Baby Boom
p. 131 · Read in the full issue
The Shortlands ' Baby Boom
The Shortland Islands, the small group between the main Solomons chain and Bougain ville, is having a population ex plosion in its own minor way.
According to the native Coun cil Clerk, Dionisio, who has been keeping the count, excess of births over deaths was 260 in the 10 years up to December, 1961. This brings the popula tion to 1,262 and if they go on increasing at the same rate for the next 10 years there will be 1,565 Shortlanders by the end of 1971.
There may be even more by this year if 1961 doesn't turn out to be a fluke. In 1961 there was a real baby-boom of 56 —and only four people died. If they go on increasing at the 1961 rate, the 1971 population could be 1,899.