LOW BIRTH RATE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 47, 25 February 1935, Page 5

LOW BIRTH RATE.

DOMINION'S POSITION.

DECLINE CONTINUES. DEATH RATE ALSO LOW. In spite of the fact that the birth rate in New Zealand is now low compared with most countries, so low is the Dominion's death rate that New Zealand still ranks midway among the nations as regards the rate of natural increase. Attention was directed to New Zealand's declining birth rate by the chairman of the New Zealand section of the Empire Press Union in his speech at the conference at Rotorua. It is to be noted that all the other Dominions exhibit the same phenomenon of a falling birth rate. That fact gains emphasis when it is remembered that the Dominions are "young countries" in the special sense that a larger proportion of their total population is included within the fertile age group of 15-45 rears.

The birth rate is lower in Australia and New Zealand, where there is little foreign admixture, than in Canada and South Africa, where the higher fertility of the French and Dutch stocks tends to hold up the average. Fifty years ago the natural increase in New Zealand was 25.41 a thousand: twenty-five years ago, 17.31; and in 1933, 8.61. Hence it has been reduced to a third of that of two generations ago, and half that of the last generation. There is the further fact that in recent years New Zealand has suffered a loss by migration, there being more departures than arrivals, the net figure of increase being left even more slender. In 1934 it was only 11,145. With immigration stopped, the other Dominions will probably have figures before them showing the same check in rates of increase. Lowest Ever Recorded. Information contained in the Xew Zealand Year Book shows the nominal rate of, natural increase of population has fallen from 31.19 per 1000 of mean (POjpolatiaa in, J.SJO io &JBI xa. 1933. The

number of births has fallen from 39.58 per 1000 in 1871 to 1(5.59 in 1933. This is the lowest figure ever recorded in the Dominion, being .5 for every thousand lower than that of 1932. The Government Statistician gives the population of New Zealand as 1,557,070, including Maoris, an increase of 11,145 over the total for 1933, which was 12,216 greater than that for 1932.

On the other hand, Britain can show unexpected movement. Immigration into the United Kingdom between 1931 and 1933 exceeded emigration by 118,747, thus providing a set-off against her vanishing rate of natural increase. The British rate for several years has been lower than the French, while New Zealand's fell below the French in 1932 and has stayed down. It is true thai Britain and New Zealand have much lower death rates than France, giving a higher proportion of natural increase. Indeed, that Is the bright and redeeming feature of the New Zealand statis-

ties. Her margin of births over deaths is wide and the rate of natural increase comparatively high. Nevertheless the credit is declining rapidly. z+oxe Old People.

One interesting aspect, however, has only recently begun to receive attention and study, particularly in Britain. It is that the composition of the population, here as well as in Britain, is changing and has changed to a measurable extent. There are fewer children and more middle-aged and old people. That follows inexorably from the decrease in both birth and death rates. The last census taken in Britain showed that there was a greater proportion of adult population than there was ten years previously, and much more than at the beginning of the century. By 107(i it is reckoned the proportion will be increased, so that more than half the population will be over 4o years of age.