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4
POPULATION.
The population of the district estimated to the middle
of the year 1898, was 14,000 (excluding the occupants of
the Metropolitan Asylums' Board Hospital, at Winchmore
Hill). This estimation was obtained by taking the number
of occupied houses in the rate books, and allowing
ing an average of 5½ occupants to each. This is probably
a minimum allowance for the district, and was purposely
taken as a basis for calculation, so as not to make the
vital statistics appear more favourable than they really
are, as would be the case if the population was overestimated.
This was an increase of 1,000 over that of the previous
year, and was almost entirely due to the number of fresh
people who have taken up their residence in the numerous
houses that have recently been built in the district, more
especially in the neighbourhood of Palmers Green.
The natural increase of the population, by excess
of births over deaths during the year, was only 160.
Number of People to the Acre.—The area of the
district amounts to 3,836 acres, which with a population of
14,000, gives an average of only 3.9 persons to the acre,
although on the other hand the population is very unevenly
distributed over this area.
BIRTH RATE.
During the year there were 310 births registered in
the district, a decrease of 17 on the previous year. This
gives a birth-rate of only 22.1 per 1,000 of the population,
which is a very low one. The birth-rate for England and
Wales was 29.4.
The average rate for the previous 10 years was 25.9,
as against 30.5 for England and Wales.
MORTALITY.
General Mortality and Death-Rate.—The number
of deaths registered in the district (excluding 11 which
occurred at the Metropolitan Asylums Board Hospital at
Winchmore Hill) was 150, a decrease of 8 on the preceding
year, and gives a death-rate of 10.7 per 1,000 of the population.
This is a very satisfactory death-rate, the corresponding
rate for England and Wales being 17.6.
The average rate for the previous 10 years was 12;
while that for England and Wales was 18.2.