MORE BIRTHS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1938, Page 4

MORE BIRTHS

FIGURES FOR DOMINION SHOW INCREASE HIGHEST RATE RECORDED SINCE 1931 (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A further increase in the birth-rate was one of the features of the vital statistics of New Zealand during the year ended March 31 last. This is shown in the annual report of the Di-rector-General of Health, Dr M. H. Watt, tabled in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Minister of Health, the Hon P. Fraser. The report states that the total births were 26,014, which was equivalent to a rate of 17.29 pel - 1000 mean population, or the highest recorded since 1931. Other noteworthy features of the year were a rise in the general deathrate, a drop in the death-rate from tuberculosis, a continued low level of infant mortality, and a substantial re ‘' duction in deaths from puerperal causes other than deaths from septic abortions. The death-rate was 9.08 per 1000 mean population, compared with 8.75 in the previous year, and was the highest since 1920, when it was 10.15. In view of the increasing number of people of advanced years the increase in the death rate was not unexpected. The infant mortality rate was 31.21 per 1000 live births, this figure being slightly higher than the record low figure of 30.96 in 1936. The still-birth rate was 29.38, representing a slight improvement on the 1936 gure of 29.5. The maternal mortality rate, including deaths from septic abortions, was 3,57 per 1000 live births, compared with 3.70 in 1936. The number of septic abortions was 23, against 14 in 1936. The report states that deaths attributed to cancer numbered 1777, an increase of 15 on the number for the previous year. It was found that there was an increase of 46 deaths of males and a decrea’se of 31 deaths in females.