The Waikato Independent SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1926. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 2608, 10 April 1926, Page 4

The Waikato Independent SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1926. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Vital Statistics. The abstract of statistics for March gives us the preliminary figures of births, marriages, deaths and infantile mortality for the year 1925. Although these figures are not final, they will be subject to only slig'htj alteration, except in the case of marriages. As these latter returns have not yet been finalised, the figures relating to them must be regarded as a fairly close estimate only. A table showing the number and rates per 1000 of mean population for each of the last five years is given below: —

Declining, / • ■ r -> Birth Rate. . The total number of births registered during 1925 was slightly in excess of the number of 1924, but this increase was not sufficient to produce a corresponding rise in the birth-rate. The rate, 21.17 per 1000 of mean population, is in fact the lowest ever recorded in -the Dominion, the previous lowest rate being that for 1919 —viz., 21.42 per 1000. The number of marriages celebrated during 1925 is estimated at "10,362, this total indicating an advance of 103 over the previous year. It is, however, 189 below .the average of the five preceding years. The marriage rate is slightly lower than that for .1924 (7.90), and 0.69 per .1000 less than the preceding live-year-ly average. New Zealand’s birth-rate is now considerably lower than that of the. Commonwealth of Australia, the: latest figures for which country (1924) ! showed an average of 23.24 per 1000, as compared with 21.17 in New Zealand for last year. We are even behind the Old Country, the average for England and Wales' for the quinquennium 1920-24, being 21.3 and 24.3 for Scotland. The figures for other countries are: South Africa, 1923-24, 27.6 per .1000: Canada, same period, 25.0; Denmark, 1918-22.. 23.7; Italy, 1919-23,-,28.0; Japan, 1919-23, 34.4; Germany, 1919-23, 28.8. France’s birth-rate has been notorious for many years. For the .period 1918-22, it stood at ofily 17.7. while Belgium’s was even lower, viz., 18.4, the lowest of any country in the civilised world. Those figiuTs furbish us food for earnest thought.

Healthy . ' New Zealand. When we come to the death-rate, however, we can derive much comfort from the latest figures. An increase of .259 in the number of deaths was recorded for .1925 over 1924-, the principal factor responsible for this being tliic epidemic of infantile paralyses experienced in the first six months of the year. Nevertheless it is extremely gratifying to note ’that the record low- rate of 8.29 per 3000 of the mean population, established in 3924. has been equalled again in 1925. If the death-rate of a country may be regarded as an indication of its comparative healthiness, then New Zealand leads the world in this respect—a matter.for extreme gratification. The following figures showing the death-rate of various countries are of interest: —New Zealand, 8.29 per 1000: Queensland, 8.87; New South Wales, 9.35; Victoria, 10.95; Commonwealth of .Australia.

9.47; England and Wales, 12.2; United States, 13.5; Germany, 15.2; Scotland, 14.2; France, 17.8; Canada, 10.8; South Africa, .10.1; Japan, 23.2; Egypt, 26.9. To enjoy the reputation of being the healthiest country in the ,world is something of which every New Zealander may well be proud.

Yr. : - Mar- Infant Births riagos Deaths Mott. 1921 28,567 10,635 10,682 1366 1922 .. 29,006 9,556 10,977 1215 1923 .. 27,967‘ 10,070 11,511 1225 1924 .. 27,014 10,259 30,767 1127 1925 .. 28,153 10,362 11,026 1125 Infant Rates ; per 1000 of Mean Mort. Population. per 1000 Births. Marriages. Deaths. Births. 23.34 8.69 ' 8.73 47.82 * 23.17 ■ 7.63 , 8.77 41.89 21.94 7.90 9.03 43.80 21.57 7.90 8.29 40.23 23.17 7.79 S.29 39.96