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Annual variations are often more brutal for nuptiality than they are for other demographic phenomena. Short-term economic movements, in particular, seem to have a more direct impact. In the long run, however, nuptiality is generally considered as a much more stable factor than, say, fertility which has undergone profound changes in all industrialized countries over the past hundred years. In this article the social scientists will attempt to study these recent trends in the light of longer-term ones, by comparing nuptiality movements in four countries: Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. In this paper, they study the nuptiality of birth cohorts by calculating the proportion ever-married at age 50, and mean age at first marriage. Data are not always strictly comparable between one census and another, especially in Canada and the United States where geographical coverage has varied through time. However, the numbers involved were small. Moreover, the definition of marital status has not been changed, at least not the basic distinction between single and ever-married. Through a study of nuptiality trends for the single for about a hundred different birth cohorts, they will attempt to determine whether attitudes towards marriage have changed. But first, they must eliminate the structural effects which affect the phenomenon studied. For instance, marriage becomes more difficult for women and female nuptiality decreases when there is a scarcity of potential male partners.

Presents information related to several abstracts on economics published in the June 1962 issue of the journal 'The Economic Record.' Marginal labor and investment coefficients of Australian manufacturing industry; Economic analysis of investment in New Zealand manufacturing from 1957-58; Private savings banks in Australia from 1956-60; Soviet investment policy.

The article deals with the recent widespread increase in marriage rates in the Western world. A convenient method of studying aspects of the recent history of marriage is provided by easily available data regarding the proportion of single persons at various dates. The article uses these data to disentangle two effects in the marriage boom: the extent to which the cohorts whose marriages have formed the main contribution to the marriage boom are marrying more, i.e. whether the proportion who will ultimately remain single is likely to be lower than in previous generations, the extent to which the mean age at marriage of these generations is likely to fall below that of their predecessors. The raw material for the computations to be presented consists of the proportions single at two recent dates for each of thirteen countries used in the study. The countries included in the study are Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England and Wales, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. The study from the proportion single shows that both reduction in the age at marriage and an increase in the proportion marrying at least once in the course of their lives is occurring in several countries.

The article comments on the paper "Prices, Wages and Industrial Productivity in Australia and New Zealand," by E. Lerdau and J. Rowe published in the February 1956 issue of "The Quarterly Journal of Economics." The paper discusses the association between productivity and size of establishment. The authors find a very close association, and in the case of a "test industry" a significant correlation. High output and high productivity are obviously positively associated. If one measures the size of a firm by the volume of its output, one will get a positive correlation between productivity and size of firm. When such spurious correlation is presented as significant, it may create the impression that high productivity is possible only in large firms. The article also makes use of several mathematical formulas to examine between productivity and size of establishment.

The article presents a letter from B.R. Bennie, general secretary of the Society of Dyers and Colourists of Australia and New Zealand in Melbourne, Victoria, to the members of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC). Bennie, on behalf of his association, states that it would be mutually beneficial to both the associations if intending AATCC visitors to Australia and New Zealand, would contact him prior to their departure as it would be helpful in establishing useful contacts in both countries, to the benefit of members of both the associations.

Presents several abstracts related to economics, published in the December 1962 issue of the journal 'The Economic Record.' Economy of New Zealand in 1962; Industrial courts and women's wages in Australia; Marriages of migrants in Australia.

The article describes the effects of rabbit grazing on the grasslands of Macquarie Island, located mid-way between New Zealand and Antarctica. The two widespread dominant species in the grasslands are the Poa foliosa and Stilbocarpa polaris, while the Polystichum vestitum and Poa hamiltoni are the co-dominants that are not widely developed. The article states that the effects of rabbits are due to the selective grazing of only the most number of species. In addition, remote plant communities consisting of few species are likely to be susceptible to rabbit invasion.

The article presents a discussion on the vegetation of grass verges and explores the grass habitats which are regarded as excessively trodden places. It is implied that a considerable degree of similarity exist between the vegetation of the trampled grass verge found on highways and that of the grassy footpath or the sheep track situated whether on lowlands or at high elevation. The article is supplemented with details regarding the botanical composition of the plant communities, ecological distribution, climatic and edaphic backgrounds, and observations drawn from investigating samples coming from Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand.

IT WOULD SEEM then that the achievements of countries like Australia and New Zealand are worthy of emulation. Much constructive work, of course, is being done in the United States. For instance, the College of Agriculture at the University of Wyoming has succeeded in adding 3 pounds to the weight of the fleece during the past five to ten years by instructing Wyoming sheepmen how to breed large, sturdy sheep that bear low-shrinkage, high-quality wool. The government also is expanding its research in breeding and marketing practices; but unfortunately, the government seems to have the unhappy faculty of nullifying its constructive efforts by destructive activities. For example, long and short hedging in wool and wool top futures against price uncertainties is a legitimate instrument that wool growers, wool dealers and manufacturers can use to protect themselves from financial loss, but this was made more or less difficult in 1946 by the ceiling prices and the actions of the CCC. But if wool growing is to survive in this country, it must retain its traditional characteristic of freedom, for from the very beginning of time, the pastoral life has always been the freest element in any country's economy. Thus the sheep farmers must be taught to help themselves, as they must learn more about their business and give the market what it wants. But they cannot gain this knowledge by crouching behind trade barriers and leaning on subsidies, for in the last analysis, competition is the only real educator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a collation of data about religion in Australia. There is an interesting difference between the denominational composition of Australia and New Zealand on one hand and the U.S. on the other. In all these countries the original migration patterns are still reflected in the numerical strength of denominations: the number of Catholics or Eastern Orthodox is an indication of the original immigration of the Irish, the Italians, the Poles, the Russians, the Greeks and others to these new countries. In the U.S. the original Protestant picture has become effectively blurred through internal factors: migration or differentially fertility can hardly account for the fact that there are 4½ times as many Baptists and Methodists than there are Presbyterians and Anglicans. Catholics in Australia also have a higher fertility rate than Anglicans: the average issue of Catholics according to the 1961 Census is 2.65, of Anglicans 2.33. Fertility of interfaith marriage is consistently lower for all residential areas as compared with marriages in which both partners were either Catholic or Anglican. The frequency of intermarriage of the Australian religious denominations has also been tabulated by the Bureau of Census and Statistics in Australia. They seem to show for instance that Catholic men succeeded slightly more in marrying within the faith than the women: 80.22 percent of Roman Catholic men and 77.41 percent of Roman Catholic women were married to partners of the same faith.

Discusses the problems with the economic integration between Australia and New Zealand. Information on the economic condition of both countries; Manufacturing output of New Zealand; Values of the market distance index of the two country; Trade flows and manufacturing structure.

The article focuses on issues related to democracy. The importance of trying to understand democracy at the present time is very apparent. In some sense or other, it is more and more coming to be recognised as the dominant tendency in all those countries that are commonly described as civilized. And, indeed, in nearly all parts of the world the various countries seem to be approximating to a common civilization, which is largely based on principles of a democratic type. It is perhaps in some of the smaller countries, such as Switzerland, and in some of the younger colonies, such as Australia and New Zealand, that these democratic tendencies can be studied in their least diluted form. In Great Britain, notwithstanding the strong tendency that it has to cling to the traditions of the past, it can hardly be questioned that the influence of democratic ideals is constantly increasing. This influence is not confined to the sphere of imperial or local politics, but permeates whole life of the British.

This article informs that with the acceptance of a technique comes an opportunity to use it for making cross-cultural comparisons. There are now reports available of two Australian studies using the "Day at Home Questionnaire." The primary hypothesis underlying the present study is that there are no differences between the '"Day at Home" material from Australia and New Zealand. With a testing of this hypothesis as the main purpose, a description of the normal family patterns in Wellington, New Zealand, was also attempted. The Wellington sample is comparable both with the Melbourne sample and the Perth state school sample. The questionnaire asks about family decision making, action, and tension in 31 areas of family life. Being designed to obtain information about family structure from children, the 31 areas cover characteristic activities of a child's day at home. It should be stressed that the answers are those of children and thus reflect their knowledge of family behaviour. Whether the questionnaire can give useful or significant information about family structure in a particular culture will depend to a large extent on more general characteristics of that culture, and particularly on whether many second order decisions are made.

The article reports that the Silk City Textile Machinery Co. has appointed Valchem-Australia Pty. Ltd. as its sales representative in Australia and New Zealand. It is informed that Silk City manufactures tensionless winders and examiner tubers and moisturizing equipment for menswear . Information is also provided on the other products manufactured by the firm.

The article presents information about the Sociological Association of Australia and New Zealand. The association was founded in October 1963, to promote the development of sociology in these countries and has already gained substantial support from those professionally concerned with sociology or allied disciplines. It holds conferences on various aspects of sociology. It had sponsored the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Sociology and fosters the formation of local branches. It aims to become a forum for the discussion of all issues relevant to sociology and sociologists. The next conference of the association would be held at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, from August 22-24, 1965. Membership of the association is open to all those who hold a university degree in sociology or allied subjects or who are engaged in teaching sociology or allied subjects in Australia or New Zealand at a university or university college. Members are entitled to attend conferences and to participate in other activities of the association and receive a free copy of each issue of the journal.