H.—3l.

Although 15,838 infants (under one year) were lost to the colony by death during the decade, and 20,297 children under five, the third table shows much more satisfactory results for this colony than for New South Wales or Victoria in the matter of the preservation of infant life. Dealing with averages of five years, in New Zealand only 77 infants under one year are found to die out of every 1,000 born, against 102 in New South Wales and 98 in Victoria.

European countries show still higher mortality of infants than the principal Australian States : England and Wales, 152 (under one year) to every 1,000 births ; France, 152 ; Italy, 167 ; Hungary, 214. Sweden (98) and Norway (91) are notable exceptions. The principal causes of mortality in children under one year for New Zealand are given, with the numbers of deaths for five years from such causes. Premature birth stands first in order of importance, marasmus or debility coming next.

Deaths under One Year. — Principal Causes.

A table is added to show that higher mortality obtains in the large towns than in New Zealand as a whole and two States of Australia.

XVIII

Proportion of Deaths of Infants under 1 Year of Age to every 1,000 Births. Year. New Zealand. New South Wales, Victoria. .900 .901 .902 .903 .904 75-2 76-3 82-9 81-1 710 ! 103-3 103-7 109-7 110-4 82-4 95-3 102-9 108-6 106-4 77-6 Means of five years ... 77-3 1019 98-2

Prinoipal OaUBea of D aths of Infants. 1901. 1902 1903. 1904. 1905. Miasmatic diseases Diarrhceal diseases Premature birth Convulsions Bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy Enteritis Marasmus, &c. ... 41 95 264 91 207 116 260 92 176 303 82 235 154 294 191 36 20 122 152 92 301 291 360 103 95 96 241 149 208 167 231 193 270 273 258

Wellingl ;on and Si Lburbs. Sydne; and Sul lurbs. Melboui Iβ and Si iburbs. Year. 1-1 s CO a* O 2 a o t-i w w OH Cβ 2 o^ I OQ Si o S en O " a "a t-T t! a w OH Cβ P-f OJ g*O>H Pn S I CO 1 By r-l 183 Q am 113 OH h "3 Q r-t CG w fi 3 09 *-< 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1,243 1,326 1,321 1,520 1,479 91 133 172 • 141 141 73-2 100-3 130-2 92-8 95-3 12,127 12,601 13,002 12,749 13,215 1,322 1,517 1,457 1,483 1,300 1090 120-4 112-1 116-3 98.4 12,067 12,375 12,498 12,012 11,886 1,364 1,536 1,590 1,493 1,102 1130 124-1 127-2 124-3 92-7 Means of five years 1,378 136 98-4 12,739 1,416 1111 12,168 1,417 116-5