H.—Bl

XVII

A table has also been prepared showing, for the year 1905, the number and ages of the youngest orphan children left. INFANTILE MORTALITY. Subjoined is a classified statement of the deaths of infants under one year during 1905, with the ratio of the deaths in each class to the 1.000 births during the year : —

Seventy-four out of every thousand of male children born, and sixty of every thousand females, are found to have died before attaining the age of one year. The mortality is thus one in thirteen of male children and one in seventeen of females, even in New Zealand, where conditions are far more favourable to infant-life than in Australia, at least as far as relates to the cities. It will also be seen from the figures that the chances of living during the first year of age are far greater for female than for male infants. Thus, during the year 1905 there were — 100 deaths of males*to 71 deaths of females under 1 month of age; 100 „ 83 „ from 1 to 3 months of age ; 100 „ 79 „ from 3 to 6 months of age ; 100 „ 85 „ from 6 to 12 months of age ; 100 „ 81 „ under 12 months of age. The rates of infantile mortality—that is, the proportion the deaths of children under one year of age bear to the births —are higher in the Australian States than in New Zealand. Dealing with the results for ten years, the deaths of infants under one year are in the large proportion of three-fourths of the total deaths under five, as might be expected, the first year being the tenderest period. (See notes to tables.)

Deaths of Infants under One Year, and Proportion to Births.

Deaths of Children under Five Years, and Proportion to Deaths at all Ages.

iii—H.^3l.

Year. Sex. Under 1 Month. 1 and 3 and under 3 under 6 Months. : Months. 6 and ■ under 12 Months. Total under 12 months. 905 ( Male ' 1 Female Number of D< 406 308 laths. 159 126 165 125 171 139 901 698 .905 ... I Male ( Female Deaths to the l,0i 33-53 26-61 10 Births. 1313 10-89 1363 10-80 14-12 12-01 I 74-41 6031

Deaths if Infants u; iach Year, s nder 1 Yeai ind Means of Age. (Totals for »f 10 Years.) Proportion of Deaths of Infants under 1 Year to every 1,000 Births. Year. Total Births registered in each Year, and Mean of 10 Years. Under 1 Month. 1 Month and under 3 Months. 3 Months and under 6 Months. 6 Months and under 12 Months. Total under 12 Months. i .896 .897 .898 .899 .900 901 .902 .903 .904 .905 566 512 573 619 607 610 665 692 669 714 229 240 289 389 288 272 344 346 260 285 304 269 306 378 293 392 313 367 356 290 340 333 342 420 281 289 390 365 331 310 1,439 1,354 1,510 1,806 1,469 1,563 1,712 1,770 1,616 1,599 18,612 18,737 18,955 18,835 19,546 20,491 20,655 21,829 22,766 23,682 77-3 72-3 79-7 95-9 75-2 76-3 82-9 81:1 71-0 67-5 Means of tea years ... 623 294 327 340 1,584 20,411 77-6 Note.—The total number of deaths of infants for the period included in the table is 15,838.

Deaths o: Children under 1 to £ Year, and Meai Years of Age. (Totali ia of 10 Years.) for eaoh Total Deaths at all Ages for each Year, and Mean of 10 Years. Deaths under 5 Years: Per Cent. of Mortality at all Ages. Year. 1 Year 2 Years and under and under 2 Years. 3 Years. 3 Years i Years and under and under 4 Years. 5 Years. Under 1 Year. Total Deaths under 5 Years. .896 .897 .898 .899 .900 .901 .902 .903 .904 ,905 1,439 1,354 1,510 1,806 1,469 ! 1,563 ! 1,712 1,770 1,616 1,599 215 187 200 291 205 208 307 275 169 176 59 84 91 111 93 85 118 126 83 97 76 69 72 74 64 68 92 111 63 61 64 38 47 56 58 52 61 64 43 46 1,853 1,732 1,920 2,338 1,889 1,976 2,290 2,346 1,974 1,979 6,432 6,595 7,244 7,680 7,200 7,634 8,375 8,528 8,087 8,061 28-81 26-26 26-50 30-44 26-24 25-88 27-34 27-51 24-41 24-55 Means of ten years 1,584 j 75 2,030 7,584 223 95 53 26-76 Note. —The total number of deaths included in this table of children ui ider 5 years is 20,297.