MARRIAGES IN BRITAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1917, Page 4

MARRIAGES IN BRITAIN

London, April 10 The marriage rate in 1915 was the highest ever recorded. The marriages during the year numbered 360,885, or at a rate of 19.5 per 1000 of the 1914 population of all age?. This was 3.6 above that of 1914, and 4 above the average rate in the decade of 1901-10, Provisional figures for 1916 indicate a return to the normal. On the other band; the birthrate in 1915 was the lowest on rejord—22 per 1000. This n 3 5 below the average for the preceding ten years, and 1.8 ; below the ra ein 1914. Bat it compares very favorably with the experience of other belligerent oountrie?. The provisional rate for 1916 is 21.6 lower still. The Regi'trar*General writes :—“lt i< hardly necessary to point out that the pheuomen?il rise in the marriages for 1915 is directly due to the war, thit the conditions under which they have taken place are quite unprecedented, The rite was not evetly spread over the year, as in the first quarrer the rate par 1000 showed sn increase of only 0.7 over the average. In the second qaarter the rise was 5.3, in the third 4.4, while in'tin fourth quarter it reached 5.8.”