CENSUS LIKELY NEXT YEAR

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21376, 19 January 1935, Page 14

CENSUS LIKELY NEXT YEAR

1 Ten Years Since The Last One AN EARLY DECISION New Zealand has not taken a census of its population since 1926, although the statutory period between one census and another is five years. It is anticipated, however, that the Government will arrange for a census early next year, 10 years after the last one. The Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. J. A. Young), who is staying in Christchurch for the visit of the Duke of Gloucester, said last night that the Government had already considered holding a census in 1936, and that such a course would probably be decided on by the Cabinet before very long. The last census was due in 1931, but it was postponed as an economy measure. It was explained last evening by the Minister and by MiMalcolm Fraser, formerly Government statistician, that international arrangements and statistical convenience made it difficult to take census enumerations except at fiveyearly intervals. The suggestion of taking the last census seven and a half years after the 1926 one had been considered but rejected on these and other grounds. A census next year, however, was regarded by many as necessary, as population and official statistics had been somewhat disorganised by the delay of 10 years in their compilation and comparison. The census would also involve a redistribution of Parliamentary electorates, on the basis of population. For this purpose an electoral commission was generally set up, consisting of three men and representing appropriate Government departments. The Last Census An explanation of the census as a means of compiling population data is given in the New Zealand Official Year Book. It is stated that the comparative shortness of the interval between census enumerations mitigates the danger of serious intercensal error, and also that, owing to the high standard of intelligence of the population, and to the political, geographical, and social conditions prevailing in the Dominion, the data compiled from the census are remarkably free from error and unusually complete. The population of the Dominion of New Zealand and its dependencies and the mandated territory of Western Samoa at the census of 1926 is quoted as follows: Males. Female:-'. Total Pop ulalioii (■exclusive of Maoris) of N.Z. proper .. 686.947 657,437 1,344,384 Maori pop. of N.Z. proper . . .'i2,730 30,051 62,781 Total pop. of N.Z. proper .. 719,677 687,488 1,407,165 Pop ulnlion of Cook Islands and Nine 7.023 6.810 13.833 P OJS ulnfion of Tokolan Jslds. 52:? 510 1,033 P op ulation of Western Sa - moa 20.885 19.246 40.231 Totals . . 748.203 71.4.054 1,462,262