CENSUS THIS YEAR

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27860, 7 January 1956, Page 4

CENSUS THIS YEAR

COUNT TO BE TAKEN ON APRIL 17 PREPARATION FOR FIVE- . YEAR TASK “The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON. January 6. New Zealand's five-yearly census will be held on April 17. Every New Zealander, of .whatever race and degree,, xyhether indoors, at sea, or on a 6ench in the park, will then have to acknowledge not only his existence, but also many other details about himself which he normally does not even think about. Already, the Department of Statistics has preparations well advanced for rounding everybody up and finding out 'what it wants to know. Work on this gigantic task of organisation and planning began as long ago as October. 1954. Enumerators have already been appointed for the various districts. The schedules to be filled out are now being printed, and the field staff of about 2000 sub-enumerators who will distribute and collect the schedules will be engaged within the next two months. Schedules will be delivered in the towns and cities about a week before the census while, in the country districts, they will be distributed about a fortnight before. The personal schedule is essentially the same as that used in the 1951 census, but several changes have been made in the dwelling and occupier’s schedule. Besides particulars of the dwelling itself, details will be sought of farm holdings.

For the first time, one of the questions ofl the schedule will ask for the date the dwelling was constructed. Information will also, be sought about certain household amenities, such as whether a refrigerator or an electric washing machine is installed. This has not been sought in any previous census. There will also be questions seeking information on cooking facilities and the extent of home garden production. The official time for taking the census is midnight on April 17, but there will be no quibble if the heads of households and individuals complete their schedules before or aftfer that hour, provided the information given relate’s to the position at midnight. Births and Deaths

A baby born at two minutes to midnight would be recorded in New Zealand’s population as at the time of the census, but a birth' four minutes later would not, and the person who dies two minutes before midnight would not be included in the census figure whereas one who survived till two minutes after would be recorded. Although an infant born just after midnight would miss ithe census, it would in due course, be included in the population figures which the department comniles neriodically between each census. These adjustments are made from compulsory registrations of births and deaths and the overseas migration figures obtained at the country’s various points of entry. ' For census purposes, the Dominion has been divided into districts and each district has been subdivided into blocks for which 3000 maps have been prepared. Not only do these blocks rrfaps help the break-down of the census for computing the population of counties, cities and towns, but they prove invaluable later to the Representation Commission in determining the elecotral boundaries. , The Post Office has provided the 106 enumerators already appointed. Besides the sub-enumerators the department will require interpreters and these too have still to be appointed. In the past, Maori, Indian and Chinese interpreters have been engaged. Sub-enumerators will be on the Main Trunk trains and the rnter-island steamer expresses. The term “dwelling” has the widest possible meaning for census purposes. It includes a ship in any New Zealand port or on passage between New Zealand ports, a tram, aeroplane or vehicle, a bach, whare, caravan, tent or shelter. A bench in the park might also be regarded as a dwelling if occupied at midnight.