THE CENSUS

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24678, 22 September 1945, Page 6

THE CENSUS

' ♦ OBJECTIONS RAISED IN HOUSE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, September 21. Contending that statistical information based en the census to be held on Tuesday would be valueless because it was based on a shifting foundation, the Opposition moved to reduce the vote for the Census and Statistics Department in the House of Representatives to-day. The motion was defeated by 39 votes to 30 on a division. . Mr J. N. Massey (Opposition, Franklin) said the department was spending £55,000 on the census, but what would be its value. The Government proposed to introduce legislation altering electoral boundaries, but what use would that be if it was based on a shifting foundation. People were not now living where they would be living in normal times, so that the information that was obtained would be valueless and the cost was a needless expense to the country, Mr K. J. Holyoake (Opposition, Pahiatua), moving that the vote for the department be reduced as an indication that, the census be postponed until servicemen returned and civilians found their normal places of abode, said that in many cases people would not be able to state in the census what was their normal residence. The proper time for the census would be next year, so that figures could properly, be compared with those of other censuses taken at normal intervals. He believed that nearly 150,000 people were out of position. He suggested that the only reason for taking the census this year was a purely political one. He warned the Minister that the psychological reaction would tell against the Government. Mr Nash in reply said that there was an imperative need for a census because qf changes in population in electorates, Nothing could be more absurd than the population in such electorates as Remuera and Wellington Suburbs. The census was necessary to ensure that the people were properly represented before the next election was held.