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the last 3 or 4 years, a continued influx of new comers
into this sub-district, and this accession to the population
the official method fails in estimating. It has been computed
by those qualified to form and express an opinion
that our population is now rather over than under 20,000,
and these figures should not be lost sight of when the
death-rate is perused.
Birtli-rate.—The births were 609 in number-299
of males, and 310 of females, showing an increase of 24 on
the number recorded in 1877. Calculated on the official
estimate of the population the birth-rate of the past year
was 34.4per 1,000 persons living of all ages; the excess
of births over deaths was 3.26; the rate of natural increase
being 18 per 1,000.
Deaths a,vd Death-rate.-The total deaths registered
during the year amounted to 284 or 40 more than the
number recorded in 1S77; 163 were of males and 140 of
females. The death-rate deduced from the whole of the
deaths registered, and the estimated population was 16.7
per 1,000 persons living on an average during the year;
and, though this death-rate compares favourably with the
parishes in this District, and is nearly 1 per 1,000 less
than that of rural Districts, it exceeds by 2 per 1,000
the real death-rate, if my estimate of the population is
accepted as approximately correct.
The following table shows clearly the cause of death,
sex, age, and social position of all persons whose deaths
were registered during the year.