OFFICIAL WIRELESS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1929, Page 6

OFFICIAL WIRELESS

ENGLISH STATISTICS. LOW INFANT MORTALITY. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Jan. 23. Tn England and Wales during 1928 tlic birthrate was higher and the death rate lower, than in the previous year, and figures for infant mortality were the lowest ever recorded. The birth rate was 10.7 per 1000 of the population, which is 0.1 per 1000 above that of 1927. The death rate was 11.7 per 1000 or 0.6 lower than for the previous year and the infant death rate was Go per 1000 live births. NATIONAL THRIFT. SALE OK SAVINGS CERTIFICATES RUGBY, Jan. 23. A steady increase in national thrift is shown by the figures just issued by the National Savings Committee. Large sales of National Savings Certificates were a feature of 1928. Notwithstanding adverse conditions in trade .in many regions, over 52.000,000 certificates were sold during the year, which "'as an increase of 16 per cent, upon sales for 1927 and higher than the sales for any year since 1923, when a change in the terms of issue brought about abnormally large purchases. At the end of 1928 the grand total of certificates sold since their introduction in 1916, was over 890,000.000. representing a cash investment of nearly £700,000,000. With withdrawals allowed for, it is intimated that, including the accrued interest, the amount due to investors in certificates at the end of 1928 was approximately £485.000,000. WEST INDIES CONFERENCE. RUGBY, Jan. 23. The Colonial Secretary, Mr L. S. Amery, has sent the following telegram to the Governor of Barbados, on the occasion of the opening of the first West Indies conference:—“l desire to tender my best wishes for the complete success of the conference, and to express my confidence that it will prove fruitful in meaures for promoting the well-being of the West Indian colonies, British Guiana, British Honduras and Bermuda, and for effecting close and cordial co-operation between them in all matters of common concern. The occasion is one of great significance, both Imperial and local, and, f believe that it will constitute an important landmark in the history of the West. Indies, and will inaugurate a new era in the handling of their affairs.