H.—3l

22

Mean Ages at Marriage. y Mean Age oi Mean Ago of „ , Mean Age of Mean Age of Bridegrooms. Brides. Bridegrooms. Brides. 1895 .. .. 29-90 JJ2S-05 1902 .. .. 29-89 25-63 1896 .. .. 29-74 ' 25-28 1903 .. .. 29-89 25-84 1897 ... .. 29-62 '"',.-.25-21 1904 .. .. 29-60 25-44 1898 .. .. 29-95|§ ,125-30 1905 .. .. 29-65 25-75 1899 .. .. 29-86, i >25-48 1906 .. .. 29-76 25-97 1900 .. .. 29-91" |25-29 1907 .. .. 29-83 26-07 1901 .. .. 29-72 The average age of bridegrooms has remained fairly constant during the period, but there is a gradual increase in the average age of the brides. In England the mean age of those whose ages were stated was (in the year 1906) 2856 years for men, and 2641 years for women. Thus the average age at marriage in New Zealand would appear to be higher for men, but lower for women, than in England. The proportion of bridegrooms under 21 is much greater in England than in New Zealand, and the proportion of brides under 21 somewhat higher. In England, in 1906, of every 1,000 bridegrooms whose ages were stated, 43 were under 21 years of age, and of every 1,000 brides 146 were under 21 years of age. In New Zealand, in 1907, the proportions were 16 bridegrooms and 158 brides of similar ages in every 1,000 married :— Bridegrooms Brides Bridegrooms Brides Year. under 21 in under 21 in Year. under 21 in under 21 in every 100. every 100. every 100. every 100. 1890 .. .. 1-89 22-75 1901 .. .. 1-93 17-16 1892 .. .. 1-62 20-14 1904 .. .. 1-73 17-61 1894 .. .. 1-44 19-53 1905 .. .. 1-80 16-90 1896 .. .. 1-98 19-51 1906 .. .. 1-65 15.86 1898 .. .. 1-57 18-13 1907 .. .. 1-60 15-82 1900 .. .. 1-67 17-34 DEATHS. The deaths in 1907 numbered 10,066, being equivalent to a rate of 1095 in every 1,000 persons living, as against 931 in 1906. This is the highest rate experienced since the year 1883, when the deaths were 11 '45 per 1,000 of the population.

Comparative Death-rate for the Period 1897 to 1907.

Considering the range of this statement New Zealand is conspicuous as showing the lowest death-rate. The rates for the principal Australian States are a little higher, but, generally speaking, far below those for the United Kingdom or the European Continental States mentioned in the table. Perfect accuracy in comparing one country with another can only be attained by the use of what is termed an " index of mortality." The proportions of the living vary in regard to the different age-groups, and the ordinary death-rate —which is calculated on the population as a whole—does not afford a true means of judging of the relative healthiness of the places compared. But by taking a population like that of Sweden, and applying the percentage at each age-group to the death-rates, a standard of health or index of mortality can be arrived at. This has been done for New Zealand, in accordance with a resolution of the Statistical Conference held at Hobart in 1902, and the result is expressed in tabular form.

Country. 1897. i 1898. 1899. 1900. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. New Zealand Queensland New South "Wales Victoria South Australia* Western Australia Tasmania England and Wales Scotland Ireland Denmark Norway Sweden Austria Hungary Switzerland German Empire ... Netherlands France Italy 9-14 11-33 10-88 12-90 11-24 16-97 11-53 17-4 18-4 18-5 16-6 15-3 15-4 25-6 28-5 17-7 21-3 16-9 19-4 21-9 9-84 12-66 12-48 15-94 13-06 1605 13-51! 17-5 18-0 18-2 15-5 15-2 151 24-9 28-0 18-3 20-5 17-0 20-9 22-9 10-24 12-07 11-82 14-28 12-14 13-76 12-25 18-2 18-1 17-7 17-3 16-7 17-7 25-6 27-2 17-7^ 21-5 17-1 21-1 21-9 9-43 11-73 11-16 12-75 10-64 12-92 11-05 18-2 18-5 19-6 16-8 15-8 16-8 25-3 26-9, 19-3 22-1 17-8 21-9 23-8 9-81 11-88 11-68 13-22 11-11 13-36 10-45 16-9 17-9 17-8 15-8 14-9 16-1 24-0 25-4 18-0 20-7 17-2 201 22-0 10- 0 12- 8 11-95 13-40 11-79 13-63 10-84 16-2 17-2 17-5 14-6 13-8 15-4 24-7 27-0 17-2 19-4 16-3 19-5 22-2 . 10-40 12-38 11-59 12-90 10-71 12-60 11-92 15-4 16-6 17-5 14-7 14-8 151 23-8 26-1 17-6 20-0 15-6 19-2 22-4 9-57 10-11 10-62 11-92 10-22 11-91 11-01 16-2 16-9 18-1 14-1 14-3 15-3 23-7 24-8 17-8 19-6 15-9 19-4 21-1 927 1047 1013 12-10 1014 10-83 10-23 15-2 15-9 17-1* 15-0 14-8 15-6 25-0 27-8 17-9 19-8 15-3 19-6 21-9 9-31 9-56 9-89 12-42 10-34 11-87 11-13 15-4 16-0 17-0 13-5 13-7 14-4 10-95 10-56 11-66 9-72 1109 24-8 14-8 19-9 20-8 * Bxclui ling the 'orthern Territor