H.—3l.

PART lI.—PUBLIC HYGIENE. I have tlii> honour to submit my annual report for the year ended 31st March, 1933. It is necessarily brief and devoid of graphs owing bo need of economy. SECTION I.—VITAL STATISTICS. POPULATION. The mean population of the Dominion for 1032 (exclusive of Maoris) was estimated to lie 1,466,237. This total represents an increase over the corresponding figure for the previous year of 11,336, or a percentage increase of population of o*7B. BIRTHS. The births of 24,884 living children were registered in the Dominion during 1932, as against 26,622 in 1931. The birth-rate for 19.">2 was thus 17-09 per 1,000 of mean population. The general course of the birth-rate during the last five years is shown in the following table: — Births (Number and Rate) in New Zealand, 1928-1932. Year Total Number of Birth-rate per 1,000 liirths registered. of Mean Population. 1928 .. .. .. .. .. 27,200 19-56 L 929 .. .. .. .. .. 26,747 19-01 1930 .. .. .. .. .. 26,797 18-80 1931 .. .. .. .. .. 26,622 18-42 1932 .. .. .. .. .. 24,884 17-09 The birth-rate steadily declines. There were 24,884 births for a population of 1,456,237 and there were 11,683 deaths, the difference or natural increase being 13,201 persons or 0-91 per cent, only of the total population. Back in 1870 the natural increase was 3-1 per cent. DEATHS. The total number of deaths (11,683) registered during the year 1932, as compared with 12,047 in 1931, shows a decrease of 364. Crude Death-rates. v Crude Death-rate per v ( Yinlo Death-rate per 1,000 Mean Population. ar- 1,000 Mean Population. 1928 .. .. 8-49 L 931 .. .. 8-34 L 929 .. .. 8-75 1932 .. .. 8-02 1930 .. .. 8-56 New Zealand has a very low general death-rate, but, owing to the steadily reducing birth-rate, her annual natural increase of population is only 0-91 per cent. STILL-BIRTHS. Still-births, which are defined by the Births and Heaths Registration Aci nl 1924 as ''children which have issued from their mother after the expiration of the twenty ij pi and which were not alive at the time of such issue," are compulporily registrable in the Dominion. The next table shows the number of such births and 'heir rate per 1,000 live births in individual years for the quinquennium 1928 1932. Still-births (Number and Rate) in New Zealand, 192S 1932. Y Total Number of Rate of Still-births ' ' Still-births registered. per 1,000 Live Births. 1928 .. .. .. .. .. 839 30-8 L 929 .. .. .. .. .. S7O 32-5 1930 .. .. .. .. .. 865 I'.i.-.l L 932 .. .. .. .. .. 746 There was a reduction in the still-birth rate this year, and further on will be seen a reduction in the death-rate of infants under one week of age. (Note.- Still-births are not included, either as liirths or deaths, in thi numbers and rates given elsewhere in this report.)

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