SAVING INFANT LIFE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 10267, 14 April 1926, Page 3

SAVING INFANT LIFE.

NEW ZEALAND’S RECORD

MORTALITY CLYDER 4 PER CENT

Eor the first time in the history of the Dominion, deaths of infants under one year of age have been less than 4 per cent, of the total number of births.

The Government' Statistician) states in the latest issue of the-,Abstract of Statistics that the number &f infants under one year of age whose deaths were registered during 1825 was 1125, this number being two loss than the remarkably low figure for 1924. The infantile mortality rate reached the phenomenally low figure of 89.36 per thousand live births, thus establishing another new record. The previous best figure was 40.23, registered for 1824,

The Statistician remarks that the effect of the constantly '.declining birth-rate in New Zealand has been largely neutralised bv the concentrated efforts that have been made in the direction of the preservation of infant life. The protection and welfare of children in early life is recognised as n national ilit'", and in this respect New Zealand has established and maintained a success which is unrivalled in any other country. Here too dies to some extent the secret. of the 'e^treinelv low death-rate, as the infantile mcrfalitv of a country lias some considerable bearing upon the, total death-rate. That New Zealand’s record in this respect is pre-eminent is shown bv a comparison with the latest available return®- from other countries as follows; New Zealand 49. Norway 53, .Netherlands 57 Australia- 57. Sweden 69, Switzerland 61. Italy 71. Irish Free StH-a 72. A IVPa 74. En,r----l ’ud and Wales 75, Hrrted States 77. Canada 79 OmcTr'-SWakia S 3. Denmark 35. Northern Ireland 35. i*’ Milan cl 93 France B'3, Soot land 83. TTm. gua.v 10-6 Belgium 1.07 Germany Austria 139. P-ain ]4B -Jan?n 163, Jamaica 171, Ceylon IS6, Hungary 186.