FALLING BIRTH-RATE IN FRANCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7852, 14 July 1911, Page 9

FALLING BIRTH-RATE IN FRANCE

Dr Bertillon is very despondent (says the Palis correspondent of the "Daily, Telogmpb”) over the returns of births and deaths, just published, for 1910. The figures were for the former 774,308, and for the latter 703,777. The number of births is tho lowest for the past century, baning that for 1909, which was 4000 less. In 1859 over a million cliildren were born in Prance. This figure remained about stationary till 186 S, when tho number was over 9oU,WX). The births exceeded 900,000 for 18 years, but fell to 890,000 in IcfcC. Por the following 20 years they exceeded 500.000 annually. Duiing the past four years the figure of births has begun with a seven. The increase in 1910 over 1909 Dr Bertillon considers insignificant. Tho decrease in the death rate also foils to give him any hops, lie points out that it is solely duo to the dwindling birthrate. The reduction is observable only among children under one year. The only reason, therefore, why there are fewer deaths is that fewer children are bom. meanwhile, as Dr Bertillon remarks despondently, the excess of births over deaths in tho (jerman Empire last year was 884,000, as compared with under 71.000 in Prance. Tne returns give him only on© ray of hope. A law was passed in 1907 abolishing a few of the amazing formalities surrounding marriage in Prance. It is still difficult to get married in this country, but it was almost impossible to do so before June, 1907. Now, for instance, a man or a woman over thirty years of age may marry- in Prance without troubling to obtain his or her parents’ consent. Before 1907 such consent, verbal or .written, was needful. If the father and mother, and the two grandfathers and grandmothers of either of tho jiartics were dead, that party could not get manned unless ho or she produced the certificates of death of all six forbears. These are still required if the man or woman in the case bo under thirty. However, the "simplifications” introduced, such as they were, were sufficient to send up the marriage rate wonderfully. Dr Bertillon notes with delight that the number of weddings celebrated in Franco last year —to wit, 309,289 —is one of tho highest on record since the law of 1907. The marriage rate has since then gone up some SOOO a year. Dr Bertillon has therefore some glimmer of hopo that the birth-rate may rise, too, though he is the first to acknowledge that, though French people marry more, that is no proof that they will increase tho population.