NEW CENSUS QUERIES

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 121, 16 February 1926, Page 8

NEW CENSUS QUERIES

INQUIRY ABOUT INCOME

DATA TO BE BASIS OF, FAMILY HELP TO BE TAKEN ON APRIL 20 “We must help the family man," the Prime Minister has said. In conformity with this aim, new questions will be asked in the 1926 census (to be taken on the night of Tuesday, April 20), concerning income, such information being the basis of any ameliorative policy. But the Government’s right hand (the Income Tax Commissioner) will not know what the Government’s left hand (the census-taker) is doing. Observe, in the text below, the assurance of secrecy and subsequent burning of schedules.

Tho selection of a Tuesday for tho 1926 census (instead ot a Sunday as heretofore) is motived by tho thought that by Tuesday all week-enders will be back in their accustomed grooves, and tho census wheels will run smoothly. Referring yesterday to the procedure to be adopted in the taking ot the census. ,tho Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. 11. F. Bollard) said that a very complete organisation had been established by the Government Statistician (Mr. Malcolm Fraser) for carrying out tho work, which was arduous and exacting, entailing considerable responsibility on the Statistician’s staff. For some weeks past the Department had been preparing for the work, and judging by tlio reports which he (Mr. Bollard) had presented to Cabinet, tho census of 1926 would be taken with a minimum of difficulty. "In the main islands of New Zea-

land,” said the Minister, “the census procedure in 1926 will be modelled upon that adopted in 1921 and in 1916. Some 83 census districts have been created as the sphere of operations of census enumerators, who will act as local supervisors and executives. The whole country will be divided into about 1300 or 1400 sub-districts, for each of which a sub-enumerator will be appointed. His duty it will be to see that schedules are left at every dwelling within his sub-district, a map of which is provided him. After the census date no will commence to collect—and, where necessary, correct—the census schedules. His is no light task, but the burden will be immensely easier if every householder or individual pays careful attention to detail. In 1926, as in 1921 and 1916, the census enumerators aro to be drawn entirely from tho staff of the Post and Telegraph Department, which did much to ensure tho success of previous enumerations. In the towns the ranks of sub-enumerators will be recruited largely from trained letter-carriers who are especially familiar with their districts. In the rural districts certain other Departments will doubtless be turned to, but the majority of sub-enumerators in such cases will be private citizens." Some Alterations.

The schedules-for the census are to be "gazetted” this week, and apart from the new features introduced they will contain some modifications of the schedules used previously. “A glance at the principal census schedules,” continued Mr. Bollard, "which are being gazetted for public information, will disclose some considerable modifications. The large and formidable , census schedule of 1921 and previous censuses has been replaced by two schedules much smaller in size. These two, which are known as the ‘Dwelling Schedule’ and ‘Family Schedule’ respectively, together comprise the older householder’s schedule. In addition to convenience in handling, the - new arrangements should be popular as only, the householder himself need peruse the dwelling schedule, and the family schedule contains fewer items over which to ponder. The personal schedule takes the place of tlje family schedule for the enumeration of persons who do not belong to the family of the householder or proprietor. In itself the personal schedule is a concession to convenience and to the natural desire for privacy in personal matters; but on this occasion further steps in this direction have been made. These provide for cases in which personal schedules may be furnished under sealed cover, in .which circumstances they may not be opened by either the householder or the sub-enumerator. This procedure should remove a disability of the census, the accuracy of which is, after all, entirely dependent upon the care and good-will of the whole population. That the privilege of supplying personal schedules under sealed cover : s being granted on this Occasion should give householders the confidence and privacy so desirable' in disclosing the particulars required by the census.” “Very careful consideration has been given to the questions to be asked,” continued Mr. Bollard. "The aim has been to reduce the scope of the inquiry as much as possible in regard to questions concerning which an inquiry at longer intervals is considered sufficient, such as fertility, birthplace, father’s birthplace, nationalitv, education and other schooling, and life insurances. These have been omitted. Other questions have been introduced to elicit information in regard to matters of pressing urgency. Few questions are more important at the present day than the housing problem, and the dwellings section has accordingly been remodelled to afford better information being obtained in regard to buildings and certain aspects of housing and family statistics. Lost Working Time. "An inquiry has been introduced upon the important question of working time lost on account of sickness, accident, and lack of employment. To help the Government in investigating the practicability of providing assistance for householders with families, the Government Statistician has been requested to include in the census schedules questions relating to» income. As everybody knows, the first essential to the remedy of any disease is a correct diagnosis, and a diagnosis cannot be made without a full knowledge of the conditions, etc. Statistics of the social conditions as they exist throughout the country are required to enable the problem to be properly studied, and estimates made of the cost. Questions have accordingly been included in this census schedule, not only as to the number of dependent children under 16. but also as to the income category of all persons over 16. The actual income is not asked, but each person is required to indicate into which category he or she falls. In determining this classification eacn person should count all income being received in his or her own right, i.e., earnings for services rendered, plus any income to which he is entitled from other sources). Allowances received by wives from their husbands should not be counted; nor should allowances from parents, or other relatives, unless for services assisting, be included. "Wives, daughters, or other dependents. with no income of their own, should classify themselves in the category ‘No Income.’ Persons in constant or regular employment should classify themselves according to the rate of remuneration being received at the date of census plus any other income received during the previous twelve months. Those in irregular or casual employment, or in business, should determine their classification by tho amount of their income for the twelve months preooding census date. .The income t® bq flotwr-.

mined is the income without deduction for any household or domestic expenditure. The problem involves not only the consideration of the incomes of the families themselves, but also their relative positions to other members of the community, and the circumstances of the unmarried also; hence the question as to income applies to all persons over 16." Strict Confidence. "Owing to the very high standard of general intelligence of the New Zealand people, information has hitherto been obtained throwing light on several aspects of social problems not readily obtainable in many countries, and the Government on this occasion confidently appeals to the people to supply accurately the information required as to incomes. The Government gives an unqualified assurance that the information so obtained will be used only for statistical purposes. As on previous occasions, when the information from the census schedules is transferred to the punched machine cards., where the identity of the individual is quite lost, the schedules themselves will be destroyed by fire under supervision.” Speaking generally on the taking of the New Zealand census, Air. Bollard said that the census to be taken on tho night of April 20 next would be the eighteenth in a series of general enumer. ations which date back to 1851. In the period of three-fourths of a century which had elapsdd since 1851 the population (excluding .Maoris) had grown from a meagre 27.000 to the more imposing level of well over 1,300,000. The area within the field of operations had extended also, and numerous islands fiom the Campbell Islands in the south to the Cook Islands in the north were new within its ambit. The mandated territory of Western Samoa also took a quinquennial census under the auspices of the New Zealand .enumeration. Due to different climatological-conditions, its date was different and its census day, January 1, was, unfortunately, synchron, ous with a terrific hurricane.