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29
Births. The births registered during the 52 weeks
included in the registration year 1887, were 1,278 of
males and 1,210 of females. The total number was
2,488 and the consequent birth-rate was 34.2 per
thousand inhabitants. This is the lowest birth-rate by
two per thousand that it has been my province to record.
The birth-rate for the Metropolis during the year was
31 .7 per thousand persons.
In the last annual report, the decreased birth-rate of
the sub-district was the subject of a special paragraph.
The rate for 1885 was 41.1, for 1886 it was 36.2,
whilst in 1887 a further diminution of the number of
births took place, which reduced the rate for the year
to 34 "2. This to a considerable extent will favourably
affect the death-rate, as the deaths under one year of
age are 39.8 per cent of the total deaths, while from one
to five years there was a mortality of 21.1 of the deaths
during the year under report. The total under five
years of age was 60.9 of the deaths at all ages. As the
death-rate among young children is excessive as compared
with the later years of life, a lowered birth-rate
or what is the same thing, fewer births in relation to the
population, consequently tends to a decreased death-rate.
Mortality. The deaths registered as occurring in the
sub-district during 1887 were, of males 506, of females
510, the consequent total mortality being 1,016. This
gives the remarkably small death-rate of 14 per thousand
persons, a low rate of mortality which has never been
previously recorded in these reports.
Table II. illustrates the numbers, causes, ages at death
and social position of the deceased.