Correspondence.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 252, 27 April 1895, Page 2

Correspondence.

NEW ZEALAND'S DEATH EATE. s TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR. Sib,— The New: Zealand Government Insurance Department in its advertisements, inter alia, claims the patronage of the insuring public, through the fact that it only does busiaess in New Zealand, "The healthiest country in the world." The death rate is claimed to be much below fc'iat of every other country. Not, sir, I am not writing in a hostile spirit, and, speaking generally, have no word against the management of the institution in question, which has really reached a very satisfactory position, but I challenge the accuracy •of the statement that the death rate (so far as insurance is concerned). is co much below tha 1 ; of other countries l Nothing is lost by the truth, and the Department is well aware that it ia trading, in a measure, under false colors in this matter. Tp come to the point. It is quite true that the death rate per 1000 of the whole population in New Zealand is below the average, but this is not always a reliable teat! Owing to the youth of the colony, the population in the aggregate is at a younger age than the average of older commumlties, where the deaths from old age must of necessity be greater. Deaths from senile decay are far short of the normal stage, as yet, in New Zealand. The only mortality test that can be taken as an approximate guage of the healthfulness, or otherwise, of the people, is the average ape at death, and is the only one used in the prac- ; tice of life insurance. rt By far ,thelarger proportion of death ih* ! every country is among lives under fifteen years of Age, and as the Department does not insure such, to quote only the gross death rate of New Zealand is still more misleading. ; For example — So far as insurance is effected it would be ridiculous to " compare " New Zealand with a tropical or.subtropical country, where the death, i-ate is excessive among infants, or even with Great Britain , with the bulkr.of her population crowded into cities, compared with which our towns are mere hamlets. Some climates are peculiarly destructive to child life— all hot climates are. In Florida , it is almost impossible to tear children. Now, leaving out all lives under fif. teen, as the Department does not insure these, the question is the average age at death above fifteen in New Zealand. I believe the average to be not more favorable than many other countries, and I repeat the challenge to the Department to prove the contrary. It should have done bo long ago. The Department is not as open over this matter as other offices. It does not, in its annual report, publish ■ the ratio of actual to expected death claims, though a comparative statement of the mortality "experience " was promised years ago. lam convinced the mortality experience .of the Government Department; is not even so favorable as other offices, and though I am modest enough to believe that these remarks may riot even move them, still, in justice to the policy holders and to settle their persistent boast, a.'comparative table of mortality should be published. The data is at hand to prove, if true, how inach Setter is the "expectancy of life" between the ages of fifteen and fiftyove in New Zealand as compared with other countries. The mortality experience of the Friendly Societies throughout this: colony is strong presumptive evidence that there is something in this reverse view of the case, for the greater proportion of the Lodges are proved by the Government Actuary to be absolutely bankrupt. I am, etc., ... : /, CtxfiYrvß.