67 



Queensland, even during the very worst years of the decenniad, and in 

 Queensland it was only reached in one year, namely, 1866. 



The year in which the rate of infantile mortality was lowest in 

 South Australia was 1869, and even in this 131 infants out of every 

 1,000 born died within the year. This proportion was never approached 

 in New South Wales or New Zealand, even in the very worst years ; it 

 was reached only once in Tasmania, twice in Queensland, and three times 

 in Victoria. 



In all the years of the decenniad the infantile death rate was higher 

 in South Australia than in New South Wales or New Zealand during 

 their worst years; in nine of the years it was higher than in Tasmania during 

 its worst year, in five of the years it was higher than in Victoria during 

 its worst year, and in four of the years it was higher than in Queensland 

 during its worst year. 



Turning to older countries, it will be found that the death rate of 

 infants in England and Wales during ten years was 154 per 1,000 births, 

 which, although higher than that in every other Australasian colony, 

 was 2 per 1,000 below that of South Australia. Also, that in Scotland 

 the mean death rate of infants over a series of years was 126 per 1,000 

 births, which, being exactly equal to that of Victoria, was very much 

 below that of South Australia ; and further, that the mean death rate 

 of infants in London, namely, 161 per 1,000 births, with the exception 

 of once in Queensland, was never approached ia any colony of the group 

 except South Australia, in which it was exceeded in four and equalled in 

 one of the years of the decenniad to which the table relates. 



The registration of deaths, as it must in all cases precede burial, is 

 probably effected with equal and almost perfect accuracy in all the 

 countries and colonies named, but it is possible that an appearance of 

 excessive infantile mortality might arise from the registration of births 

 being more defective in one country than another. According to the 

 returns there is no reason to suppose this to be the case in South Aus- 

 tralia, as the mean birth rate there, based upon the registrations, is found 

 to be higher than that of England, Scotland, Victoria, or Tasmania, to 

 approximate closely to that of New South Wales, and, over a series of 

 years to have been only exceeded to any extent by that of Queensland 

 and New Zealand ; whilst during the past year (1876), as has been 

 already stated, the birth rate ef South Australia was exceeded by that 

 of the colony of New Zealand only. (See Table B.) 



There is thus no ground for believing that the high death rate of 



