Old Age in New Zealand

Evening Post, Volume LIV, Issue 141, 11 December 1897, Page 4 (Supplement)

Old Age in New Zealand

» In the ' Transactions of the New Zealand Institute ' for 1896 is a valuable paper, contributed by Mr. C. E. Adams, B.Sc, A. 1. A., late Lecturer of Mathematics at Lincoln College. This paper is an investigation into the rates of mortality in the colony during the period 1881-91, and will form a much - desired basis from which , future calculations may be made. Plates accompany the article, which graphically show the possibility of living until the age of seventy-five, and are extremely useful for the purpose of comparison with those compiled in reference to other countries. The facts contained are of great benefit to the country, as showing the smallness of the death-rate and the greater chances of long life in a climate so salubrious as that of New Zealand. A comparison with tables compiled to show the mortality rates of Ei- gland is startling. Taking the Er.glish tabiea for the period 1871-80, constructed by Dr W. Ogle, who succeeded the >rreat authority Dr. Farr, we (the Press) tind that, at the age of 35, 56 out of every KjO males born are living. A reference to the paper compiled by Mr. Adam*, bhowg that in New Zealand, at the .-ame &%e, 76 our vi every lUO are liviug. The coiupari-a.-!i of the ftniale tables snows respectively 57 out of every 10U, and 78 out of .every 100. The cbauces of life are thus greatly in favour of this country. It is poiutedout ti.at all results past the age of 51 cannot refer to native-born New Zealanders, as the colony only dates from 1840, but up to that age they can be referred to as a reliable authority. Such a compilation was urgently required, and is of great value, particularly in view of the legislation contemplated in regard to the old age pension scheme. Another reference may be made to the respective tables of England and New Zealand, to show the ages to which half the population may survive. In England, at the age of 44, 50 out of every 100 persons born are alive, while iv this country 50 out of every 100 are still living at the age of 63. The disparity is thus shown to be very great, and wottld indicate that the operation of the old age penttion scheme would be comparatively of & much more expensive nature in New Zealand than in England.