MANY MARRIAGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23542, 30 December 1939, Page 9

MANY MARRIAGES

NEW AUCKLAND RECORD THE YEAR'S STATISTICS INCREASE SHOWN IN BIRTHS The year's vital statistics for the Auckland district may bo considered satisfactory from all points of view iu that they show a marked increase in births, a decrease in deaths and a substantial' • increase in marriages. The marriage notices issued by the registrar,'3s24, surpassed last year's record total of 3138 by 380. Last year was the first time that the 3000 mark had been passed, the lyevious highest total being 2727 in 1920. Marriages by the registrar continue to he popular, and the number so effected rose from Goo last year to 732 this year. .On the last available day before Christinas he was called on to perform 15 of these ceremonies. The. number of births recorded, 3220, although 291 ahead of last year's total, is still short of the numbers reached in the years 1925 to 1927, in each of which over 3ioo births were registered. Deaths, which steadily increased during the past few years, have now reversed that tendency, and the total of '2250 is lower than last year's figure by 172. , . Comparative figures for the past three years are as follows: — UW» 1038 10M7 Births -MXW '2,740 Deaths . . . . . 2.'J50 Marriages .. . •• M,•">■!•_> 11,138 '.2,881 Marriages by registrar 7U'J < »0Tho total of 410 marriage notices issued this month easily exceeds the figure of 354 for last December. The months' birth registrations increased from 238 last December to 277 this month. The deaths showed a slight decline from 178 to 171. The marriages performed by the registrar increased from 09 to 80.

HAMILTON WEDDINGS INCREASE OF 12 PER CI'!NT [from our own cohiiespondknt! HAMILTON, Friday Marriages in Hamilton for ls).i9 showed au increase of 46, or 12 per cent, over those for 1038. the number of licences issued being 425. as against 379 for 1938. There were 10 more marriages in December than for the corresponding month of 1938. the figures being 59 and 49 respectively. Deaths for the month numbered 28. as against 30 for December, 1938. and for the year 358, as against 304 for last year. There was an increase of three in the number of births for December, the number registered this month being 45. For the year there were 079 births, against 038 last year.

THE WELLINGTON RUSH REGISTRAR KEPT BUSY [llY TKIiKCItAPn —OWN COUKK.SrONDK.NT] WELLINGTON, Friday All unusual rush for marriage licences, which reached the peak yesterday and to-day, has been experienced at the office of the registrar in Wellington, and a reduced stall has been kept working at high pressure. Altogether ]7 notices of marriage were received yesterday and seven marriages were performed in the office by the registrar. A further 12 notices were received to-day and seven marriages performed bv tl'ie registrar. It was" stated to-day tjiat about a third of the bridegrooms were soldiers and the couples included many visitors to Wellington. The number of marriages was a tremendous increase on that for flic same period last year. Just before the office closed , this afternoon until Wednesday the total for the year had reached the record figure of 25-")8, compared with 2190 in 1938, 1937 in 1937, and 1787 iu 1930. The total for the month was 304, compared with 202 in December last year. It was not a record month, as in September, when enlistment for overseas service began. 13-10 licences were issued in Wellington. There was an unusually large number of weddings by the registrar this year. The total was 032, compared with 528 last year, 44S in 1937, and 427 in 1930. DUNEDIN'S RECORD TOTAL 1051 LICENCES ISSUED [dy TKi-EcitArn —pness association] DUNEDIN, Friday Doubtless reflecting war conditions, the number of marriages in Dunedin during the past year constituted a record. No fewer than 1051 marriage licences were issued during the year, compared with 957 last year, an increase of 94. Births increased by 77 from 1420 to 1503, and there were 1100 deaths, against 1092 last year.