NATURAL INCREASE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 755, 30 August 1929, Page 7

NATURAL INCREASE

SLOWLY DECLINING BIRTH RATE CAUSES OF DEATH (THE SL'VS Parliamentary Reporter) j PARLIAMENT BLDGS.. Thurs. A very slightly rising death rare and a slowly declining birth rate is shown in the figures for the year 192$ in the annual report of the DirectorGeneral of Health. Dr. T. H. A. Valin- j tine, presented to Parliament today. During the year the death rate of the Dominion was 5.49 a 1,000. against 5.45 in 1927-2 s, and the birth rate was 19.50 a thousand, still showing a falling tendency. In 192 S the number of children born was 27,200, the lowest total for the last nine years. In his report Dr. T. McKibbin, Director of Public Hygiene, states that the number of deaths was 11,811. so that the natural increase of the population was 15,389. or 1.1 per cent, of the population of 1,390,654, exclusive of Maoris. In 1870 the natural increase was 3.1 per cent, of the total population. The principle causes of death during the year were as follow:—Heart disease (all forms), 2,313; cancer. 1,374; chest diseases, 1,027: violence, 956; tuberculosis (all forms). C 99: diseases and accidents of child-birih (maternal mortality), 134; common infectious disease, influenza (all forms, including pneumonic), 242: diphtheria, 72; scarlet fever. 55: infant mortality and infant deaths (under one year), all causes, 981. HABITS AND ENVIRONMENT The first six causes in the list ac-

, count for *.014 deaths, or approxi mately two-thirds of the total. Obvi j ously with some of them, tuberculosis i common chest diseases, some form-' i of heart disease, and apoplexy, habits | of life and environment are import ant factors. Correction of faulty ■ habits where applicable and the im - provement of environment of the un fortunate or careless minority of New Zealand public would reduce these deaths, and the numbers are such as ;to offer a margiu of gain worth an ; effort. It is only by the active co-operation of public and local authorities, med*- | cal and nursing professions, and the | Department of Health in definite disease prevention in home, school, and workplace environment of the people that a great reduction in the death rate will be made. The Dominion ; has the lowest general death rate in I the world. EARLY MARRIAGES Regarding the increase in the birth rate the report favours a direct way saying that early marriages tend to big families, and though the infant j mortality rate will tend to rise a net I gain in population will be the result. Regarding tuberculosis the reporr • says that New Zealand has the lowest ! death rate from tuberculosis in the j world. Last year’s rate was remarkably low and this year’s is consistent with the general falling tendency. Tuberculosis, however, still takes fifth place as the cause of death in New Zealand and disables temporarily or permanently many more than it kills. Of the 699 deaths from tuberculosis last year 569 were assigned to pulmonary tuberculosis, and 130 to other forms of this disease, comprising tuberculosis, meningitis, and peritonitis and tuberculosis of the bones, joints, glands, etc.