§ 2. Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for India what was the Bombay city death rate in 1925 per 1,000 of adult and infant deaths, respectively; and how the figures compare with the average of recent years?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Earl Winterton)The report of the Health Officer of the city of Bombay for the last quarter of 1925 has not yet been received, but for the first three quarters the rates of both general and infant mortality show marked decreases on the corresponding figures for previous years. The death rate per 1,000 among the whole population during the first three quarters of the year was approximately at the rate of 26 per 1,000 per annum. The figure for 1924 was 31 .27 and the average for the preceding five years was 43 .79. The death rate per 1,000 among children under one year during the same period was at the rate of 388 per 1,000 registered births, as compared with the average per annum for the previous 10 years of 478 per 1,000.
§ Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEDo the Government of India attribute this satisfactory result to the operation of the Bombay improvement scheme?
§ Earl WINTERTONI should have to make inquiries upon that point. I think that is undoubtedly one of the factors showing a gratifying improvement, and I think it is due to the co-operation between the municipality and the Government of Bombay and also to the action of private individuals and associations.