H.—3l

10

Deaths. The number of deaths recorded during 1923 was 11,511, as compared with 10,977 in 1922, and a yearly average of 9,370 in the period 1910-14. The Government Statistician gives the crude deathrate for 1923 as 9-03 per 1,000 of mean population, and the standardized death-rate (International Index of Mortality) as 11-12. The following table gives the number of deaths and the death-rate in the Dominion for the decennium 1914-23 :— Deaths (Number and Rate) in New Zealand, 1914-23. v Total Numher of Crude (Actual) Standardized Death-rate. oar ' Deaths. Death-rate. (Index of Mortality.) 1914 .. .. ..10,148 9-31 11-85 1915 .. .. .. 9,965 9-06 11-38 1916 .. .. .. 10,596 9-64 11-88 1917 .. .. ..10,528 9-58 11-66 1918 .. .. .. 16,364 • 14-84 16-80 1919 .. .. .. 10,808 9-51 11-75 1920 .. .. ..12,109 10-27 12-80 1921 .. .. ..10,682 8-73 10-93 1922 .. .. .. 10,977 8-77 - 10-70 1923 .. .. .. 11,511 9-03 11-12 The crude death-rate for tho year (9-03 per 1,000 of mean population) is below the average rate for the decennium, and, indeed, is not much above that of 1921, which is the lowest on record. Infant Mortality. —The infant-mortality rate for 1923 was 43-8 per 1,000 births. This rate is the second-lowest recorded in the Dominion, and has only been excelled by the figure for 1922 (41-9 per 1,000 births). The next table enables an estimate to be formed of the progress in infant-welfare work in New Zealand, and shows the relative obstinacy of the first-month mortality to react to the administrative measures which have proved so successful at later ages.

Infant Mortality in New Zealand, 1900-23. — Proportion of Deaths of Infants under Twelve Months to every 1,000 Births in Individual Years.

Maternal Mortality. The next table shows the number of deaths from puerperal causes, and the rate of such deaths per 1,000 births, for the five-yearly period 1919-23 : — Deaths from Puerperal Causes (Number and Rate) in New Zealand, 1919-23. Total Number R Year. of Deaths from , „„„ „ J™. Puerperal Causes. WOO Births. 1919 .. .. .. .. .. ..124 5-06 1920 .. .. .. .. .. .. 194 6-48 1921 .. .. .. .. .. ..145 5-08 1922 . . .. .. .. .. .. 149 5-14 1923 .. .. .. .. .. ..143 5-11 While the vital statistics of New Zealand generally compare more than favourably with those of other countries, in certain respects the Dominion does not occupy a particularly sound position, and, indeed, seems to be lagging behind. For some time it has been known, to our shame, that, despite many advantages -climatic, social, and eoonomic—the Dominion labours under the stigma of a comparatively high maternal-mortality rate. In proportion to its population, more women die

Year. Under One Month. One Month and under Twelve Months. Total under Twelve Months. Year. Under One Month. One Month and under Twelve Months. Total under jTwelve Months. l_ 1900 .. 1901 .. 1902 .. 1903 .. 1904 .. 1905 .. 1906 .. 1907 .. 1908 .. 1909 . . 1910 .. 1911 .. 31-1 29-8 32-2 31-7 29-4 30-1 29-6 30-4 31-2 29-9 30-2 28-5 44-1 41-6 50-7 49-4 41-6 37-4 32-5 58-4 36-7 31-7 37-5 27-8 75-2 71-4 82-9 81-1 71-0 67-5 62-1 88-8 67-9 61-6 67-7 56-3 1912 .. 1913 .. 1914 .. 1915 .. 1916 .. 1917 .. 1918 .. 1919 .. 1920 .. 1921 .. 1922 .. 1923 .. 30-1 29-7 28-9 29-2 27-0 27-9 26-7 28-4 30-8 30-7 27-2 29-1 21-1 29-5 22-5 20-8 23-7 20-3 21-7 16-9 19-7 17-1 14-7 14-7 51-2 59-2 51-4 50-0 50-7 48-2 48-4 45-3 50-5 47-8 41-9 43-8