Fiji Infant Mortality
p. 44 · Read in the full issue
THE following was published in this journal in August last:— “A correspondent of the ‘Fiji Times’ makes the startling statement that the infant mortality among native Fijians, in the Lau group, has reached the alarm ing proportion of 50 per cent, of the birth rate. No explanation is given of this extraordinary figure.”
We are informed, officially, that the relevant statistics for the Lau group, from January to June of this year (which are the latest available) were as follow: Fijian births: 129.
Still-births: 2.
Deaths of children between birth and 1 month: 4.
Deaths of children between 1 month and 1 year: 9.
Similar figures have obtained for many years past.
It is clear that the report quoted had no basis in fact.