Mar. 9.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 935

BIRTHS AND BIRTH-RATES.

The total number of births registered as occurring in the four chief centres and suburbs in 1910 was 7,221, as against 7,463 for the previous year.

The birth-rates for last year were,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27·75
and seven suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26·01
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24·13
and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24·19
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27·10
and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25·83
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27·22
and five suburban boroughs.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25·29

By the inclusion of the suburbs the rate is lowered at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, but raised at Wellington. Excluding the suburbs, it will be observed that Auckland has the highest rate, Dunedin next highest, Christchurch and Wellington following. The birth-rate for the Dominion last year was 26·21 per thousand. Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin are thus over the average, and Wellington below it.

The birth-rates for the four central boroughs last year show a fall when compared with 1909. In Auckland the rate fell from 29·73 to 27·75; in Wellington from 26·62 to 24·13; in Christchurch from 28·55 to 27·10; in Dunedin from 28·34 to 27·72. The rates for five years, 1906 to 1910, are,—

Births per 1,000 of Population.

                1906.    1907.    1908.    1909.    1910.

Auckland (without suburbs) .. 29·96 29·63 30·56 29·73 27·75
Wellington " 27·85 27·53 27·60 26·62 24·13
Christchurch " 28·19 30·47 28·43 28·55 27·10
Dunedin " 28·96 25·69 25·48 28·34 27·22

DEATHS AND DEATH-RATES.

The total number of deaths registered for the four centres in 1910 was 2,791—viz., 2,284 in the cities, and 507 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 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11·88
and seven suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·73
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9·31
and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8·95
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10·54
and three suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10·41
Dunedin City ` .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10·99
and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10·24

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

                Deaths, 1906.    Deaths, 1907.    Deaths, 1908.    Deaths, 1909.    Deaths, 1910.
                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) .. 9·90 11·43 10·41 9·30 9·73
Wellington " 9·19 11·28 9·10 9·11 8·95
Christchurch " 11·25 14·37 9·52 9·33 10·41
Dunedin " 11·35 12·02 10·50 9·95 10·24

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 1909 and 1910 in the following ratio to the 1,000 living:—

                1909.    1910.

Auckland (including suburbs) .. 7·60 7·67
Wellington " 6·89 6·91
Christchurch " 7·60 8·62
Dunedin " 8·67 8·24

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 1909 and 1910 the proportions at the chief centres are,—

                1909.    1910.

Auckland (including suburbs) .. 6·18 7·90
Wellington " 8·42 8·45
Christchurch " 6·28 6·94
Dunedin " 4·86 7·91

Again, the percentage of deaths of children under 5 to the total number of deaths is—Auckland, 27·40; in Wellington, 27·02; in Christchurch, 20·66; in Dunedin, 22·61.

Excluding suburbs, and dealing with the deaths at all ages in the four cities or central boroughs only, the rates for 1910 are found to be higher in Auckland and Christchurch, and lower in Wellington and Dunedin, than in the previous year. The figures for five years are given :—

                Deaths, 1906.    Deaths, 1907.    Deaths, 1908.    Deaths, 1909.    Deaths, 1910.
                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) .. 12·51 13·38 12·43 11·25 11·88
Wellington " 9·45 11·45 9·18 9·35 9·31
Christchurch " 11·12 14·72 9·70 9·48 10·54
Dunedin " 12·70 12·98 11·93 11·55 10·99

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

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

                1909.    1910.    Mean of
                Five Years.

Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. 9·30 9·49 9·86
Wellington " 7·29 7·34 7·57
Christchurch " 7·95 8·89 9·08
Dunedin " 10·40 9·20 10·21

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.

                1909.    1910.    Mean of
                Five Years.

Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. 7·51 9·57 9·23
Wellington " 8·48 8·89 8·91
Christchurch " 6·17 6·97 7·96
Dunedin " 5·10 7·51 7·65

WILLIAM M. WRIGHT,
Government Statistician.

Government Statistician’s Office,
Wellington, 6th March, 1911.

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