8

H.—3l

If the average result be taken out for the ten years 1890-99, it will be found to represent 4-22 births to a marriage. Dealing similarly with the figures for 1900-9 the result is an average of 3-22, so that regarded annually or decennially there is a decided fall to be observed. New Zealand had in 1880 the highest birth-rate in Australasia (40-78); in 1900 was reversed ; but in 1909 the New Zealand rate was higher than that of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. Although New Zealand had in 1900 the lowest birth-rate in Australasia, the rate for 1909 was higher than the average for the Commonwealth, 26-40 per 1,000 of population. The movement over ten years is calculated as under : —

Birth-rates per 1,000 of Population.

Sexes of Children born. The figures show that during each year there has been a preponderance of births of male children. It would appear, however, that this excess of male births is not sufficient to compensate for the heavier mortality which occurs among that sex. Of the total population in 1871 there were 70.52 females to every 100 males, but in 1909 the proportion of the females to 100 males had risen to 88.89.

Twin Births. There were 265 oases of twin births (530 children) and 1 case of triplets registered in 1909. The number of children born was 26,524 ; the number of mothers was 26,257 : thus, on an average, one mother in every birth to twins, against 90 in 1908, 102 in 1907, 114 in 1906, and 97 in 1905. The proportion of plural births per 1,000 of all births during the past five years, was :— ™ , Plural Births Year. All Births. per 1,000 of all 1905 .. .. .. •• 23,682 245 10-35 1906 .. •• •• 24,252 215 8-87 1907 .. -. .. •• 25,094 244 9-72 1908 .. •• • ■ •■ 25,940 286 11-03 1909 .. .. ... ■■ •• 26,524 266 10-03 Illegitimacy. The births of 1,223 children were illegitimate : thus 46 in every 1,000 children born were born out of wedlock, against 43 in 1908.

Country. 1900. 1901. 1902. I 1903. i 1904. I 1905. 1906. j 1907. 1908. I j 1909. Queensland ... ... 130-21 New South Wales ... 2743 Victoria ... ... 25-82 South Australia ... | 25 - 78 Western Australia ... : 31-46 Tasmania . . ... 28-25 New Zealand .. ... 25-60 28-53 27-78 25-77 25-39 30-34 28-60 26-34 27-89 I 24-62 27'13 27-20 i 25-41 26-81 25-23 24-46 24-65 24-85 23-43 i 24-70 30-27 30-26 ! 3033 29-23 i 28-62 j 29-60 25-89 I 26-61 | 26-94 25-92 ; 26-31 | 26-98 I 26-99 26-79 ! 27-12 I 27-22 j 26-86 24-83 I 25-14 ! 25-16 24-71 23-82 ! 23-54 i 23-82 24-59 30-29 ! 30-01 29-40 I 29-25 29-33 I 29-82 | 29-50 30-90 27-22 ! 27-08 ] 27-30 27-45 27-52 27-26 24-55 24-57 28-06 29-86 27-29

Year. Number of Births of Males. Females. Proportion of Births of Males to every 100 Females. 1888 1889 L890 1891 .. —.. 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 9,641 9,261 9,514 8,943 9,293 8,985 9,377 8,896 9,101 8,775 9,310 8,877 9,472 9,056 9,493 9,053 9,511 9,101 9,600 9,137 9,615 9,340 9,724 9,111 10,107 9,439 10,471 10,020 10,653 10,002 11,217 10,612 11,762 11,004 12,109 11,573 12,397 11,855 12,835 12,259 13,369 12,571 13,502 13,022 104-1 106-4 103-4 105-4 103-7 104-9 104-6 104-9 104-5 105-1 102-9 106-7 107-1 104-5 106-5 105-7 106-9 104-6 104-6 104-7 106-3 103-7