AUSTRALIA’S POPULATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 September 1931, Page 3

AUSTRALIA’S POPULATION

I,OSS BY MIGRATION. CANBERRA, September 2. At the end of 1930 the population of Australia reached a total of 6,476,735 during the last ten years. To this total gain natural increase (the excess of births over deaths) contributed ,776,481, or 73 per cent., and net migration contributed 288,254, or 27 per cent. The rate of increase during 1930 was 1.81 per cent, and was among the highest rates of increase in the world. At this rate tire population would double itself in 39 yearsThe number of persons per square mile in Australia is only 2.18, and varies from one person per 100 square miles in the Northern Territory to 20.38 in Victoria. These facts are contained in the annual demography bulletin No. 4S of the series dealing with the population, and vital statistics of Australia, which has been issued by the Acting Commonwealth Statistician (Professor L. F. Giblin). This volume relates in the main to the year 1930, but contains also particulars of population and vital statistics for the period 1920 to 1930. For the first time for many years there was a loss of population by migration, departures exceeding the arrivals in 1930 by 11,408 persons. BIRTH RATE.

During 1930, 128,399 births were registered, compared with 129,480 in 1929. Tiie birth rate for 1930, 19.93 per 1000 of population, was the lowest ever recorded.' Compared with many ether countries, the Australian rate is low, but it is accompanied by a very low death rate, giving a rate of natural increase, which is equalled in very few countries. Ex-nuptial births numb,er 4935, or 4.62 per cent, of all births registered. * There were 1439 cases of multiple births, comprising 1431 cases of twins, seven of. triplets, and one case of quarduplets. There were 12 children born in 1930 who were the sixteenth, four who were the seventeenth, one the nineteenth, and one the twentieth child of the marriage. During 1930, 55,331 deaths were , registered, corresponding to a rate of 8.59 per 1000 of the population. This rate was the lowest ever recorded in Australia, and compares most favourably with other countries. The principal causes of death were:—Heart disease, 8626; cancer, 6120; violence (including suicide), 4395; cerebral haemorrhage, 3503; congenital debility, 3389; tuberculosis, 3258; acute and chronic nephritis, 3182; and pneumonia, 1959. Deaths in childbirth represented 5.29 per 1000 children born. There were 28 deaths of centenarians, the recorded ages ranging from 100 to 108 years. Of every 1000 children born in 1930, 47 died before they reached their first birthday. This rate is th© lowest ever recorded in Aus- .

tralia, and is, with the exception o£ New Zealand, the lowest in the worldThat there is still further room for improvement may be seen from the fact 'that the rate .in New Zealand is only 34.5: Marriages to the number of 43,255 were registered in 1930. Of these, 3994,' or 9-23 per cent, were celebrated by civil officers. The percentage of marriages celebrated by civil officers has increased from 4.26 per cent in 1920 to .9.23 per cent, in 1930. The marriage rate (6.71 per 1000 of population) was the lowest recorded since 1918, and has only bpen lower twice during the present century. The ages,., of brides ranged from 16 to 90 years.'