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REPORT The Director-General of Health to the Hon. the Minister of Health, Wellington. I have the honour to lay before you the annual report of the Department for the year 1947-48. VITAL STATISTICS (The figures given include Maoris, unless otherwise stated) Population.—The mean population of the Dominion for 1947 was 1,802,637, an increase of 41,238 over the figure for the previous year (European, 1,696,188; Maoris, 106,449). Births.—The registered live births numbered 49,804 (European, 44,816; Maori, 4,988). The birth-rate for Europeans, 26*42 per 1,000 of mean population in 1947, as compared with 25*24 in 1946, is the highest since 1912. The Maori birth-rate was 46*86 per 1,000 of mean population. Deaths. —Deaths numbered 17,442 (Europeans, 15,904; Maoris, 1,538). The respective crude death-rates were 9*38 per 1,000 mean population for Europeans and 14*45 per 1,000 for Maoris. Infant Mortality.—lnfant deaths totalled 1,487 (European, 1,122 ; Maori, 365). The infant-mortality rate was 25*04 per 1,000 live births for Europeans and 73*18 per 1,000 live births for Maoris. In view of the high birth-rate and the generally overcrowded condition of maternity hospitals, the low death-rate of infants is very satisfactory. The following table shows details of infant mortality for the years 1941-47 inclusive :

Infant Mortality in New Zealand, 1941-47 (Per 1,000 Live Births)

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(Europeans only) Year. Under One Month. One Month and Under Twelve Months. Total Under Twelve Months. 1941 20-00 9-77 29-77 1942 18-73 9-98 28-71 1943 21-27 10-10 31-37 1944 20-60 9-52 30-12 1945 19-59 8-40 27-99 1946 19-08 7-02 26-10 1947 18-08 6-96 25-04