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ceding one (1865) is 32, a somewhat large excess it is true;
but still, taking into consideration the recent epidemic, the
very variable temperature of the summer months, and the
excessive cold of a greater portion of the winter of 1866, it
can hardly excite surprise that such an exceptional year
should give rise to an exceptional mortality.
The deaths registered in the sub-district during 1866,
were 425—males 183, females 242—thus showing an excess,
rather unusual, on the side of the female sex, of 59.
In 1865 the excess was on the male side by 7 deaths.
The births in the year were 711—males 343, females
368—the females thus exceeding the males by 25, but not
by any means restoring the balance of the sexes, or the
loss sustained by death on the female side, in the same
year.
The excess of births over deaths is 286, which of course
gives the natural increase of the population of the year.
What the average yearly increase by immigration may
have been for the last six years, it is not possible to exactly
determine, nor can it be accurately ascertained until after
another census. Taking into account, however, the number
of new houses that have been finished and occupied during
even the last twelve months, it may, I think, be fairly
assumed, without any fear of exaggeration, that the increase
of the past year by new residents is quite,equal to the
natural increase.
Upon this calculation then, the inhabitants of this Subdistrict
in 1866, I calculate, could not have fallen very
far short of 24,500. The deaths during the year
having been 425, it follows that the mortuary rate
must have been as near as possible 18 per 1000 living;
but this, considering the past year was marked by the
prevalence of much choleraic disease, and by an unusual
amount of sickness from pulmonary and tubercular maladies,
is not so high as might have been reasonably anticipated.
In the table which follows will be found a succinct
record of the classified causes of all deaths that occurred
within the parish in 1866, with the age, sex, and social
position of the deceased persons:—