View report page

92
rate of increase that prevailed during the last intercensus
decennium then continued. It may be confidently
assumed however, that this estimate is an understatement
to a very great extent, the effect of which, would be to
unduly raise both the death.rate and birth.rate if
determined from that datum. The correctness of such
assumption will bccome apparent on a consideration of
the following circumstances. 1. The extraordinary
large increase in the number of births. 2. The great
increase in the number of inhabited houses. 3. The
proportion of births to population in the preceding
decennium compared with the like proportion in the past
year. Each of these points requires separate examination.
Births, Birth.rate, Rate of Natural Increase.—The
births registered during the year numbered 1255,—657
of males and 598 of females, or 133 more than in 1885.
The average number during the preceding ten years,
allowing for increase of population during that period,
was 1022. The births therefore of the past year exceeded
the average by 233 or 22.7 per cent. Such an
amount is much too great to be attributable to anv other
cause than immigration.
No. of inhabited From an examination of the parochial
houses, Rate.Book it appears that the number of
inhabited houses during the past year was 5676. The
Census of 1861 gave 7.05 persons to each house, the
Census of 1871, 6.67 persons, and that of 1881 6.58 persons
to each house. If the moderate computation of six
persons be allowed to each house, a population of 34,056
is arrived at which is probably much below the real
number.