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9
COMMENTS ON VITAL STATISTICS
Population
The Registrar General's estimated mid-year population at 227,410 compares with
the 1962 mid-year estimate of 227,870
This would seem to follow the trend shown by the Registrar General's estimates
year by year prior to the 1961 Census, of small decreases of population, which had
been reversed in 1961 and 1962
Births
For the first occasion since 1955, the number of births in 1963 did not exceed
those of the previous year The total of 5,717 was only slightly less and the birthrate
was only a fractional fall It would, however, be premature to assume that there
is likely to be a levelling out, or even that this may be the beginning of a
reduction in the birthrate. There may well be local factors and it will be of
particular interest to observe the trend in the current and succeeding years.
The reduced rate is also affected by an adjustment in the area comparability
factor following the processing by the Registrar General of the 1961 figures
The 1963 percentage of illegitimate live births to total live births again
slightly exceeded the previous year's figure in rising from 15.7 to 15.9. Since almost
one in six of all live births have been classified as illegitimate, this must have an
important socio-medico significance. It would seem to be desirable to have further
studies of the principal population groups which make the largest contribution to the
number of illegitimate children born, and to obtain further information of the effects
of this situation upon the future welfare of the children concerned

Deaths
The unadjusted total death rate was only fractionally higher than in 1962,
rising from 11.3 to 11.7 The adjusted rate, however, rose from 11.0 to 13.1. This
was again due to a marked adjustment in the area comparability factor being made
over last year.