Higher Birth Rate, Fewer Deaths Among Mothers

Northern Advocate, 4 December 1941, Page 6

Higher Birth Rate, Fewer Deaths Among Mothers

[Special to “Northern Advocate”] NEW PLYMOUTH, This Day. Two records of considerable importance were established in New Zealand in the past year, the Minister for Health (Mr. Nordmeyer) told people who assembled for the official opening of a new maternity hospital at Waitara.

Last year the birth rate in New Zealand per 1000 population reached the highest point since the peak year of 1925, said the Minister. For some years people interested in social reforms had been concerned at the declining tendency in the birthrate, and the search for reasons as well as remedies had occasioned a great deal of thought. Public Annexes Popular As Minister for Health it gave him great satisfaction to be able to state that the birth rate had made a splendid recovery during the past two years, and particularly in the past 12 months. When pe'ople were informed that no fewer than 10,538 mothers were confined in annexes to public hospitals last year they would appreciate how much advantage was being taken of such facilities, said the Minister. Maternal Mortality Low

In the same period New Zealand established another record in that there were fewer deaths of mothers during confinement than in any previous year. Per 1000 births last year the maternal mortality among Europeans was only 2.92. Unfortunately the rate among Maoris was higher at 4.69. These figures, said Mr. Nordmeyer, emphasised the value of an institution such as that, at Waitara, which served the needs of women of both races.