Feb. 24.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 663

BIRTHS AND BIRTH-RATES.

The total number of births registered as occurring in the four chief centres and suburbs in 1909 was 7,463, as against 7,276 for the previous year.

The birth-rates for last year were,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 29·73
.. and seven suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 27·46
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26·62
.. and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 26·42
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28·55
.. and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 27·65
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28·34
.. and six suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 26·26

By the inclusion of the suburbs the rate is lowered at each of the four centres. 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 27·29 per thousand. Auckland and Christchurch are thus over the average, Wellington and Dunedin below it.

The birth-rates for two of the central boroughs last year show a fall when compared with 1908. In Auckland the rate fell from 30·56 to 29·73; in Wellington from 27·60 to 26·62; but rose in Christchurch from 28·43 to 28·55; in Dunedin from 25·48 to 28·34. The rates for five years, 1905 to 1909, are,—

Births per 1,000 of Population.

1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. Auckland (without suburbs) .. 30·06 .. 29·96 .. 29·63 .. 30·56 .. 29·73
                              Wellington .. 29·72 .. 27·85 .. 27·53 .. 27·60 .. 26·62
                              Christchurch .. 29·70 .. 28·19 .. 30·47 .. 28·43 .. 28·55
                              Dunedin .. 23·90 .. 28·96 .. 25·69 .. 25·48 .. 28·34

DEATHS AND DEATH-RATES.

The total number of deaths registered for the four centres in 1909 was 2,603—viz., 2,123 in the cities, and 480 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 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11·25
.. and seven suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·30
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·35
.. and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·11
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·48
.. and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·33
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11·55
.. and six suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·95

The death-rates for the cities, including suburban boroughs, for five years are as below :—

Deaths, 1905. Deaths, 1906. Deaths, 1907. Deaths, 1908. Deaths, 1909.
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) .. 10·52 .. 9·90 .. 11·43 .. 10·41 .. 9·30
Wellington .. 10·21 .. 9·19 .. 11·28 .. 9·10 .. 9·11
Christchurch .. 10·89 .. 11·25 .. 14·37 .. 9·52 .. 9·33
Dunedin .. 10·12 .. 11·35 .. 12·02 .. 10·50 .. 9·95

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 1908 and 1909 in the following ratio to the 1,000 living:—

1908. 1909. Auckland (including suburbs) .. .. .. .. .. .. 8·07 .. 7·60
            Wellington .. .. .. .. .. .. 6·83 .. 6·89
            Christchurch .. .. .. .. .. .. 7·66 .. 7·60
            Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. .. 8·66 .. 8·67

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 1908 and 1909 the proportions at the chief centres are,—

1908. 1909. Auckland (including suburbs) .. .. .. .. .. .. 8·19 .. 6·18
            Wellington .. .. .. .. .. .. 8·17 .. 8·42
            Christchurch .. .. .. .. .. .. 6·78 .. 6·28
            Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. .. 7·45 .. 4·86

Again, the percentage of deaths of children under 5 to the total number of deaths is—Auckland, 23·71; in Wellington, 29·53; in Christchurch, 22·35; in Dunedin, 18·18.

Excluding suburbs, and dealing with the deaths at all ages in the four cities or central boroughs only, the rates for 1909 are found to be lower in each city, excepting Wellington, than in the previous year. The figures for five years are given :—

Deaths, 1905. Deaths, 1906. Deaths, 1907. Deaths, 1908. Deaths, 1909.
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) .. 12·15 .. 12·51 .. 13·38 .. 12·43 .. 11·25
Wellington .. 10·55 .. 9·45 .. 11·45 .. 9·18 .. 9·35
Christchurch .. 10·76 .. 11·12 .. 14·72 .. 9·70 .. 9·48
Dunedin .. 11·13 .. 12·70 .. 12·98 .. 11·93 .. 11·55

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.

1908. 1909. Mean of
            Five Years.
            Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. .. .. 10·11 .. 9·30 .. 9·84
            Wellington .. .. .. 7·10 .. 7·29 .. 7·66
            Christchurch .. .. .. 8·10 .. 7·95 .. 8·99
            Dunedin .. .. .. 10·13 .. 10·40 .. 10·33

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.

1908. 1909. Mean of
            Five Years.
            Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. .. .. 8·62 .. 7·51 .. 9·21
            Wellington .. .. .. 8·24 .. 8·48 .. 9·14
            Christchurch .. .. .. 6·43 .. 6·17 .. 8·29
            Dunedin .. .. .. 8·09 .. 5·10 .. 7·59

W. W. COOK,
Deputy Registrar-General.

Registrar-General’s Office,
Wellington, 21st February, 1910.