27

H.—3l

ORPHANHOOD OF CHILDREN. New Zealand statistics give detailed information on this subject, which appears to be unique. In a paper read by Mr. H. W. Manly, actuary of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, on the 27th April, 1903, before the Institute of Actuaries at London, under the heading "Children's Benefits," he stated that in order to ascertain the ages and the number of children left by a married man at his death he had to go to the same source as Mr. King did when he constructed his table of " Family Annuities " —viz., the Statistics of New Zealand. And, further, after announcing his intention of making very considerable use of the information, he gave the tables, grouping five ages together. ("Journal of the Institute of Actuaries," October, 1903.) Although the subject is not one of general interest, as the Year-book is more often referred to than a statistical volume, it may be excusable to draw attention here to the tables published for the year 1907 and the experience of the quinquennial period, as shown in the " Statistics of New Zealand." The first table shows, for the year 1907, the total number of men who died at each year of age from twenty upwards; the number of men stated in the registers as having died (a) childless, (b) leaving children; and the number and ages of the children living at the time of the father's death. The next is a similar table, but giving five years' results for all ages of the fathers. A condensation of this table is shown here.

New Zealand, 1903 to 1907.

A table has also been prepared for the statistical volume showing, for the year 1907, the number and ages of the youngest orphan children left by married men who died. The results of five years' experience in this matter are expressed below in tabular form.

Number and Ages of Youngest Living Children left by Married Men who died, 1903-7.

INFANTILE MORTALITY. Subjoined is a classified statement of the deaths of infants under one year during 1907, with the ratio of the deaths in each class to the 1,000 births during the year: —

Number of Married Men who died Number and Ages of Living Iss: le. of Married Men at Death. <***"• c≤1 nder 5. S to 10. 10 to 15. '. -15 to 21. *™ d over. Not specified. Totals. 20 to 30 30 „ 40 40 „ 50 50 „ 60 60 „ 65 65 and upwards 91 173 162 196 126 711 155 655 918 1,415 1,057 4,806 250 886 714 332 71 82 24 565 919 650 180 207 213 968 1,157 419 591 32 770 1,591 854 1,280 293 3,244 4,323 22,870 13 67 226 346 242 1,181 287 1,763 3,890 7,320 6,089 26,211

Ages of Married Men at Death. Number of Married Men who died leaving Children. Number am Ages of Youngest Living Children. Under 5. 5 to 10. 10 to 15. 15 to 20. 21 and over. Not specified. 20 to 30 30 ,,40 40 ,,50 50 ,,|60 60 ,,65 65 andjupwards 155 655 918 1,415 1,057 4,806 148 503 416 226 49 56 2 101 236 280 89 99 22 132 329 168 281 2 60 284 276 498 23 226 434 3,648 5 27 51 70 41 224

Year. Sex. Under 1 Month. 1 and 3 and under 3 under 6 Months. Months. undefl2 i Total under Months, j 12 months - .907 j Male { Female Number of Deaths. 430 269 333 177 257 243 286 233 1,242 986 Deaths to the 1,000 Births. .907 ... ( Male I Female 33-50 20-96 27-16 14-44 2002 19'82 22-28 19-01 96-76 80-43