THE FLOW OF LIFE.
* SOME POPULATION FACTS. There are 'some extremely interesting details respecting the vital statistics cl New 7 Zealand in 1923 contained bi the. volume compiled by the census office ot the Government Statistician’s Department. For instance, though the birth rate dropped from 25.99 per 1000 to 21.94 betAveen 1914 and 1923, the marriage rate was A r ery iittle lower than last year, the figures being 8.51 for 1914 as against 7.90 in 1923. Whether it be the high, cost of living, the housing difficulty for people with families, or the groAving disinclinaton of a pleasure-loving age- to assume the cares and responsibilities of parentage, or a combination of all three-, the Statistician of course cannot tell us. He lets his figiires talk.
The: death rate Avas about the same rather less at the end of the decade, the rate per 1000 in 1914 being 9.31, and in 1923 9.03. In the ten years the natural increase amounted in round figures to 160,000, the number of births in excess of deaths being -roughly 18,000 for each of six years, Avhile of the four others last year’s excess came next above the tA\ 7 o epidemic years of 1918 and 1919, Avhen the natural increase fell to about 9000 and 14,000 respectiA 7 ely. Last year it was rf little 0A 7 er 16,000. As the population of the Dominion increased in the decade by about T9D.COO, this means that the ebb and floAv of emigration and immigration resulted in an addition to the country in population of about 30,000 from overseas during the ten years. Of the 27,967 children bom alive 14.531 were males and 13,436 females, Avhich is in excess of the average males horn in the previous ten years. Counting only eases Avhore both children Avere horn alive, there Avere 289 eases -of twin births (57S children), and three cases of triplets. One mother in every 96 gave birth to tAvins or triplets,' as compared Avith 87 in 1922, 80 in 1921, and 81 in 1920. In 105 cases of tAvin births last year both children Avere males, and in 90 cases both AA’ere females, the children being of opposite sex in 86 cases. Of the three cases- of triplets, the children were all Females in two instances,, and all males in -the third. . . , The number of marriages registered in NeAv Zealand during the year was 10,070, corresponding to a rate of 7.90 per 1000 of the mean population. This Avas SCO more than AA-ere registered in 1922. but although slightly higher than in 1922. the rate was considerably beloAv the average of the fifteen years immediately preceding the AA'ar. Omitting the AA-'ar and post-war years, it is necessary .to go back lor a- lower rate to 1901; Avhen it Avas 7.83 per. 1000. Of tlie four quarters of the year the June quarter appears to be the favourite marrying period, except when Easter falls in March,' and the December, March and September quarters followin that order. The day on Avhieli the largest number of Aveddings took place Avas June 6, Avhen 151 couples Avere joined. December 19 and March 28 tied for second place, with 142. each. Wednesday Avas the popular marrying day of the week, 4286 weddings occurring on this da-y,„while Tuesday came next Avith 1530, the order in popularity of the others being Thursday (1484), Monday (1220), Saturday (1014), Friday 478, and Sunday, along way last, with 48 only. ‘ Of the persons married last year 3 per cent, of the grooms (325) and 15 per cent, of the brides (1653) AA r ere under 21 years of age. One bridegroom Avas betAveen 16 and 17 years of age, three between 17 and 18, and 44 between 18 and 19, while of the brides tAvo had not reached their fifteenth birthday, eight were under 16, and 42 between 16 and 17 years. At- the other end of the list, 625 grooms and 338 brides were of 45 years and oA 7 er, these figures representing 6 per cent, and 3 per cent, respectivoly of the total. Sixty-one per cent, of the bridegrooms and 76 per cent-, of the brides w r ere under 30 years of age. So- far as individual ages were concerned 24 held pride of place among the grooms and 21 the- brides! The- average age for men to marry last year Avas 30.49 and for brides 26.74. 0 ! f the- 10,070 marriages registered in 1923, Church of Eiiul and clergymen officiated at 2853 (28.33 per c-ent.j, Presbyterians at 2595 (25.77 per cent)! Methodists at 1087 (10.79), and Roman Catholics at 1101 (10.93 per cent), the only other religious denominations whose ministers officiated at more tlpm 100 marriages during the year Avas the Baptist Church.(lß4). Ministers of the Congregational Independents solemnised 89 marriages, ministers of the Church of Christ S 3, officers of the Salvation Aj-my 54. Civil marriages numbered 1984, or 19.27 per cent, of the total. Although the percentage of civil marriages is,considerably IcAA-er than in anv of the war years, it is the highest figure recorded since 1918. and slioavs a ! ileref i se compared Avith 1922, Avhen the percentage was 18.99.
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Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 July 1924, Page 15
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865THE FLOW OF LIFE. Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 July 1924, Page 15
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