New Zealand's Mortality Figures

Northern Advocate, 20 July 1938, Page 7

New Zealand's Mortality Figures

[Specicu To “Northern Advocate"'] WELLINGTON. This Day. The annual report of the DirectorGeneral of Health. Dr. M. H. Wall, which was tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Minister of Health, the Hon, Peter Fraser, shows that there was a further increase in the birthrate during the year ended March 31 last. The report slates that the total births were 21.014, which was equivalent to a rate of 17.29 per thousand mean population, or the highest recorded since 1931. Other noteworthy features of ihe year were a rise in the deathratc. a drop in the deathratc from tuberculosis. a continued lew level of infant mortality, and a substantial reduction in deaths from puerperal causes other than deaths from septic abortion. The deathratc was 9.08 per thousand mean population, compared with 8.75 in the previous year, and was the; highest since 1920, when it was 10.15. In view of the increasing number of people of advanced years, the increase in the deathratc was not unexpected. The infant mortality rate."the report stales, was 31.21 per thousand live births, this figure being slightly higher than the record low figure of 30.96 in 1936. The still-birthrate was 29.38. representing a slight improvement on the 1936 figure of 20.5, The maternal mortality rate, including deaths from septic abortion, was 3,57 per thousand live births, compared with 3.70 in 1936. The number of septic abortions was 23, against 14 in 1936. The report states that deaths attributed to cancer numbered 1777, an increase of only 15 on the number for the previous year. It was found that, there was an increase of 46 deaths of males, and a decrease of 31 deaths among females.