H.—Bl

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APPENDICES.

APPENDIX I.—PUBLIC HEALTH. General Statistics for the Year 1913. A. VITAL STATISTICS. GENERAL. For the following statistics relating to births, death-rates, infant mortality, and causes of death the Department is indebted to the Government Statistician. They relate to the year 1913. Births. The number of births registered during 1913 was 27,935, or 26-14 in every 1,000 persons living. The number is 427 more than that for the year 1912, an increase of 1-55 per cent., but the rate is lower by 0-34 per thousand. The births registered in the year numbered 19,846 in 1884, and, after falling to 17,876 n 1892, have risen to the number first stated above. The number of male children born during 1913 was 14,433, and of female children 13,502. The following table shows the number registered, the birth-rate calculated on the total populat on, and comparison with the average rate for 1882-86 taken as 100. Indications of a gradual increase are apparent, the improvement since 1899 being 4-06 per cent, on the rate per 1,000 in that year.

A. VITAL STATISTICS. GENERAL. For the following statistics relating to births, death-rates, infant mortality, and causes of death the Department is indebted to the Government Statistician. They relate to the year 1913. Births. The number of births registered during 1913 was 27,935, or 26-14 in every 1,000 persons living. The number is 427 more than that for the year 1912, an increase of 1-55 per cent., but the rate is lower by 0-34 per thousand. The births registered in the year numbered 19,846 in 1884, and, after falling to 17,876 n 1892, have risen to the number first stated above. The number of male children born during 1913 was 14,433, and of female children 13,502. The following table shows the number registered, the birth-rate calculated on the total populat on, and comparison with the average rate for 1882-86 taken as 100. Indications of a gradual increase are apparent, the improvement since 1899 being 4-06 per cent, on the rate per 1,000 in that year.

Births, Number and Rate.

The average number of children to a marriage may be ascertained by comparing the number of legitimate births for a series of years with the marriages, but commencing with the marriages in the year preceding that for which the first number of births is taken. Calculating in th's way the figures for the twenty-year period 1893-1912 show a decline from 4 37 to 2-98 as follows :— Proportion of Births Marriages. Legitimate to every Year. " Births. Marriage solemnized in the Preceding Year. 1892 ... ... ... ... 4,002 1893 ... ... ... ... 4,115 17,514 437 1894 ... ... ... ... 4,178 17,824 4-33 1895 ... ... ... ... 4,110 17,711 4-24 1896 ... ... ... ... 4,843 17,778 432 1897 ... ... ... ... 4,928 17,911 370 1898 ... ... ... ... 5,091 18,154 3-68 1899 ... ... ... ... 5,461 18,066 3-54 1900 ... ... ... ... 5,860 18,640 3-41 1901 ... ... ... ... 6,095 19,554 334 1902 ... ... ... ... 6,394 19,734 3-23 1903 ... . ... ... 6,748 20,835 326

Year. Total Number of Births registered. Birth-rate. I Population. ; ta £^oo. Year. Bir Total Number of Births registered. ?** V° 00 of , Population. Birth-rate. Compared with Rate in 1882-86 taken as 100. \ itllVIl »»-»j ■ \#vi 1882-86 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 19,410 19,135 18,902 18,457 18,278 18,273 17,876 18,187 18,528 18,546 18,612 18,737 18,955 18,835 - 35-40 100 32-09 91 31-22 88 30-07 85 29-44 83 29-01 82 27-83 79 27-50 78 27-28 77 26-78 76 26-33 74 25-96 73 25-74 73 . 25-12 71 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 19,546 25-60 20,491 26-34 20,655 25-89 21,829 26-61 22,766 26-94 23,682 27-22 24,252 27-08 25,094 27-30 25,940 27-45 26,524 27-29 25,984 26-17 26,354 25-97 27.508 2648 27.935 26-14 72 74 73 75 76 77 76 77 -.77 77 74 73 75 74