Illegitimate Births Increase In N.Z.

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31975, 30 April 1969, Page 26

Illegitimate Births Increase In N.Z.

(Neu Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 29.

Nearly three»quarters of illegitimate babies are born to unmarried women aged 16 to 24 years, according to the report of an interdepartmental committee released today by the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan).

'rhe committee was set up to determine the precise extent of the problem of illegitimacy in New Zealand.

The report said the trend in recent years had been for ex-nuptial births increase, whether expressed in actual numbers, as a percentage of total births, or as a rate per thousand unmarried women.

"The rise applies both to non-Maori and Maori births, but over the period 1962-67 the proportionate rate of increase has been greater for non-Maoris."

The report defines a Maori, for statistical purposes, a a person with half or more of Maori blood, but where the race of the father is not recorded the classification of a child as a Maori or non-Maori is done on the basis of the mother's race alone. The report sau. other countries—for example, Australia. England and Wales, Canada, the United States and Sweden—had also experienced increases in the absolute numbers and rates of exnuptial births over the same period.

N.Z. Greater

"International comparisons are subject to many qualifications. but it aeerns that, while the rate of ex-nuptial births is higher in Sweden, the rate of increase in New Zealand is greater than in the other countries Usted ” The committee emphasised ( It should be noted that, inde-l pendently of the number of | ox-nuptial births, any change in the nuptial birth rate! would cause the ex-nuptial 1 birth rate to vary as a per-; ventage of total live births. There were other factors such as age distribution of I the female population and; marital status which also! affected the ex-nuptial birth rate The report said that, for many purposes, birth rates ini each age group of mothers were of mor- importance than actual number of births. The rate of ex-nuptial births per 1000 unmarried women was highest for the 25-29 age group. Actual Number But the actual number of' births constituted the core of the social problem of caring for unmarried mothers, and their children, nearly | three-quarters of the ex-] nuptial babies were horn toi unmarried women aged 16 toj 24 years. About three-quarters of exnuptial births were reported] annually to the child welfare; division. Of the cases re-i ported some 40 per cent of I children were placed for adoption. Some 50 per cent remained with both parents, mother «r relatives, and in about half of these cases the parents

were living together. It was not known whether these children remained permanently with their mothers or, in the case of those living with both parents, in how many cases the union was a permanent one. Seven Months The report, said it could reasonably be assumed that most of the children born in the first seven months of marriage were conceived extra-mari tally. Figures showed that the numbers of confinements resulting in live nuptial first births in the first seven months of marriage increased from 4625 In 1962 to 5924 in 1967 These numbers represented 27.4 per cent of all confine-

ments in respect of nuptial first births in 1962 and 33.7 per cent in 1967. Figures also showed that for every 100 extra-marital conceptions in 1967 about 43 children were born after the parents had married and about 57 were born out of wedlock. First Child “Differences, in the desire or ability of women to marry may well be a possible influence leading to differences in the ex-nuptial birth rate from one age group to another," the report said. It was apparent that for women aged from 16 to 24 years, somewhere about half of those who conceived extramaritally did in fact marry and have their first child within the first seven months of marriage.

On the other hand, of the women aged 25 to 29 years who conceived extra-mari-tally. only about a quarter i married before the birth of the child. From age 30 onwards the proportion of women who married bd-ire the birth of a chiii- conceived lextra-maritally fell to about I one-eighth.

More Research Mr Hanan said the Government had authorised further research into the causes of the increase in extra-marital intercourse and possible ways of tackling this and problems related to ex-nuntial births. This research would be undertaken by the joint committee on young offenders in consultation with other appropriate agencies. Departments represented on the ex-nuptial births committee were: Education (including Child Welfare), Health. Justice. Maori and Island Affairs, and Statistics. The chairman was Mr E. A. Missen. Deputy Secretary for Justice.