17

H.—3l

The proportion of plural births per 1,000 of all births during the past five years was, — ('ases Cases Plural Births Year. All Births. of of per 1,000 of Twins. Triplets. all Births. 1909 .. .. .. 26,524 265 1 10-03 1910 .. .. 25,984 288 2 ITI6 1911 .. .. .. .. 26,354 300 2 11-46 1912 .. .. .. .. 27,508 329 3 12-07 1913 .. .. .. .. 27,935 314 1 IL2B Illegitimacy. The births of 1,181 children were illegitimate : thus 42 in every 1,000 children were born out of wedlock, against 43 in 1912, and 41 in 1911.

Proportion of Illegitimate Births in every 100 Births.

These figures show the proportion of illegitimate births to every KM) births for New Zealand to be Fairly steady during the period 1903-10 ; but the rates for 191 I and 1912 are below the average. Births and Birth-rates in the Four Chief Cities and their Suburbs. A little explanation is necessary in regard to the birth-rate of the four chief centres for 1913, 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 1913 information as to the domicile of parents was obtained, and the births allocated accordingly, the result being that many births which in former years would have been included in the municipalized areas were excluded, the rates being reduced accordingly. No proper comparison is therefore possible as between 1913 and previous years, the apparent decrease in 1913 being due not to any falling-off in numbers, but to the alteration in system. The total number of births registered as belonging to the four chief centres and their suburban boroughs in 1913 was 7,341, as against 8,081 occurring in the municipalized areas for the previous year. The birth-rates for last year were, — Birth-rates per 1,000 of , Mean Population. Auckland City .. .. .. .. .. .. 23-23 ~ and eight suburban boroughs .. .. 25-93 Wellington City .. .. 24-88 ~ and four suburban boroughs . . .. 24-67 Christchurch City .. .. .. .. .. .. 23-56 ~ and four suburban boroughs . . .. 24-31 Dunedin City .. .. .. .. .. 21-61 „ and five suburban boroughs . . .. .. 22-53 By the inclusion of the suburbs the rate is lowered in the case of Wellington, but raised for I he other three centres. Excluding the suburbs, it will be observed that Wellington has the highest late. Christchurch next highest. Auckland and Dunedin following. The birth-rate for the Dominion last year was 26-14 per thousand, so that each of the four centres is below t he average, The rates for five years 1909 to 1913 are given below. As stated above, however, no proper comparison can be made between 1913 and previous years. , Births per 1,000 of Population. , 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. 1913. Auckland (without suburbs) ... 2973 2775 3003 29-66 25-93 Wellington „ ... 26-62 2413 26-67 27-49 2467 Christchurch „ ... 2855 27-10 28-45 28-29 24-31 Dunedin „ ... 28-34 2722 29-45 2713 2253

3—H. 31.

Year. Queensland. New South Wales. Victoria. South Australia. Western Australia. Tasmania. New Zealand. 1903 L904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 6-79 6-90 6-97 7-68 7-68 7-54 705 6-39 6-22 6-14 6-71 7-12 7-37 7 04 6-9 6-80 6-44 6-28 614 5-64 5-73 5-74 5-61 5-58 5-62 5-76 5-92 5-59 5-96 5-72 416 4-02 4-35 4-00 4-09 4-47 4-22 4-38 4-21 4-71 4-70 436 4-19 4-78 3-86 4-35 395 4-13 4-47 4-39 5-61 5-82 5-52 5-78 5-78 5-24 5-45 5-33 5-33 4-78 4-55 4-52 4-57 4-67 4-61 4'26 4-61 4-47 409 4-28 I !