10

H.—3l

The marriage-rate, measured by the total population, does not show the true position, when, as in the case of New Zealand, the age-constitution of the people fluctuates considerably. A more satisfactory standard is found in the number of persons of marriageable age, denned as meaning the unmarried and widowed of males aged 20 years and upwards and of females aged 15 years and upwards. The rates are given for four census years : —

The total number of marriages solemnized does not include marriages where both parties are of the aboriginal Native race, such persons being exempted from the necessity of complying with the provisions of the Marriage Act, although at liberty to take advantage thereof. Twenty-five marriages m which both parties were Maoris were contracted in 1909 in terms of the Act: 12 by Registrars, sby clergymen of the Church of England, 1 by a Presbyterian minister, 2 by Roman. Catholic ministers, and 5 by ministers of the Church of the Latter-day Saints. Ages of Persons Married. Of the persons married in 1909, 143 bridegrooms and 1,309 brides were under 21 ytars of age. Of the bridegrooms, two were between 16 and 18, and six between 18 and 19. Of the brides, nine were between 15 and 16, and thirty-seven were between 16 and 17 years of age. The proportion of men married is greatest at the ages of 25 to 30, and of women at from 21 to 25 years. Deaths. The deaths in 1909 numbered 8,959, a rate of 9-22 in every 1,000 persons living, as against 9-57 in 1908 This is below the average of the previous ten years, 9-90 per 1,000. The following table shows the number of deaths, and the death-rate per 1,000 of the living population ; also a comparison with the average rate for 1882-86 : —

The death-rates of males and females for the last ten years are shown separately in the next table ; and also the number of male deaths to every 100 female deaths :—

T ~ _ Proportion of Unmarried per 1,000 of Total. Proportion of Marriages per ] ,000 of the Year of Census. Marriageable , Marriageable I Marriageable Total Men. Women. Persons. Population. Males. Females. 1891 .. 1896 .. 1901 .. 1906 .. 246-2 264-2 I 278-3 j 295-8 ! 267-8 308-3 330-6 326-9 46-22 49-11 53-56 54-09 48-10 47-09 49-96 55-15 47-14 48-08 51-69 54-62 6-04 6-85 7-83 8-48

Year. Deatl i-rate. Year. Total Number of Deaths. Death-rate. w1t°hTa a tein „ °\. 1882-86 Population. takenasl00 . Total Number of Deaths. Per 1,000 of Population. ! Compared j with Rate in 1882-86 taken as 100. ] 1882-86 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 5,944 6,137 5,708 5,772 5,994 6,518 6,459 6,767 6,918 6,863 6,432 6,595 10-84 100 10-29 95 9-43 ■ 87 9-44 87 9-66 89 10-35 95 10-06 93 10-23 ! 94 10-19 94 9-91 ; 91 9-10 84 9-14 84 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 i 7,244 7,680 ! 7,200 7,634 I 8,375 8,528 8,087 ! 8,061 j 8,339 | 10,066 9,043 8,959 I i 9-84 10-24 9-43 9-81 10-50 10-40 9-57 9-27 9-31 10-95 9-57 9-22 1 91 94 87 90 97 96 88 86 86 101 88 85 I _! !