Mar. 4.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 791

BIRTHS AND BIRTH-RATES.

A little explanation is necessary in regard to the birth-rates of the four chief centres for 1913 and 1914 as compared with previous years.

Up to and including 1912, all births occurring in the four centres were treated as belonging to the centres. Owing chiefly to the fact that many women living in country districts go to the cities to enter public or private maternity homes, it was found that the birth-rates for the centres were usually well above the rate for the whole Dominion. For the past two years information as to domicile of parents has been obtained, and the births allocated accordingly, the result being that many births which in former years would have been included in the municipalized area are now excluded, the rates being reduced accordingly. No proper comparison is therefore possible as between these two years and previous years, the apparent decrease being due not to any actual falling-off in numbers but to the alteration in system explained above. The rates for 1913 and 1914 are, of course, quite comparable with each other.

The total number of births registered as occurring in the four chief cities and suburban boroughs in 1914 was 7,311, as against 7,341 for the previous year.

The birth-rates for last year were,—

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23·94
.. and seven suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 24·78
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25·25
.. and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 25·38
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20·56
.. and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 22·22
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20·87
.. and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 21·70

By the inclusion of the suburbs the rate is raised in the case of all four centres. Excluding the suburbs, it will be observed that Wellington has the highest rate, Auckland next highest, Dunedin and Christchurch following. The birth-rate for the Dominion last year was 25·99 per thousand. All four centres are thus below the average.

The birth-rates for the two central boroughs in the North Island last year show an increase when compared with 1913, while for Christchurch and Dunedin the reverse is the case. In Auckland the rate rose from 23·23 to 23·94, and in Wellington from 24·88 to 25·25; in Christchurch it fell from 23·56 to 20·56, and in Dunedin from 21·61 to 20·87. The rates for five years, 1910 to 1914, are,—

Births per 1,000 of Population.

Auckland (without suburbs) .. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. 1914.
.. 27·75 .. 30·03 .. 30·63 .. 23·23 .. 23·94
Wellington " .. 24·13 .. 26·67 .. 28·20 .. 24·88 .. 25·25
Christchurch " .. 27·10 .. 28·45 .. 29·52 .. 23·56 .. 20·56
Dunedin " .. 27·22 .. 29·45 .. 29·10 .. 21·61 .. 20·87

DEATHS AND DEATH-RATES.

The total number of deaths registered for the four centres in 1914 was 3,052—viz., 2,461 in the cities, and 591 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,—

Death-rates per 1,000 of Mean Population.

Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10·43
.. and seven suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 9·42
Wellington City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10·73
.. and four suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 10·47
Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10·02
.. and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 9·58
Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11·00
.. and five suburban boroughs .. .. .. .. .. 10·22

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

Deaths, 1910. Deaths, 1911. Deaths, 1912. Deaths, 1913. Deaths, 1914.
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) .. 9·73 .. 10·93 .. 9·73 .. 10·61 .. 9·42
Wellington " .. 8·95 .. 10·08 .. 9·13 .. 9·08 .. 10·47
Christchurch " .. 10·41 .. 10·36 .. 10·34 .. 10·15 .. 9·58
Dunedin " .. 10·24 .. 10·43 .. 10·43 .. 11·03 .. 10·22

If the number of deaths of infants under one year be excluded, the mortality among the rest of the population is found to have been for 1913 and 1914 in the following ratio to the 1,000 living :—

1913. 1914. Auckland (including suburbs) .. .. .. .. .. 8·74 .. 8·19
            Wellington " .. .. .. .. .. 7·79 .. 8·59
            Christchurch " .. .. .. .. .. 8·82 .. 8·25
            Dunedin " .. .. .. .. .. 9·59 .. 9·25

The degree of infantile mortality is perhaps best shown in the proportion of deaths of children under one year of age to every 100 births. For 1913 and 1914 the proportions at the chief centres were,—

1913. 1914. Auckland (including suburbs) .. .. .. .. .. 8·08 .. 5·76
            Wellington " .. .. .. .. .. 6·02 .. 8·26
            Christchurch " .. .. .. .. .. 6·35 .. 6·82
            Dunedin " .. .. .. .. .. 7·34 .. 5·43

Again, the percentage of deaths of children under five years to the total number of deaths is—Auckland, 20·99; Wellington, 25·36; Christchurch, 18·10; Dunedin, 13·15.

Excluding suburbs, and dealing with the deaths at all ages in the four cities or central boroughs only, the rates at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin for 1914 are found to be lower than in the previous year. The figures for five years are given :—

Deaths, 1910. Deaths, 1911. Deaths, 1912. Deaths, 1913. Deaths, 1914.
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) .. 11·88 .. 13·68 .. 11·65 .. 11·49 .. 10·43
Wellington " .. 9·31 .. 10·32 .. 9·43 .. 9·30 .. 10·73
Christchurch " .. 10·54 .. 10·95 .. 10·63 .. 10·40 .. 10·02
Dunedin " .. 10·99 .. 11·79 .. 11·57 .. 11·98 .. 11·00

Omitting the deaths of infants under one year, and calculating the rate on the population of one year of age and upwards, a decrease is shown at three 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.

1913. 1914. Mean of Five Years.
            Auckland (excluding suburbs) .. .. .. 9·42 .. 9·14 .. 10·04
            Wellington " .. .. .. 8·03 .. 8·72 .. 8·13
            Christchurch " .. .. .. 9·06 .. 8·64 .. 9·01
            Dunedin " .. .. .. 10·54 .. 10·00 .. 10·27

I.