THE BIRTH RATE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1927, Page 4

THE BIRTH RATE

FIGURES SHOW DECLINE. WELLINGTON, .May 7. Preliminary figures compiled by the Government Statistician show that the birth rate for 1920 is the lowest ever recorded in the Dominion, while the proportion of illegitimate total births was the highest yet recorded. The births registered were 28.-172 representing 21.05 per J OIK) of the mean population. The total number is 020 more than in 1925, hut 30 less than in 191(3. in spite of an increase of nearly 250,000 population during ten years. The rate is 0.12 per 1000 lower than in 1925, which represented the lowest previous level. Of the 28,-173 children whoso births were registered in 1920, males numbered M,fi!9 and females 13,821. The masculinity of the birth rate shows a tendency to increase as the birth rate falls, a state of affairs probably due to the higher proportion of first births to total births, masculinity usually being higher in first births than is the ease in subsequent issues. ■Counting only eases where both children were horn alive, there were 358 eases of twins, and two eases of triplets. The average is one mother with twins or triplets in every 78. a phenomenal increase in the proportion over the previous year, which showed one in 92. The proportion of eases of multiple births is the highest for many years past. Of 20,551 necounehemeuts where living legitimate infants were horn 8355 represented first births, a percentage of 31.17 against 30.89 last year and a five years’ average of 30.83. A total of -112] wore within the first twelve months after marriage, and 2301 within the second year. This shows very little variation from preceding years. A HIGH FIGURE. ‘Tt is probably only natural to expect,” says the. Statistician ‘‘that as the birth rate falls, flic proportion of illegimates to total births will tend to increase. Nevertheless, it is unsatisfactory and somewhat disquieting to record that this proportion in 1920 reached the uhpreeedentlv high figure of 5.17 per cent, no fewer than 1473 of 28.473 births being illegitimate. The previous highest rates, in recent years at least, were those for 1924, 4.77 per 100; and 1920, 4.70. A study of the quarterly figures of illegitimate births would indicate that the unenviable record for 1920 was in some degree associated with the Dunedin Exhibition. The figures for eaeli quarter in 1925 ami 192(3 are:

Not only was idle proportion of illegitimate births the highest yet recorded. but tlie proportion of cases, 21.44 per cent, where a legitimate child was born within seven months after the marriage of the parents was also considerably higher than usual, the five years’ figures from 1922 being:—l922. 1557: 1923, 1618; 1924. 1004; 1925, 1657; 1926, 1791.

102.-; 1920 Man'll 319 340 June ,107 31G September 35-j 389 December 331 428