48. Legislation was introduced in December, 1947, to permit re- registration of births recorded in the registers which were destroyed or lost during the Japanese Occupation. A total of 513 births were registered under this Ordinance.
49. These post-registered and re-registered births are not included in the figure of 60,600 above.
C. DEATHS.
50. Except in outlying places in the New Territories, where deaths are recorded at the nearest Police Station as being from natural causes or otherwise, as an investigation by the Police suggests, all deaths have to be certified by a registered medical practitioner and the nomenclature adopted is that of the International Statistical Classifications of Diseases and Injuries and Causes of Death. 5.2% of the total deaths were recorded at the Police Stations as being from natural causes.
51. Table 4 shows the deaths registered and the death rate per mille based on the estimated population.
1941
1942
1948
1949
TABLE 4.
Deaths Registered
1926–1950.
Year
No. of Deaths
Registered
Death rate using estimated population
1926
12,518
17.62
1927
AGGOTT FOODSTOPLOOYEN
14,761
19,93
1928
14,735
19.21
1929
17,565
21.89
1930
16,268
19.4
1931
18.797
22.36
1932
19,820
24.74
1999
18,161
22.11
1934
19,766
20.93
1935
22.139
22.00
1936
26.356
TENTATI
26.60
1937
34.635
1938
AAA AAAAAA
38.818
26.25
1939
48,283
27.8
1940
01.010
1
33.48
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TABLE 4.-Cont.
Deaths Registered 1926-1950,-Cont.
Death rate using estimated population
Year
No. of Deaths Registered
61,324
83.486
1943
40,117
1944
PATTANAŠUMUN
24.936
1945
KEUTTAANTRENMAN
29,089
1946
ENTREPRENORIONTA
16,653
1947
13.231
13.244
16.287
1960
18.465
37.4
Not available (Japanese Occupation)
•
H
10.7
7.6
7.6
8.8
8.2
52. As in the other years since 1946, some comment is needed on the very low death rate recorded. Although this rate depends on an estimated population figure, the best evidence available in the Colony, including the medical statistics, suggest that this figure is probably fairly correct.
68. This being the case, the explanation for the low death rate lies most likely in the absence of major epidemics or severe nutritional dis- orders, and possibly in the age distribution of the population. Here again, unfortunately, no information is available about the younger age group, but in the age groups over 16 years the distribution would appear to be very similar to that in 1921 and 1931,
54. In December, 1947, legislation was introduced to permit re- registration of deaths recorded in the lost registers, as was done in the case of births, and 7 deaths were registered under this Ordinance.
55. The post-registered deaths for 1950 amounted to 26. These post-registered and re-registered deaths are not included in the figure 18,465 above.
56. Table 5 shows the deaths at different ages for 1950, and the percentage of deaths in different age groups of 15 years and over com- pared with the percentage distribution of the population in the same age groups as estimated by the sample survey.
13