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per house is becoming greater, owing to many houses which were
formerly occupied by only one family now being occupied by two,
it would be unsafe to assume that this apparent diminution in
population is a real one. I am therefore, for statistical purposes,
assuming that the figure of last year, viz., 121,200, holds good for
this year.
I may here, perhaps, be permitted to point out that if I took
the Registrar.General's estimate, which to the middle of 1909 is
129,614, our death.rates and our birth.rate would be diminished.
As the decennial census is due in the year 1911, we shall
then have the opportunity of verifying or correcting our
assumptions.
BIRTHS.
During the year 2,979 births were registered, giving a birthrate
of 24.6 per 1,000 of the population. Of these 1,517 were
males and 1,459 females. The corresponding rate for England
and Wales was 25.6, and 25.7 for the 76 Great Towns. Our
birth.rate for 1908 was 25.3, and for 1907 was 26.6. It will thus
be seen that our birth.rate in common with that of many other
places is steadily diminishing. The number of illegitimate births
was 61, and of these 31 were males and 30 females. Our
illegitimate birth.rate is therefore 5 per 1.000 of the population.
DEATHS.
During the year 1,208 deaths occurred, of which 576 were those
of males and 632 those of females. Our death.rate was therefore
9.96. In 1908 it was 9.8, and in 1907 it was 10.6.
The death.rate for England and Wales for the year 1909 was
14.5, and for the 76 Great Towns 14.7.