23·90 .. 28·96 .. 25·69 .. 25·48

DEATHS AND DEATH-RATES.

The total number of deaths registered for the four centres in 1908 was 2,643—viz., 2,143 in the cities, and 500 in the suburbs.

By including the suburbs the death-rate for last year is lowered at all of the four centres. The rates for the year are,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12·43
and seven suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 10·41
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·18
and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 9·10
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·70
and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 9·52
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11·93
and six suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 10·50

If the deaths for the cities, including suburban boroughs, be compared for five years, the figures are as below. It will be observed that the rates for 1908 are substantially lower than those for 1907, which last were, however, unusually high.

Deaths, 1904. Deaths, 1905. Deaths, 1906. Deaths, 1907. Deaths, 1908.
Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of
Population. Population. Population. Population. Population.

Auckland (including suburbs) .. 10·20 .. 10·52 .. 9·90 .. 11·43 .. 10·41
Wellington " .. 10·43 .. 10·21 .. 9·19 .. 11·28 .. 9·10
Christchurch " .. 10·44 .. 10·89 .. 11·25 .. 14·37 .. 9·52
Dunedin " .. 11·82 .. 10·12 .. 11·35 .. 12·02 .. 10·50

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 1907 and 1908 in the following ratio to the 1,000 living:—

1907. 1908. Auckland (including suburbs) .. .. .. .. .. 8·76 .. 8·07
            Wellington " .. .. .. .. .. 8·06 .. 6·83
            Christchurch " .. .. .. .. .. 10·52 .. 7·66
            Dunedin " .. .. .. .. .. 9·60 .. 8·66

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 1907 and 1908 the proportions at the chief centres are,—

1907. 1908. Auckland (including suburbs) .. .. .. .. .. 9·72 .. 8·19
            Wellington " .. .. .. .. .. 11·78 .. 8·17
            Christchurch " .. .. .. .. .. 12·62 .. 6·78
            Dunedin " .. .. .. .. .. 9·54 .. 7·45

Again, the percentage of deaths of children under 5 to the total number of deaths is—Auckland, 28·89; in Christchurch, 23·32; in Wellington, 30·70; in Dunedin, 21·92.

Excluding suburbs, and dealing with the deaths at all ages in the four cities or central boroughs only, the rates for 1908 are found to be lower than in the previous year, and also those for 1906. The figures for five years are given:—

Deaths, 1904. Deaths, 1905. Deaths, 1906. Deaths, 1907. Deaths, 1908.
Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of Per 1,000 of
Population. Population. Population. Population. Population.

Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. 11·11 .. 12·15 .. 12·51 .. 13·38 .. 12·43
Wellington " .. 10·75 .. 10·55 .. 9·45 .. 11·45 .. 9·18
Christchurch " .. 10·50 .. 10·76 .. 11·12 .. 14·72 .. 9·70
Dunedin " .. 13·59 .. 11·13 .. 12·70 .. 12·98 .. 11·93

Omitting the deaths of infants under one year, and calculating the rate on the population of one year of age and upwards, a decrease on the previous year is shown at each of the four centres. The mean rates for five years are also given:—

Deaths per 1,000 of Population, excluding Infants under One Year of Age.

1907. 1908. Mean of
            Five Years.

Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. .. .. 10·57 .. 10·11 .. 9·83
Wellington " .. .. .. 8·43 .. 7·10 .. 7·88
Christchurch " .. .. .. 11·10 .. 8·10 .. 8·97
Dunedin " .. .. .. 10·74 .. 10·13 .. 10·63

Subjoined is a table showing the rates of infant mortality in the four cities for each of the past two years, together with the mean rates for the last five years.

Deaths of Children under One Year to every 100 Births.

19 1908. Mean of
Five Years.

Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. .. .. 10·55 .. 8·62 .. 9·23
Wellington " .. .. .. 11·85 .. 8·24 .. 9·35
Christchurch " .. .. .. 12·99 .. 6·43 .. 9·12
Dunedin " .. .. .. 9·77 .. 8·09 .. 8·31

E. J. von DADELSZEN,
Registrar-General.

Registrar-General’s Office,
Wellington, 12th March, 1909.