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87
2. REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS.
The Registrar-General's returns show the following registrations
during the calendar year:—

Of 1,679 birth registrations received in the Department between
29th December, 1929, and 27th December, 1930, a total of 388 were
not notified in this Area, but some may possibly have been notified
elsewhere, especially in view of the fact that of the 1,679 registrations,
111 referred to births which belonged to other areas. In
addition it will be seen that the Registrar-General's figure (1,959)
is 280 more than the local registrations. Presumably these were
births registered and possibly notified in other areas.
Again, since registrations can be effected up to six weeks after
birth, whilst notification should be carried out within 36 hours, it
is quite obvious that it is impossible to estimate the number of
failures to notify. It is clear that failure to notify is frequent,
but in view of the unsatisfactory wording of the Notification of
Births Act your Committee did not take legal action.
Circulars were sent out during the year to all Doctors and Midwives
practising in the area drawing their attention to the provisions of
the Act.
The early visiting of newly-born infants by the Health Visitors is
entirely dependent upon efficient notification.