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It is to be noted that there has been an increase in both the average in height and weight of New Zealand children during the last twenty years. In view of the fact that 1934 followed on two or three years of economic depression and was itself distinguished by a series of epidemic diseases, especially measles and influenza, affecting the health of the children to a wide extent, it is satisfactory to find this progress in physical development has been maintained. It has been our custom for several years to adopt the Toronto average height and weight for age ratio as providing a fairly approximate standard for New Zealand children. From the returns just to hand, however, it would appear that New Zealand children; generally speaking, compare very favourably with Toronto children as judged from records on the folder above mentioned.

The results for separate groups are as follows : —

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Boys. Girls. Age at Nearest ; ■ •' — irthday. Average Average Average Average Height. j Weight. Height. Weight. Group (a). —Urban Areas. Inches. Lb. Inches. Lb. 5 .. 43 42 43 41 6 .. 45 46 45 45 7 .. 47 50 47 48 8 .... 49 55 49 53 9 .... 51 59 51 60 10 .. 53 65 53 64 11 .. 55 72 55 72 12 .. 57 79 57 83 13 .. 59 87 59 90 14 .. 60 94 61 98 15 .. .. 62 101 61 104 Group (b). —Larger Secondary Towns. 5 .. 43 42 42 39 6 .. 4-5 45 45 44 7 .... 47 49 47 48 8 .... 49 53 49 54 9 .... 51 61 51 59 10 .. 53 66 53 65 11 .. 54 70 55 72 12 .. 57 78 57 81 13 .. 59 87 59 91 14 .. .. 61 96 61 100 15 .. .. 62 100 62 106 Group (c). —Smaller Boroughs, &c. 5 .. 43 42 44 43 6 .. 45 46' 45 45 7 .... 47 50 47 48 8 .. 49 55 49 54 9 .... 51 61 51 60 10 . . 53 66 53 66 11 .. .. 54 73 55 73 12 .. 57 79 57 83 13 .. .. 59 88 60 96 14 .. 61 98 61 102 15 .. .. 63 106 62 111 Group (d). —Rural. 5 .. | 45 45 44 ! 43 6 .. 1 46 46 45 46 7 . . .. 47 50 47 49 8 .... 50 55 51 55 9 .. 52 61 51 60 10 . . 53 66 53 65 11 . . . . 55 71 55 75 12 .. .. 57 77 57 84 13 .. 59 89 59 99 14 . . 61 98 61 104 15 .. .. 62 105 62 108 Group (e). —Maori. 5 .. .. 42 41 .. j 6 .. 44 45 46 J 42 7 .. 47 51 | 48 ' 48 8 .. 49 I 49 | 55 9 .. 52 j 64 51 j 60 10 .. 53 69 53 | 67 11 56 76 56 i 82 12 ..57 82 58 90 13 .. 59 95 | 59 1 105 14 61 104 61 i 109 15 .. .. 63 116 61 114