BIRTHS AND DEATHS

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 March 1922, Page 2

BIRTHS AND DEATHS

HIGH RATE OF INCREASE. The number of births registered in 28,569, says the “Dominion,” a large! total than in any preceding year, with the exception of 1920, but the rate, 23.34 per 1000 mean population, was exceedingly low. Only once in 1919, has New Zealand s birth-rate been lotvA low birth-rate is not a matter lor gratification in the case of a young country with empty acres lo fill. A low death-rate on the other hand, is something of which any country may be proud, and New Zealand establish- > something like a record in 1921. The death-rate was 8.70 per 1000 of the mean population, the previous best ixtuin for the Dominion having been 8.87 per 1000, in 1912. The number of deaths registered in the year was 10 684. Tlie excess of births over ■iths, therefore, was 17,885 for the year. New Zealand’s exceptionally low death-rate creates an apparent anom!v. The Dominion has a low birthrate and a high rale of natural increase. The excess of births over deaths in 1921, despite the fall in the. birth-rate, was 14,61 per 1.000 ol the population. The excess in the period '"3-18 averaged about 16.5 per 1000 •Pid even at the reduced 1921 rale New Zealand has a higher rale of natural ’ncrease than Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada, or the I mted States. The shocking example quoted in this connection is France, where 'ho deaths in recent years have roughly equalled the births, without taking into account the war losses of Iho French nation.