registered during the years 1960 to 1969 by sex and race with the percentages of males and females, and of Chinese and non-Chinese, and (b) the live birth rates per thousand of population for the same years. The total number of births registered in 1969 decreased by 3,663 from 82,992 in 1968 and was in fact the lowest total since 1953, when the total was 75,544 and the birth rate 33.6. As will be seen from the Table, 1969 was the fourth year in the past ten years in which the total was below 100,000, and was the sixth year in a row in which the number of births registered fell as compared with the preceding year. The Table also shows that the birth rate has fallen continuously in each of the nine years since 1960, when the rate was 37.1. The highest rate recorded was 39.7 in 1956. As compared with 1968 the year's birth rate of 19.88 per thousand of population was down 1.26.
164. There is a distinct quarterly pattern of births in Hong Kong as illustrated in Table XXXV, which shows in graphical form that the peak of births is always reached in the last quarter of the year. Births then decline sharply in the next two quarters touching the lowest point usually in the second quarter of the year. Thereafter a marked increase is always registered in the third quarter, and the upward trend con- tinues until the highest point is again reached in the fourth quarter. Births in the year under review followed this typical pattern, but as in recent years with more moderate quarterly fluctuations when com- pared with earlier years due to a further decline of the overall number of births.
165. Table XXXVI gives the births registered in 1967, 1968 and 1969 by district. This shows that in 1969 the numbers registered on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and New Kowloon, and in the New Territories dropped by 391, 1,385 and 1,887 respectively, representing falls of 2%, 2.8% and 12.9%.
166. On Hong Kong Island decreases occurred in most areas, exceptions being the General Register Office, Eastern District and Western District, where births registered rose by 39, 269 and 451 respectively. In Kowloon and New Kowloon there were increases of 49 at Sham Shui Po and 721 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Decreases were, however, recorded elsewhere-1,027 at Sung Wong Toi Road Registry, 716 at Yau Ma Tei, 110 at Kwong Wah Hospital and 302 at Kwun Tong. In the New Territories decreases were recorded in all areas with a few unimportant exceptions.
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