Adams. — On General Mortality. 661 



Art. LXVII. — A Comparison of the General Mortality in 

 Neic Zealand, in Victoria and Neio South Wales, and in 

 England. 



By C. E. Adams, B.Sc, A. I. A., Engineering Scholar and 

 Engineering Exhibitioner, Canterbury College, and Senior 

 Scholar, New Zealand University ; formerly Lecturer on 

 Applied Mathematics, Canterbury Agricultural College. 



[Read before the Hawke's Bay Pliilosophical InstiUite, 11th October, 



" 1897.] 



Plates LX. and LXI. 



In a former paper on colonial mortality''' the results relating to 

 New Zealand were submitted. It is proposed to compare the 

 general rates of mortality of this colony with those prevailing 

 in New South Wales and Victoria and in England. It has 

 often been stated that New Zealand is the healthiest place in 

 the world : a cursory examination of the diagrams and tables 

 herewith will fully bear out this statement. In every case 

 New Zealand is in the lead. In Tables I. and II. are given 

 the numbers surviving to each year of age out of ten thousand 

 born alive. In New Zealand 9,033 males survive the first 

 year, m' New South Wales and Victoria only 8,672 survive, 

 and in England only 8,414 survive. For females the results 

 are better in each case, still, however, leaving New Zealand 

 in the front ; they are — in New Zealand, 9,183 ; in New South 

 Wales and Victoria, 8,832 ; and in England, 8,713 survive 

 the first year out of ten thousand born alive. Starting 

 so well, it is but natural that this colony should maintain 

 its position throughout the other years of life, which it 

 does, for at age 75 the survivors are 2,663, 1,828, and 

 1,450 males respectively, and 3,349, 2,437, and 1,906 females 

 respectively. Tables I. and II. are shown graphically in 

 Plate LX. 



It may be argued that because this colony starts so well 

 with infant mortality the advantage may mask a possible 



* " An Inve.stigation into the Rates of Mortality in New Zealand 

 during the Period 1881-91 " (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxix., p. 52). 



