H.—3l

28

Proportion of Births w . Legitimate to every Year. marriages. Births. Marriage solemnized in the Preceding Year. 1904 ... ... ... ... 6,983 21,737 3-22 1905 ... ... ... ... 7,200 22,600 3-24 1906 ... ... ... ... 7,592 23,120 321 1907 8,192 ' 23,937 3-15 1908 ... ... ... ... 8,339 24,835 3-03 1909 ... ... ... ... 8,094 25,301 3-03 1910 ... ... ... ... 8,236 24,822 3-07 1911 ... ... ... ... ... 25,276 3-07 If the average result be taken out for the ten years 1892-1901, it will be found to represent 3-89 births to a marriage. Dealing similarly with the figures for 1902-1911, the result is an average of 3-14, so that regarded annually or decennially there is a decided fall to be observed. New Zealand had in 1880 the highest birth-rate in Australasia (40-78) ; in 1900 the case was reversed ; but in 1911 the New Zealand rate was higher than that of Victoria. The movement over ten years is calculated as under : —

Birth-rates per 1,000 of Population.

Sexes of Children born. The figures show that during each year there has been a preponderance of births of male children. It would appear, however, that this excess of male births is not sufficient to compensate for the heavier mortality which occurs among that sex. Of the total population in 1871 there were 70.52 females to every 100 males, but in 1911 the proportion of the females to 100 males had risen to 89.59.

Gounlry. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. i 1910. 1911. Jueensland Jew South Wales Victoria iouth Australia Vestern Australia 'asmania Jew Zealand ... 27-89 27-20 25-23 24-85 30-27 29-23 25-89 24-62 25-41 24-46 23-43 30-26 28-62 26-61 27-13 26-81 24-65 24-70 3033 29-60 26-94 25-92 26-79 24-83 23-82 30-29 29-33 27-22 26-31 27-12 25-14 23-54 3001 29-82 27-08 26-98 27-22 25-16 23-82 29-40 29-50 27-30 26-99 26-86 24-71 24-59 29-25 30-90 27-45 27-52 27-26 24-55 24-57 28-06 29-86 27-29 27-58 27-56 24-12 25-06 27-17 30-26 26-17 27-65 28-75 24-84 26-89 28-21 28-57 25-97

Number of Births of Proportion of Births of Males to every 100 Females. Year. Maies. Females. 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 9,641 9,514 9,293 9,377 9,101 9,310 9,472 9,493 9,511 9,600 9,615 9,724 10,107 10,471 10,653 11,217 11,762 12,109 12,397 12,835 13,369 13,502 13,442 13,532 9,261 8,943 8,985 8,896 8,775 8,877 9,056 9,053 9,101 9,137 9,340 9,111 9,439 10,020 10,002 10,612 11,004 11,573 11,855 12,259 12,571 13,022 12,542 12,822 104-1 106-4 103-4 105-4 103-7 104-9 104-6 104-9 104-5 105-1 102-9 106-7 107-1 104-5 106-5 105-7 106-9 104-6 104-6 104-7 106-3 103-7 107-2 105-5