N.Z. FAMILIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 143, 18 June 1940, Page 3

N.Z. FAMILIES.

WHAT THE CENSUS SHOWED, FATHERS AND CHILDREN. - (B.v Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day. Roadmen, railway track surfacemen and slmrcmilkers make the most prolific husbands iu the Dominion, according to figures compiled bv the Government statistician from data obtained at the 11)30 census. Married men in these Occupations alone of the pakchn population average more than two children apiece. In this, however, the Maori father puts the pakelia to shame; the Maori father averages 2.03 children, the pakelia only 1.25. The figures are based on the numbers of dependent children —under the age of 10 years. They give, however, an accurate survey of the parental position. j It is remarked that the outdoor occupations rank very high in the realm of i fatherhood, whereas professional men, clerical and business men arc well below the Dominion average. Among the professions whose workers arc rated above the Dominion average arc military or war pensioners, engine drivers and firemen, bushmcn, slaughtermen. tram conductors, fishermen, farm hands, farmers, policemen and detectives. Despite the legend of wives in every port, the sailor ranks relatively low; married deck hands average 11 children each, while master mariners and mates average 1.24. At the bottom of the list are old-age pensioners and retired persons (whose children, of course, are in most cases no longer dependent), dentists, land agents, tailors, gardeners and nurserymen, poultry farmers, clerks and commercial travellers. All these average less or little more than a child to each husband j in the profession concerned. j One Auckland widower recorded that he had 1C dependent children. This was the Dominion's biggest family, all of whose members were under 16. Wellington took second place with two families of 14 children. Thirteens and dozens were comparatively common.