Falling Birth-rate.

Waikato Times, Issue 12446, 2 December 1912, Page 3

Falling Birth-rate.

Some interesting facts with regard to the falling birth-rate were given in a paper read at the Temperance Hall, Middlesbrough, England, on 2nd October, by Mr W. C. D. Whetham, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. Since 18176 „ he said, 'the annaal birthrate, which had reached 35.3 per 1000 of the population of England and Wales, had fallen steadily until it now stood at about 24 per 1000. In many "residential"' districts it was probably less than 15. A similar change had taken place in all the nations of Western Europe and the allied races of North America and Australasia. In France the births now barely exiled the deaths, while Germany wa£ following the other countries after a period in which she seemed to be less affected, In Britain the deficiency of children was most marked in the ranks of tne thrifty skilled artisans who used the benefit societies, and in the upper and professional classes'. The average number of births maintained almost its normal level among families of known Roman Catholic faith, and had fallen much less than elsewhere among the Anglican clergy. There had been an actual rise in the corrected birth-rate in Ireland.