H.—3l

These proportions are found to have diminished appresiably at the earlier ages, 15-20 and 20-25; but the numbers of the living are much smaller at those ages than at the higher ones, 25-30 and onwards to 40-45, and the effect of this lesser number of wives at lower ages in reducing the birth-rate would not be so much as might as first be thought probable. It is, however, undoubtedly a fact chat to have a growing proportion of wives at the earlier productive ages is the best position, but it is not the one which obtains at present in New Zealand.

Married Women under 45 Years of Age, given according to Age-groups, as at the Censuses of 1881, 1891, and 1901; with the Proportion in each Group for every 100 of the Whole.

Marriage-rotes in, Australasia per 1,000 of Population for Five Years. 1900. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. Queensland ... ... ... 6-88 6-61 631 5-72 - New South Wales... ... ... 738 7-68 7-53 6-86 7-21 Victoria ... ... ... ... 696 699 7-02 629 680 South Australia ... ... ... 650 6-44 661 625 691 Western Australia... ... ...10-27 9-65 9-77 9-33 883 Tasmania... ... ... ... 771 7-68 7-47 7-57 7-75 New Zealand ... ... ... 7-67 7-83 8-01 8-23 8-26 In April, 1896, New Zealand had 83,650 children living under the age of five years, and in March, H)01, the number was 86,806, an increase of 3,147, although the population at all ages increased in the quinquennium by 9.86 per cent. Between 1886 and 1891 the children living under five years actually decreased in number by 3,624, the increase of population of all ages (8.33 per cent.') being less than between 1891 and 1896 (12.24 per cent.) or 1896 and 1901 (9.86 per cent.). The number of children under one year to the total population at all ages, according to the results of four censuses, was: — Children under Total Population One Year. (all Ages). Census 1886 ... ... ... ... ... 18,355 578,482 1891 ... ... ... ... ... 16,443 626,658 1896 ... ... ... ... ... 17,070 703,360 1901 ... ... ... ... ... 18,381 772,719 Thus, in 1886, with a population of 578,482 persons, there were 18,355 children under one year, against 18,381 children of that age in 1901, with a population of 772,719 persons. The births registered in 1885 were 19,693, against 19,546 in 1900. The birth-rate fell from 34.35 per 1,000 of the population in 1885 to 25.60 in 1900. Deducting 1,469, the number of deaths of children under one year registered in 1900, from 19,546, the number of births for that year, leaves 18,077, or within 304 of the living children under one year at the time of the last census. Twin Births. There were 241 cases of twin births (482 children), and triplets were registered in one instance, in 1904. The number of children born was 22,766; the number of mothers was 22,523; thus, on an average, one mother in every 93 gave birth to twins, against 97 in 1903, and 93 in 1902. Illegitimacy. The births of 1,029 children were illegitimate; thus 45 in every 1,000 children born were born out of wedlock, against 46 in 1903.

VII

Married Women under 45, excluding Chinese. Age-groups. Numbers at Census. Proportion per Cent. 1881. 1891. 1901. 1881. i 1891. 1901. 5-20 10-25 15-30 10-35 15-40 t 0-55 " 1,233 8,996 13,133 12,656 11,811 9,629 750 8,862 14,540 14,576 12,959 11,478 777 10,053 17,923 19,617 16,854 14,182 2-14 15-66 22-86 22-03 20-55 16-76 119 14-03 2302 23-08 20-51 18-17 0-98 12-66 22-57 24-70 21-23 17-86 Totals 57,458 63,165 79,406 10000 IOO-O 100-00