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POPULATION
The Registrar-General estimated the civilian population of
the Borough at the middle of 1952 to be 72,480, a decrease of 360
as compared with 1951.
The population once again shows a slight decrease over the
figure for 1951. It has often been stated that our Borough is still
over-populated. If that is, in fact, the case, and the arguments in
favour are very cogent, it can at least be said that we are gradually
veering towards the optimum. Whether the distribution of the
population in the most advantageous age-groups is equally satisfactory
is quite another matter. One has only to consider the child
population of Southgate set against the adult population, especially
the older age groups, to realise the potential dangers which face a
Borough such as Southgate in the future. This, of course, presents
a major problem, a problem which is national rather than local.
It is as well, however, to realise the local situation since the makeup
of the population obviously has a direct bearing on the life of
the community and the hazards which can be anticipated.
Our health services, both those provided by the Borough
Council and by the County Council, must be planned with these
specific problems in mind. This planning, this pre-planning, is
essential if the community is to receive the full consideration which
it rightly demands.
BIRTHS —BIRTH RATE
The nett total births accredited to the district was 775, a decrease
of 64 on the preceding year. Of these, 406 were males and 369
were females (12 males and 6 females being illegitimate).
The birth rate for the year was 10.37 per 1,000 of the
population.
The birth rate for England and Wales for 1952 was 15.3, and
for the administrative County of London 17.6.

During 1952, the number of births recorded was 125 less than
the number of deaths, as compared with 112 less in 1951.
The total number of births actually registered in the district
during the year amounted to 228, of which 4 were unnotified. The
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