DISQUIETING FIGURES
WHAT STATISTICS SHOW. WELLINGTON. Oct. 25. In an address on ‘Some Aspects ol Infant Mortality Statistics” at the Rotary Club luncheon to-day, Air Malcolm Frasei", Government Statistician, said that New Zealand was justly proud of having the lowest inlantile death-rate in the world and on having led the way in regard to the treatment of infantile diseases but he added that a disturbing cause which called for serious thought was the increasing number of still-births. Mr Fraser said statistics should ho the signposts pointing the way to progress and safety.
“Our splendid position in respect to low infantile death-rate.” he said, “is attributable partly to such matters as climate, virility of race, comparative absence of large industrial undertakings of extensive slum areas. etc.. and partly to legislative and educative measures both by State and by private organisations. I think 1 should direct your attention to a danger signal which is being thrown up by the statistics, and which points to the operation of disturbing causes in our society which call for serious thought. I refer to the increasing number of still-births. If these are taken into consideration, the progress of our infantile mortality rates is much less than it at present appears.
“Now. it is only since 1914 that the law required the registration of still-births, and consequently we only have a record of them since that time. It is very disquieting, however. to obesrve that during that period of observation available they have shown a considerable and steady increase. Were these included, therefore. m computing the infantile death-rate, as T think indeed they should be the position is very considerably affected. The rate for 1914 would be 37.55. instead of 51.38. and for 1920 .it would Ire 68.74 instead.,of 39.75. Instead of the rate showing a reduction from 1914 to 1926, of 22.62 per cent, the reduction would be only 6.50 per cent. The fact that still-births appear to
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Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1927, Page 1
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322DISQUIETING FIGURES Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1927, Page 1
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