BIRTHS AND DEATHS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 115, 1 February 1918, Page 7

BIRTHS AND DEATHS

LAST YEAR'S STATISTICS THE EFFECT OF THE WAR Commencing with January, 1917, a new system of collection ol monthly vital' statistics was inaugurated. Metropolitan areas have been created at each of the four chief centres, and suburban areas at nine of the more important secondary centres. Each area includes, in addition to the central boroughs, a considerable non-municipal-ised area adjacent to and contingent on the centre. An objection to the old system of publishing statistics for municipal awns only was that these were constantly being extended or otherwise altered, and no proper comparison could be made between one period and another, and no satisfactory record kept of the social condition and. progress of the community. The creation of fairly extensive areas fixed for a long period will remove these disabilities. Tho new systom considers only the central borough of the metropolitan or suburban area, tho remainder of that area, and the total. The population of the metropolitan areas at the census of October, 1916, were as follow:— I Auckland metropolitan area ... 133,712 Wellington' metropolitan area. 95,235 Christchurch metropolitan area 92,733 Dunedin metropolitan area ... 68,716 '•-. Births, and Birth-Rates. ' The total number of births registered its occurring in the four metropolitan areas i n1917 was 9064, tho rates being as follow:— . Birtb-rates '•■ ■ " per 1000. Auckland city 22 -2-> Auckland metropolitan area ... 22.n3 Wellington city 24.46 Wellington metropolitan area ... 25.20 Christchnrch'city 23.25 Christchurch metropolitan area. 22.U6 Dunedin city , 21.57 Dunedin metropolitan area 22.4( By the inclusion of the.suburban portions tho birth-rate is raised in the case of three of the metropolitan areas—the Christehurch rate being lowered, Ejcludinn, these, suburban portions it will be observed that Wellington lias the highest rate, Christchurch next highest, Auckland and Dunedin following. Tho birth-Tates for two of the central boroughs last year show increases when compared with 1916. These are "Wellington and Christchurch. Both Auckland aiid Dtmedin show decreases when compared with 1916. The rates for tho three -rears 1913, 1916, and 1917 are :— * 1913. 1916. 1917. Auckland city ... 23.23 23.2fi 22.29 WeCnciCv... 24.88,24.08 24.46 Chro&urch city 23.56 * 23.13 23.20 Dunedra city ...... 21.61 23.11 21.5, . Deaths and Death-Rates. The total number of death sregistered in the four metropolitan areas ttormg 1917 was 4109—viz., 2882 in the cities and 1227 in the suburban portions. By including the suburban portions the "death-rate is lowered in the. case of.all four metropolitan areas. The rates for the year are:— Death-rates per 1000. Auckland oity } 2 f> Auckland metropolitan area ... IU.4S Wellington city IU.US Wellington metropolitan area ... J.ii Christcltiirch city • tf-U Christehurch metropolitan area 11.U4 Dunedin city x f^ Dunedin metropolitan area ....... U-os If the number of deaths of infants under one year be excluded, the mortality among the rest of the population is found to have been for 1913, 1910, and 1917 in the following ratio to tho 1000 living:- m Auckland (including suburbs}* 8.74 8.39 9.29 Wellinfiton ... 7.79 8.06 D.IA SriSfth" 8.82 9.25 10.14 Dunedin 9 -. 59 in 1 I V° 10 ♦Metropolitan areas m 191'. The figures sugges tthat in New Zealand, as in other countries, tho stress of war is tending to increase the deatnrate. ___________