498 



Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



the emigration to Australia was very large indeed ; the population 

 increased in these lo years from 430,000 to 1,253,000. A great deal 

 has been said of late years of the slow increase of population in 

 Australia, and in more than one quarter it has been stated that the 

 Birth and Death figures were alarming, particularly the Birth figures, 

 which showed that the increase was not as large as it should have 

 been. Where this idea has been got from I find difficulty in 

 understanding, as the following figures will verv clearly prove. 



The Birth Rate in the different Australian Colonies is as 

 follows : — 



or a total average for the whole of Australasia of 27.91. 



The figures for England as a whole are 29.15, and for France 

 22, though Germany shows the high Birth Rate of 35.88. 



It is difficult to see cause for alarm in the Australasian Birth 

 Rate, though in new colonies the Birth Rate should really be higher 

 than in old countries, because the proportion of very young and very 

 old people is so much less. 



Turning to the Australasian Death Rates, we find the following 

 figures : — 



West Australia . . 



Victoria 



Tasmania 



South Australia ,.. 

 Queensland 

 New South Wales 

 New Zealand 



X4.64 



13-43 



11.97 



11.62 



12.31 



11.87 



9.87 



or an average for the whole of Australasia of 12.53. 

 exceedingly favourably with 



This compares 



Italy .. 



Germany 



France 



Ireland 



Scotland 



England 



23-37 



21.47 



20.90 

 18.03 

 17.78 

 17.21 



and would certainly give the impression that the Australasian Colonies 

 are exceedingly healthy. 



