EQUALISATION OF THE SEXES

Cue (NZERS), Issue 31, 15 September 1945, Page 9

EQUALISATION OF THE SEXES

. There have always been more males than females in the population of New Zealand, though admittedly successive census returns reveal that a gradual equalisation of the sexes has long been in progress. Indeed, equality was very nearly achieved at the war-time census in 1916, when the Dominion's population (exclusive of, Maoris) consisted of 550,262 males and 545,966 females, representing a proportion of 992 females to each 1,000 males.

In the early days of New Zealand’s settlement the difficulties of pioneering and the remoteness of the country from Europe resulted in a heavy preponderance of males. In 1861, for instance, the ratio of females per 1,000 males

was 620, but the margin has steadily narrowed down the years until, after reaching 903 per 1,000 in 1901, it had risen to 992 by 1916. The 1921 census showed a sharp decline to 956 per 1,000, with little change in 1926. In the succeeding ten years, however, the figure rose again to 972.

With the exception of one year, 1860, there has always been a preponderance of males in the number of children born in New Zealand. The proportion of males to 1,000 female births has been as high as 1,113 (in 1859) and as low as 991 (in 1860). The average excess of male births over female births during the past ten years has been the lowest for four decades.