2 
much reliance may be placed upon the registra- 
tion returns as on the meteorological, and that 
by due attention to the influence of the seasons 
upon the health, men of science and research 
may discover some means of diminishing the 
sickness caused by the various changes in the 
temperature. 
In any country if a correct account were kept 
of all the births and deaths which occurred an- 
nually after taking the census, and also if the 
exact number of emigrants and immigrants could 
be ascertained, there would be no necessity to 
take another census, since at the end of every 
year the difference between the births and 
deaths, and emigrants and immigrants would at 
once show the increase or diminution in the 
population. Again, to quote from De Morgan 
on Probabilities — “ If in any one year a com- 
plete census were made, registering the age of 
every individual , and if the deaths which took 
place in the 365 days next following the day of 
the census were noted, the law of mortality 
could be deduced ; in such a case the numbers 
of the living at every age would be so large that 
the pioportion of deaths among them in a single 
year could be safely depended upon for pointing 
out, with great nearness, the law which regulates 
the mortality of larger masses of people.” Of 
course during that year it is supposed that there 
is no extraordinary epidemic raging ; perhaps 
also considering that the population of Queens- 
land is small, the law of mortality cannot be as 
correctly inferred as in Great Britain or in the 
sister colonies, Victoria or New South Wales, 
still if only when the census was taken on the 
7th of April, each individual has given his cor- 
rect age, and if for one whole year after that the 
deaths are accurately registered, stating the age 
and sex, those especially who are interested in 
insurance companies, might be able to form 
some tolerably correct tables upon which to base 
their calculations ; whereas if no census had 
been taken, and if the deaths be not accurately 
registered during the following year, it is calcu- 
lated that it would require an accurate register 
to be kept of births and deaths, and of incomers 
and outgoers for one century and a half to fur- 
nish data from which the law of mortality 
might be deduced. 
1 admit that these remarks may be considered 
irrelevant to the subject proposed for our con- 
sideration, but I trust I shall be pardoned for 
this digression since I am interested in the sub- 
ject of registration ; and it is especially desirable 
that when the country is put to so much ex- 
pense in taking the census, all should endeavor, 
by answering the questions proposed (especially 
with reference to age,) and by carrying out the 
registration law relative to deaths, to make the 
returns as useful and comprehensive as possible. 
The climate of Moreton Bay is acknowledged j 
by all to be healthy ; and that the summer ; 
months are less healthy than the winter, is 
generally admitted. A table copied from the 
annual report of the Registrar- General tends to 
show that such is the case ; — 
Deaths Registered at Brisbane, during the four Quarters 
in the Year, 1857-58-59, and 1860. 
Totals. 
142 
105 
106 
123 
CO 
.t- 
1860. 
•sapuiog; 
21 
10 
7 
22 
88 ; 60 
•sapH 
18 
24 
20 
26 
1859. 
•sopcuo^ 
' 13 
10 
11 
8 
03 
*eapj\[ 
18 
20 
12 
22 
03 
i> 
1858. 
•sopmo^g; 
16 
7 
9 
6 
. 
QO 
CO 
•soph 
18 
19 
12 
20 
o 
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1857. 
•sopuia^ 
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03 
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Quarters. 
1st. 
2nd. 
3rd. 
4th. 
The next table shows the difference of mor- 
tality during the four quarters of the year 1860, 
in the colony of Queensland, and it is curious to 
observe how, although in nearly the same num- 
ber of deaths, the numbers in the first and 
fourth quarter differs ; the numbers in the 
second and third are merely transposed. 
iRcturn of Deaths Registered in Queensland during the four Quarters 
of the year, 1860. 
•sppx 
151 
106 
105 
116 
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7 
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15 
8 
15 ' 
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11 
8 
16 
7 
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40 
18 
18 
16 
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05 
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1st. 
2nd. 
3rd. 
4th. 
