A.—3.

Vital Statistics. During the year there were ninety-three births and eighty-two deaths, all Natives. Most of the deaths were of persons of sixty years and over. The following table shows the births, deaths, and marriages for the past eight years : —

The natural increase for the above period was 158. Migration : Ten persons, including two Europeans, arrived, and forty-nine persons, five being Europeans, departed. The population of the island at the 31st December, 1927, was : Europeans and Natives —Males, 1,777 ; females, 1,994 : total, 3,771. Deaths for the year were thirteen in excess of those for 1926, and births were slightly below the average.

Return of Births and Deaths for the Year 1927.

Illegitimates included in above number, 10. Births per 1,000 of population, 24-80 ; deaths per 1,000 of population, 21-87. Percentage of illegitimate to total births, 10-75. Percentage of deaths under one year to total deaths, 4-88 ; percentage of deaths one to five years to total deaths. 4-88. The number of deaths in Hakupu —i.e., seven —is the lowest yet recorded for that village. Marriages. —There were thirty-nine marriages performed during the. year —thirty-two, by the London Missionary Society, and seven by the Resident Commissioner.

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Births. Deaths. Marriages. Year. European. ( Native. European. 1 Native. —j — —j Total. Total. European. Native. Total. M. | F. | M. | F. M. F. I M. F. I | | 1 j 1 I II 1920 45 47 92 .... 47 57 104 .. 45 45 1921 1 56 46 103 .... 56 41 97 .. 46 46 1922 1 1 49 48 99 40 42 82 .. 47 47 1923 .. 1 2 56 47 106 .... 43 60 103 .. 42 42 1924 60 54 114 .... 27 42 69 .. 49 49 1925 .. 1 .. 49 56 106 .... 34 29 63 1 40 41 1926 61 53 114 .... 26 43 69 .. 43 43 1927 51 42 93 .... 32 50 82 1 38 39 Totals .. 3 4 427 393 827 .. .. 305 364 669 2 350 352

Births. Deaths. Village. I ; j — Males. | Females, i Totals. | Males. Females. Totals. Alofi .. .. 10 8 18 6 ! 6 12 Makefu ......3 3 6 1 3 4 Tuapa .. .. .. 9 3 12 2 3 5 Hikutavake .... 5 5 10 3 4 7 Mutalau .. .. .. 5 5 10 2 10 12 Lakepa ......3 3 6 2 5 7 Liku .. .. .. 4 5 9 4 6 10 Hakupu 5 6 11 5 2 7 Fatiau .. .. .... 1 1 2 1 3 Avatele .. .. -. 4 2 6 2 6 8 Tamakautoga .... 3 1 4 3 4 7 Totals .. 51 42 93 32 50 82