VITAL STATISTICS.

Shannon News, 8 September 1925, Page 3

VITAL STATISTICS.

“A WONDERFUL YEAR.” “So far as the vital statistics are concerned 1924 was a wonderful year,” declares the annual re port of the Health Department, “The actual death rate was 8.29 per 100 m mean population; the infant mortality ujate was 40.2 per 1000 births; and the tuberculosis death rate was 5.67 per 10,000 of mean population. * These all constitute record figures as far a? New Zealand is concerned, and compare more than favourably with corresponding rates for other countries. The low birth rate (21.7 per 1000 ot mean population) and the continued high rate of still-births 30.5 per 1000 live .births) are disquieting features of tile returns. There is no doubt that our population is best replenished and our empty spaces best filled b ,r our own naturai increase. The newborn infant, in other words, is our best immigrant.” The maternal mortality rate (o.ou per 1000 births) was, adds the report almost as high as in 1923, despite the active campaign embarked upon lor its reduction. Such a result was not wholly unexpected, however, as the measures had hardly had time to ex ert their influence. Against that, the mortality rate of infants under one month showed a gratifying and suggestive decline. The rate for the year under review was 24 per 1000 births.-