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1946 NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF HEALTH

Presented in pursuance of Section 100 of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1926

HON. A. H. NORDMEYER, MINISTER OF HEALTH REPORT

The Director-General of Health to the Hon. the Minister of Health, Wellington. I have the honour to lay before you the annual report of the Department for the year 1945-46.

VITAL STATISTICS Population.—The mean population of the Dominion for 1945 was 1,691,520 (Europeans 1,593,513, Maoris 98,007). Births. —The total births were 41,651, representing a birth-rate of 24-62 per 1,000 of mean population. The number of European births was 37,007, with a rate of 23-22. This figure compares favourably with the rate of 21-59 in 1944. The number of Maori births was 4,644, which represents the high rate of 47-38. Deaths.—ln 1945, 17,686 deaths were registered, giving a crude death-rate of 10-46 per 1,000 of mean population. There were 16,051 deaths of Europeans, with a rate of 10-07, and 1,635 deaths of Maoris, with a rate of 16-68. Infant Mortality.—The infant-mortality rate was 34-79 per 1,000 live births. There was the usual marked difference between the European and the Maori sections of the community—the relative rates being 27-99 for Europeans and 88-93 for Maoris.