10

H.—3l

Twin Births.

There were 284 cases of twin births (568 children) and 2 cases of triplets registered m 1908. The number of children born was 25,940 ; the number of mothers was 25,652 : thus, on an average, one mother in every 90 gave birth to twins, against 102 in 1907, 114 in 1906, 97 in 1905, and 93 m 1904. The proportion of plural births per 1,000 of all births during the past five years, was — ,„. , _, .„. ~ Plural Births per Year. AU Bl F thB - Plural Blrths - 1,000 of all Births. 1904 22,766 242 10-63 1905 23,682 245 10-35 1906 • ■■ 24,252 215 8-87 ,007 •• •• 25,094 244 9-72 1908 .. 25,940 286 11-03 Illegitimacy. The births of 1,105 children were illegitimate : thus 43 in every 1,000 children born were born out of wedlock, against 46 in 1907. . The rates of illegitimacy in Australasia are quoted. That for 1907 in.New Zealand was less than in any of the Australian States except South Australia and Western Australia.

Proportion of Illegitimate Births in every 100 Births.

These figures show the proportion of illegitimate births to every 100 births for New Zealand to be fairly steady"during the period 1898-1907 ; the difference amounts only to 0-38 per cent, on a comparison of the first and last years. Births and Birth-rates in the Four Chief Cities. The total number of births registered as occurring in the four chief centres and suburbs in 1908 was 7,276, as against 7,018 for the previous year. The birth-rates last year were — Birth-rates per 1,000 of Mean Population. Auckland City ... ... ••• ■•• - 3(>56 and seven suburban boroughs... ... ■ • • 4» Wellington City ... ••• ••• ••• 27 6 0 Qr7 7r and three suburban boroughs ... ... •.. Ai lb Christchurch City ... ... ■•• •■• ■•• 2843 and three suburban boroughs... ... •■• At 6J Dunedi'n City ... ... ••• •■• ■■■ 2548 and six suburban boroughs ... ... ■■■ z4 oo By the inclusion of the suburbs the rate is raised at Wellington, but lowered at Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. It will be observed that, excluding suburbs, Auckland has the highest rate Christchurch next highest, Wellington and Dunedin following. The birth-rate for the Dominion last year was 27-45 per thousand. Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch are thus over the average, and Dunedin below it. The birth-rates for two of the central boroughs last year show a fall when compared with 1907. In Christchurch the rate fell from 30-47 to 28-43, in Dunedin from 25-69 to 25-48, but rose m Auckland from 29-63 to 30-56, in Wellington from 27-53 to 27-60. The rates for five years, 1904 to 1908, are — , Births per 1,000 of Population. , 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. Auckland (without suburbs) ... 3108 30-06 29-96 29-63 30-56 Wellington „ ... 26-77 29-72 27-85 27-53 27-60 Christchurch ... 27-53 29-70 28-19 30-47 28-43 Dunedin J .- 22-40 23-90 2896 25-69 25-48

Year - , , 1 New South Queensland, j Wales Victoria. South Australia. Western Australia. Tasmania. New Zealand. 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 6-04 5'97 6-40 593 6-04 6-76 6-89 7-00 7-68 7-31 6-93 7-15 7-01 7-16 6-60 6-71 7-12 7-37 7-04 7-04 5-29 5-49 5-91 5-58 5-51 5-73 5-74 561 5-58 5-62 3-62 3-95 4-24 3'98 4-36 4-18 401 4-37 4-00 4-10 4-99 4-91 4-82 3-88 396 4-69 4-36 4-19 4-78 3-89 5-09 6-08 5-43 5-94 5-36 5-61 5-82 5-52 5-78 5'86 4'23 4'40 4-63 4'57 4-46 4-55 4-52 4-57 4-67 4-61