GROWING POPULATION

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1920, Page 2

GROWING POPULATION

INCREASE IN BIRTH-RATE. An increase of 22,581 in the European population during the first nine months of the year is shown by the Government Statistician’s estimates.' The increase in the whole of 1913 was 32,035; in the following years there were smaller increases and in 1916 and 1917 decreases owing to the departure of the expeditionary forces. lih 1918, there was an increase of 10,701 and last year, owing to the return of the forces, the increase was 56,033. The outstanding feature of this year’s statistics is the recovery in the birth rate. The total number of births to September 30th was 22,641, showing an increase above the number in the corresponding period of last year of 6512. This number is equal to an annual rate of 25.68 per 1000 of mean population, as compared with a rate of only 21.55 for the year 1919. The rate for 1913 was 26.14, and subsequent years showed a decline to 23.44 in 1918. The number o fbirths in each Quarter of this year have been: —First quarter, 7531 jsecond, 7412; third, 7698. During the nine months the population has increased by 8943 by excess of arivals over departures. In 1913, the increase by immigration was 14,219; and last year, excluding troops of the expeditionary force, it was 1054. ‘ The population of the Dominion as at September 30th is estimated as follows: Males ml All Females 585,759 Total 1,186,986 Pacific Islands 12,797 Maoris 49 ’ 776 Grand total 1,249,559 The figures for the Maori and Pacific Islands populations are those of the 1916 census.