VITAL STATISTICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10048, 7 February 1896, Page 5

VITAL STATISTICS.

[BY telegraph.—press ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Thursday. The vital statistics for the year 1895 are

The total number of births registered os occurring in the four chief centres and suburbs in 1895 was 4370, against 4419 for previous year. The actual decrease is nob quite so large os at firet sight ib would appear to be, for in 1894 too high a return was received from the Borough of Birkenhead, owing to a raistako in defining the borough boundaries; so that the births in that place, which last year were only 17, wore given for the previousyear, at £34, or probably double the true number. The births in the four cities fell from 2790 in 1894 to 2722 in 1895, while the births in suburban boroughs rose slightly from 1629 to 1648. By the inclusion of tho suburbs the rate is raised at all the chief towns excepting Auckland. As in 1894 Wellington has the highest rate, Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunodin following at long intervals. The difference botweon the Wellington rate (2926), and Dunodin rate (21*65), is very marked. The birth rate for the whole colony for last year was, 20*78 por 1000. Wellington is thus well above the average, while Christchuroh and Dunedin fall considerably below it. It is noticeable thab the number of births registered last year at Dunedin was somewhat smaller than the number registered there during any one of four preceding years. The totittl number of deaths registered for the foun oentres in 1895, was 1962, viz., 1368 in tfte cities, and 594 in the suburbs, In 1894 the number was 1964,1354 being in the cities, and 610 in the suburbs. Thus there was last year a small increase in tho city deaths, while in the number of suburban deaths there was really very little change, for the difference of 16 is in a great measure accounted for by the erroneous return from Birkenhead above mentioned. By including tho suburbs, the death rate for last year is lowered at each of the four centres, tho difference being considerable in Auckland (1.57) and in Dunedin (1.06). The death rate is thus highest in Auckland, and lowest in Dunodin," Wellington and Christchurch taking second and third places respectively. The death rate for the colony was 9.91 por 1000 mean population. The four centres mighb each be expected to show a higher average than this, and in fact the excess is considerable, both at Auckland and ab Wellington, and is found, though in smaller moascres, ab Christchurch. Bub at Dunedin, owing to the slight mortality in the suburbs, the average falls deoidodly short of the general rate for the colony. Excluding suburbs, and deal ing only with tho deaths in the four central cities, the figures tor 1895 exceed those for any previous year, excepting only 1893, the year of the measles epidemic,

- nj . nj B 2 OQo 5 .25.° « 2 ,°Q o ,25? Boroughs. I 1 sis I lis & « &|j ft IIS & £30 fc'OB Auckland .. 81,664 883 28-04 471 14*87 Birkenhead.. 670 17 25-31 8 4'48 IMonport .. 2,888 62 21*85 21 7*40 Newmarket.. 1,622 (1 31-44 '8 11*71 Newton 2,406 40 16*63 M 6-65 Paraoll .. 3,807 95 24*05 42 11*03 Total .. 43,007 1,163 26*81 572 13*30 Wellington & suburbs .. 30,036 1,142 29*26 488 12*50 ristchnrch & suburbs.. 24,486 1,001 23*56 448 10*54 Dunntlln and suburbs .. 49,614 1,074 21*65 454 0*15 Genl. totals 174,143 4,370 25-09 1,962 11*27