BIRTH RATE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 8 April 1926, Page 8

BIRTH RATE.

AND INFANT WELFARE. NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY. The effect of the constantly declining birth-rate in New Zealand lias been large'y neutralised by the concentrated effort; that have been made in the direction of the preservation of infant life (states the Abstract of Stat/stics for March). The protection and welfare of children in early life is recognised as a national re'pori.sfbi'ity, and in lit is respect New Zoo land lias established and maintained a sitcess which is unrivalled in any other country. Here too Ues to "ome extent the secret of the cxtrcmelv low death-rate, as the infantile mortality of a country has some considerable bearing upon the total death-rate. The number of infants under one year of age whose deaths were, registered during 1925 wax 1125, thus number being two less than the remarkably low figure or 1924 (1127). The infantile morality rate per 1000 live births readied the phenomenally low figure of 39.96, thus establishing another record. The previous best figure was 40.23. registered for 1924. A table showing the excellent position occupied by New Zealand in comparison with other countr.'es follows :

DEATHS FROM INFANTILE PARALYSIS. This summer, fortunately, has not witnessed a rerudescenoe of the calamitous ep'demic of infantile paralysis experienced during the summer of 192425. Nevertheless, sporadic instances of the disease etill continue to be evidenced. This, however, is only in accordance with the usual annual experience, n fact which is generally unrealised except on the occurrence of such periodica! ravages of the diseare as that which has so recently been manifested. The epidemic perod may he said to have extended from December, 1924. to Juno 1926, during which time 172 deaths, were registered as being due to causes elaPsificd under the beading of “acute anterior poliomyelitis.’’

Since Jpuo 30, 1925. the number of cases terminating fatally lias gradually decreased unFI it bus practically reached normal. Only 11 deaths were registered during the last fix mouths of the year 1921, 5 of which occurred in July. 3 in August, 1 in October, and 2 in November. The average number of deaths from infantile paralysis during the last live normal years, 1919-23, was 5.

Conntry Year. Rate. Now Zealand .. 1025 40 Norway .. 1922 53 Netherlands ... .. 1023 57 Australia .. 1024 57 Sweden .. 1021 r,o Switzerland ... . .. 1023 61 Italy . .. 1023 71 Tridi Free State .. 1094 72 South Afriea* . 1024 74 Fmdnnd and Widen . . 1024 75 United States . 1023 77 Canada. .... ... . . 1021 79 Czeclio-S!ovak : a. . 1023 82 Do nma rlt . 1023 85 Northern Ireland . 1024 85 Finland ..., ... . . 1023 02 France . 1023 06 Scotland . ] 9?4 08 Uruguay . . 1023 106 Belgium . 1023 107 Germany ... . 1024 108 Austria 1923 130 Spain 1023 148 Japan . 1023 163 Jamaica ... 1023 171 Ceylon ... Hungary . 1024 1023