NEW ZEALAND'S DEATH-RATE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9185, 7 September 1908, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND'S DEATH-RATE.

We are so accustomed to hear that New Zealand has the best of everything, and is easily iuperior in every

respect to every other country urtder the sun, that it comes as somewhat of a shock to learn that the deathrate is not up to the mark —or rather, it is too much up, that is to say, last year it showed an increase. The death-rate for the year mentioned was 10.95 per 1,000 of population, while in South Australia it was 9.93, in Queensland 10.39, and in New Sbuth Wales 10.58, and the average rate for the whole Commonwealth —and in parts of Australia there are climates that are decidedly I unhealthy—was 10.90, or .5 less than the death-rate in New Zealand. The Government ought really to explain the macter. We have a very extensive Public Health Department, and an enormous amount of inspection in the interests of public health, and yet the death-rate during 1907 showed a remarkable alteration in favour of the Reaper. The position is altogether too humiliating, and should not be tolerated. For instance, how can we say to South Australia: "Look at our Arbitration Act,''and leave ourselves open to the retort, "That's all very fine, but look at your death-rate." ,