CENSUS PAPERS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 19, 23 July 1945, Page 6

CENSUS PAPERS

CHANGE ANNOUNCED

TWO SMALL SCHEDULES

A noteworthy change in the forthcoming census is announced by the Minister in Charge of Census and Statistics (Mr. Nash). This is the disappearance of the large householder's schedule.

This schedule was Used for families, while * all others used personal schedules. The householder's schedule has outiived its usefulness and is now impracticable. In place of this there are two small schedules, the dwelling and the personal.

The dwelling schedule, Mr. Nash said, concei-ns only the occupier or person in charge of the dwelling and. its questionnaire relates to the dwelling itself. The questions of the last census, e.g., location, type, tenure, etc., are retained. New questions on elec-i tricity,. running water; hot-water services, bathrooms, etc., are designed to ascertain information regarding these standard household amenities. Other questions relate to distance from shops,! primary schools, and transport services. Housing is one of the most serious and pressing problems and this information will be very valuable. The personal schedule, Mr. Nash said, is designed to obtain personal information and each is for the use of one person only. "It has been found, necessary, said Mr. Nash, "to retain most of the 'standard items of previous censuses. One new item is the travelling time between home and place of business. "Information is also sought regarding persons' usual addresses .. where they are not at their usual place of residence when counted at the census. "The main emphasis, however, is placed upon industry and occupation. Not only is full information sought regarding the present position, but the inquiry extends also to the intentions, on resumption of normal conditions, of those in the Armed Forces, those affected by man-power regulations, those who voluntarily postponed retirement, and those who voluntarily accepted employment during the war. It will be appreciated that reliable information on these lines is essential to assist in planning for the successful reconstruction which must be a vital feature of our post-war economy." PROCEDURE EXPLAINED. The Government Statistician, who is head of the Census and Statistics Department, is responsible, under the control of the Minister in Charge of Census and Statistics, for the direction of the census, Mr. Nash said. In the main, the field organisation of the coming mainland census follows the lines of its predecessors. There are 90 census districts, each under the charge of a census enumerator, who in each case is an officer of the Post and Telegraph.Department. The field work will be carried out by sub-enumer-ators, assisted where necessary by interpreters. In recent censuses about one-third of the sub-enumerators have been officers of the Post ami Telegraph Department. To sub-enumerators will fall the task of delivering schedules, making map locations and other records, and of collecting and checking schedules. While an endeavour is made to deliver schedules to every person, failure to receive a schedule or schedules does not remove the individual's liability to furnish the information required by the census.