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9
It will thus be noted that our birth-rate continues to progressively
diminish.
Economic conditions in the present day do not tend to
encourage large families. The man "without encumbrance" has
the advantage in the labour market over the man with a large
family, and the latter finds increasing difficulty in housing his
numerous progeny. Landlords do not favour large families in
those who can pay but small rentals. Thus it comes about that
amongst many of the more provident of the populace of limited
means the number of children per family are becoming fewer and
fewer. This I believe to be the chief factor in the diminishing
birth-rate.
How it is to be remedied is one of the most difficult problems
remaining to be solved.
The number of illegitimate births was 74, and of these 3!)
were males and 35 females. Our illegitimate birth-rate is therefore
-59 per 1,000 of the population.
The mothers of a very large majority of the illegitimate children
were described as domestic servants.
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DEATHS.
From the commencement of the year a new procedure has
been adopted by the Registrar-General, viz., that of sifting out
the deaths which occur in a district where the person so dying
was not a resident therein. For instance, under the old system,