[To mm Burros or rs .. 8szerms."] SIE, — In a footnote to
Mr. Bean's letter in last Saturday's issue you use language which shows that you are under the common misapprehension that the native-born Australian has ceased to increase. The prevalence of this idea is probably mainly due to the Report of a Royal Commission appointed by the Government of New South Wales to inquire into the fall in the birth-rate ; but Mr. A. 0. Powys, of the Statist's Office, Melbourne, has pointed out in a recent paper (" Biometrika," Vol. IV., p. 233 et seq.) that the conclusions arrived at in the Report were based on a faulty interpretation of the statistics. Further, be points out that there is a physiological connexion between the infantile death-rate and the birth-rate, so that a low birth-rate is the almost invariable concomitant of a low infantile death-rate. This is operating to such an extent in Australia that if, instead of considering the total birth-rate, we fix our attention on the effective birth-rate (i.e., of children who will come to maturity), we shall find that the Australians stand well in comparison with most European nations. Mr. Powys's figures may be seen in his paper, but my point is brought out more clearly by means of the follow- ing table, which I have made by combining two of those given by Mr. Powys :— Total "Effective" Total "Effective"
Birth. Birth. Birth- Birth- rate rate, rate. rate.
Norway .. 301 231 Austria 371 191
Prussia 86-4 22'4 Sweden 261 191.
*New S'uthWales 27'4 21'9 Italy 331 181 England & Wales 291 201 Spain 341 17'3
Belgium 28-9 201 France 220 15-1
Switzerland 281 ...... 191
The right conclusion would appear to be that Australians increase as rapidly as most Europeans, although they may
not " multiply " so fast.—I am, Sir, &c., STUDENT.
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