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8
The death-rate population (40,338) excludes all non-civilian
males whether serving at home or abroad; whilst the birth-rate
(and marriage-rate) population (42,020) includes all the elements
of the population contributing to the birth and marriage rates and
may be represented by:—
Death-rate population plus this district's proportional
share of all non-civilians enlisted from this country.
The non-civilian element has been distributed over all the
districts in the country in proportion to their estimated population.
Consideration of the following data suggests that the RegistrarGeneral's
estimate of the population for 1919 is much below the
actual figure. In the census returns of 1911, we find the following
figures:—
1. The population 43,316
2. The inhabited houses 8,006
3. The uninhabited houses 572
4. The number of tenements with
more than two occupants per room 307
The number of dwelling-houses in the district to-day is given
as 8,814 and there certainly is nothing like 572 unoccupied.
Indeed it would be difficult to find a score unoccupied. Moreover,
the number of tenements with more than two occupants per room,
whilst not ascertainable at present owing to shortage of staff, is
doubtless much in excess of 307 judging from the extent of the
overcrowding which exists and the difficulty, common to most
districts, of securing housing accommodation.
The estimated population for 1914 was 48,361, and it would
probably not be overstepping the mark to place it at 50,000 for
1919. If it be allowed that the population as estimated by the
Registrar-General is understated by several thousands it will
therefore follow that the birth and death rates given in this report,
which are calculated on his estimate, may be somewhat higher
than the actual figures warrant.