Segak. — Comparison of Age-distribution of Population. 507 



for each of the periods 30-35 and 40-45. The southern dis- 

 tricts, on the other hand, have hoth a deficiency in each of 

 the first four of these age-periods, amounting to as much as 

 63 per cent, in the case of Otago for the age-period 35-40. In 

 tlie fifth age-period the southern districts have, however, each 

 an excess, as well as the northern, indicating a deficiency in 

 the smaller provincial districts which are not considered in 

 this paper. 



From the age-period 50-55 and onwards the excesses in 

 the southern districts are most marked, but especially in the 

 case of Otago, amounting in this latter case to as much as 

 16 per cent, for the age-period 60-65, and over 17 per cent, for 

 both the periods 65-70 and 70-75. The deficiency in the case 

 of Wellington is even more marked, amounting to 23-1 per 

 cent, for the age-period 60-65, 32-1 per cent, for the age-period 

 65-70, 31-5 per cent, for the age-period 70-75, 23-5 per cent, 

 for the age-period 75-80, and 26-5 per cent, for the period 80 

 and over. This deficiency in the aged in Wellington is one of 

 the most noteworthy features that these tables exhibit, and 

 the contrast wuth Otago is certainly remarkable. But Wel- 

 lington is the more recently settled district, and we may ex- 

 pect the same rule to hold with respect to a district as with 

 respect to a colony as a whole — that the more recent is the 

 settlement the smaller is the proportion of the aged. 



In these later age-periods Auckland approximates fairly 

 closely on the whole to the average for the whole colony, ex- 

 cept in the last two periods of all — namely, those of 75-80 

 years and 80 years and over ; and in these periods that dis- 

 trict has a greater excess than any of the other districts, 

 amounting to 11-8 per cent, for the first of the periods and 

 14-7 per cent, for the other, as against Otago's 98 per cent. 

 and 8-8 per cent, respectively, which are the only other ex- 

 cesses in these age-periods, but are themselves considerable. 



Considering the provincial districts separately, we may say 

 that the chief features of interest with respect to Auckland 

 are the deficiency of population of the ages 5-25, the excess 

 of the ages 25-50, and the great excess of the very aged of 75 

 and over. In the case of Wellington the most noteworthy 

 features consist of the considerable excess of population of the 

 ages 20-50 and the great deficiency in population of 50 and 

 over. Canterbury's population has less conspicuous features, 

 the main ones being the considerable deficiency in children of 

 the ages 0-10 and the excess of population of later middle 

 age. Otago shares with Canterbury both of these features, 

 but in addition has a considerable excess of old people of all 

 ages. 



Of all these features the most important economically is 

 the preponderance of population of the most vigorous ages of 



