View report page

17
There were no available figures with regard to those in receipt of
out-door relief, nor was the cost of all relief in respect of inhabitants
available.
VITAL STATISTICS.
POPULATION.
In 1911 the enumerated population was 124,580. Since that time
the natural increase or excess of births over deaths was 14,143. These
figures added would give a present day population of 138,723, or 6,000
in excess of the Registrar-General's estimate.
The Registrar-General gives for 1920 two estimates, one for birth
rate—132,912, including in this "all the elements of the population
contributing to the birth and marriage rates," and one for death-rates—
132,771, which excludes all non-civilian males, whether serving at home
or abroad.
Were the sectional enumerations during the war period and subsequently
for Military, Parliamentary, and Educational purposes made in
conjunction with the Public Health Authority, they might have been
of great value, but they were undertaken for limited purposes only,
which serve no Public Health aims, and we must await the returns
of the Census about to be taken for accurate figures; and in the
meantime, the Birth, Death, and other rates for the District as a whole
and for the Wards must be accepted as provisional.
Without accurate data, any conclusions drawn may be very erroneous.