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Matamata Record, Volume III, Issue 120, 20 February 1919, Page 2

The effect of war conditions upon the marriage rate in the Common, wealth is apparent from the quarterly summary of the Australian statistics just issued (says the Melbourne •'Age"). In 1914 the marriage rate was 8.80 per 1000 of the mean population. In 1915 the rate advanced to 9 14, but fell succesively to 8.21 in 1916, 6 87 in 1917, and 6 79 in 1918 The decline has been common in all the States. The birth rate has suffered proportionately, having declined from 28.05 in 1914 to 25.52 in 1918. Victoria claims the distinction of having more or less consistently had the lowest birth rate and the highest death rate of the six States for somo years. The highest birth rate last year (28.83) was in Queensland, and the lowost (22.61) in Victoria. Victoria's death rate last year was 10.13, its nearest competitor being Queensland, with 10.11. The death rate in the principal States ranged between 8.72 and 9.44 per 1000 of tho population. The Northern Territory's death rate, which advanced from 21.59 in 1914 to 2;U6in 1916, and declined again to 14.93 in 1918, still remains as distinctive in one direction as that of the Federal territory in another direction. The Federal territory's death rate, which has novor been higher than 0.89, dropped last year to as low as 1.72. Tho reported explanation of this phenomena is the persistent disposition of the population to die elsewhere.