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7
The birth-rate again shews a decline, and this
year is below the average, not only of England and
Wales as a whole, but below that of both the large
and small towns.
In an urban district of approximately 18,000
inhabitants, one would expect to find the birth-rate
at least up to the average of the 136 smaller
towns, and the question naturally arises as to why
it should be on the downward grade.
Some of the causes that contribute to a low
birth-rate are:—A low marriage rate, late marriages,
national unprosperousness, a small proportion of
young women, a low infantile mortality.
In districts which are largely composed of
middle class residents, people are certainly marrying
later in life than they used to, and marriages
are fewer: not only national prosperity, but the
mode of present-day life is accountable for this,
and these factors are probably the chief cause as far
as this district is concerned, though we must not
altogether ignore the low infantile mortality.

DEATHS.
The number of deaths, including residents and
non-residents, registered in and beyond the district,
was 186, and was made up as follows:—