H.—3i.

Maeeiages,

The marriages for 1908 show an increase on the number for the previous year. The number was 8,339, or 147 more than in 1907. The rate per 1,000 of the population was 8-82 as against 8-91 in 1907. It is shown by the table following that there has been considerable increase in the marriage-rate, which has been above the standard during each of the last thirteen years : —

Marriages, Number and Rate.

The total number of marriages solemnised (8,339) does not include marriages where both parties are of the aboriginal native race, such persons being exempted from the necessity of complying with the provisions of the Marriage Act, although at liberty to take advantage thereof. Twenty-five marriages in which both parties were Maoris were contracted in 1908 in terms of the Act: 14 by Registrars, 3by clergymen of the Church of England, 3 by Roman Catholic ministers, and 5 by ministers of the Church of the Latter-day Saints. Ages of Persons married. > i Of the persons married in 1908, 177 bridegrooms and 1,338 brides were under 21 years of age. Of the bridegrooms, four were between 17 and 18, and ten between 18 and 19. Of the brides, one was under fifteen, seven were between 15 and 16, and thirty-four between 16 and 17 years of age. The proportion of men married is greatest at the ages of 25 to 30, and of women at from 21 to 25 years. Deaths. The deaths in 1908 numbered 9,043, a rate of 9-57 in every 1,000 persons living, as against 10-95 in 1907. This is slightly below the average of the previous ten years, 9-93 per 1,000.

Comparative Death-rate for the Period 1898 to 1908.

11

Marriage-rate. Marrii ige-rate. Year. Total Number of Marriages registered. Per 1,000 C f °!Tf d l with Kate m „ , ,. 1882-86 Populat.cn. uken as 1(K) Year. Total Number of Marriages registered. Per 1,000 of Population. Compared with Rate in 1882-80 taken as 100. 1882-86 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 3,663 3,563 3,617 3,632 3,797 3,805 4,002 4,115 4,178 4,110 4,843 6-68 5-97 5-97 5-93 6-12 6-04 6-23 6-22 6-15 5-94 6-85 100 89 89 89 92 90 93 93 92 89 103 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 4,928 5,091 5,461 5,860 6,095 6,394 6,748 6,983 7,200 7,592 8,192 8,339 6-83 6-91 7-28 7-67 7-83 8-01 8-23 8-26 8-28 8-48 8-91 8-82 102 103 109 115 117 120 123 124 124 127 133 132

Country. 1898. 1899. 1900. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. New Zealand Queensland . . New South Wales Victoria South Australia* Western Australia Tasmania England and Wales Scotland Ireland Denmark Norway Sweden Austria 9.84 12-66 12-48 15-94 13-06 16 05 13-51 17-5 18-0 i 18-2 ! 15-5 15-2 15-1 24-9 28-0 18-3 20-5 170 20-9 22-9 10-24 12-07 11-82 14-28 12-14 13-76 12-25 18-2 18-1 17-7 17-3 16-7 17-7 25-6 27-2 17-7 21-5 171' 21-1 21-9 9-43 11-73 11-16 12-75 10-64 12-92 11-05 18-2 18-5 19-6 16-8 15-8 16-8 25-3 26-9 19-3 22-1 17-8 21-9 23-8 9-81 11-88 11-75 13-22 11-11 13-36 10-52 16-9 17-9 17-8 15-8 149 161 24-0 25-4 180 20-7 17-2 20-1 22-0 1050 12-08 1197 13-40 11-79 13-63 11-00 16-2 17-2 175 14-6 13-8 15-4 24-7 270 17-2 19-5 16-3 19-5 22-2 10-401 12-38! 11-65 12-90 ! 10-71! 12-60 11-92 15-4 16-6 17-5 14-7 14-8 151 23-8 26-1 17-6 20-0 15-6 19-2 22-4 9-57 10-11 10-65 11-92 10-22 11-91 1104 16-2 16-9 18-1 141 14-3 15-3 23-7 24-8 17-8 19-6 15-9 19-4 21-1 927 10-47 10-16 12-10 10-14 10-83 10-29 15-2 15-9 17-1 150 14-8 15-6 25-0 27-8 17-9 19-8 15-3 19-6 21-9 9-31 9-56 9-92 12-42 10-34 11-87 11-24 15-4 16-0 170 13-5 13 7 14-4 22-5 248 17-0 18-2 14-8 19-9 20-8 10-95 10-35 10-58 11-66 9-72 11-17 11-14 150 16-2 17-7 14-2 14-2 14-6 9-57 10-34 1016 12-53 9-84 10-86 11-71 Hungary Switzerland German Empire ... Netherlands 25-2 146 20-2 20-8 France Italy ... * Excluding the orihcrn Territoi-