CENSUS SCHEDULES

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 March 1936, Page 10

CENSUS SCHEDULES

TASK FOR HOUSEHOLDERS “Tho success of a census ol population ip dependent upon the active cooncraliou of the whole of the population, and it is hoped that every person will do his or her share in order to ensure satisfactory results,” says Mr. ,J. W. Butcher, Government Statistician, in a special message to householders on the front' page of this year’s census schedule. “AH answers given will be treated as strictly confidential. They will be used solely for statistical purposes, and no individual information will be given to any other State Department or to any perdon or body.” royally for wrongful disclosure is XSQ. in general the particulars required are those asked for at similar inquir,ies in the past. The only entirely now question is one on war service, which .asks each person to name the war in ■which lie op she served as a membei of a New Zealand or British force. Nurses are included. The name of force is required, as is information as to whether the person is in receipt of a war pension or not. Much worry has been caused by the prospect of having to state income foi the year ended December 31, 1935, but this appears to be groundless. The actual amount earned is not required, but merely a statement of the group into which a person fplls as the question clearly explains: — , “If total of earnings and other income (from all sources) was nil. write 0; if under £52 write X; it £52 to £lO3 write 1; if £lO4 to £155 write 2; if £156 to £207 write 3; if £2OB to i £259 write 4; if £260 to £3ll write 5; .. £312 to £363 write 6; if £364 or over, write 7,”. If particulars are not available tor the calendar year 1935 the nearest 12monthly period will suffice. Income means the gross income of persons from wages, salaries, pensions, investments," etc., and the net receipts (gross receipts less expenditure incurred in earning them) of business men. farmers, professional men, landlords, etc. Allowances which are. not .in respect of paid services, such as housekeeping allowances received by ■ wives from their' husbands, are not Co be counted by the recipient as income. .. Where any employee receives .free housing, free.fiffil, free travelling passes, free uniforms, etc., as part of his remuneration, the value should be assessed approximately and consideied as part of the recipient’s income. An official of the Wellington Corporation Tramways said yesterday . that the uniform issued to one of their employees was worth about £5, and a railway official said that railwaymen’s uniform varied between .£3 and £5 according to status. PERSONAL DETAILS.

Each, schedule provides for the particulars of up to seven persons, and the dwelling, to be entered in vertical columns. The columns are to be filled in for every man, woman and child who spends the night of Tuesday, March 24, in the dwelling and is alive at midnight, or who arrives at or returns to the dwelling on the following morning without having been included in the census elsewhere. First the surname must be written, then the first or Chris Jan name, and the person’s relation to the head of the household —head, wife, son, daugnter, visitor, boarder or servant; then the sex, age and marital status, if the age of 16 years has been reached. The various states are: Never married, married, widowed, divorced, legally separated, and under age. Widowed or divorced persons who have remarried will fill in the “married symbol. The statistician specially asks that particular care be taken in giving the correct age as statistics of ages are very widely used: The age should be 1 given in years and completed months. Owing to the use of machines in the compiling of the records it is essential that there are no blanks or gaps in the returns, as the question headed “orphanhood” shows. The question applies to those under 16 years of 'age. Orphans whose parents are both dead must fill in “8.D.”; those whose father is dead, “F.D.”; or where the mother is dead, “M.D.” Where the parents are not known, “N.K.” is the symbol. Juveniles who are not orphans will be represented by “8.L.” and persons over 16 fill in “O.”

Each married man, widower or widow must furnish the number of his or her living children, including step-children and adopted children,', under 16 years, whether living in the house or elsewhere. INDUSTRY AND OCCUPATION In order to ascertain for each industry or service how many persons are engaged in it, or in connection with it, although following a distinct I personal occupation, questions are ; asked as to industry and occupation, | and special directions as to the i'answering of these questions are provided. “A single industry may cover perisons of many different occupations,” the directions explain. “The meatfreezing industry, for instance, employs slaughtermen, chambermen, fellnioitgers, engineers, clerks, accountants, etc. In this case all persons should describe their industry as ;meat-freezing, and their personal occupation as slaughterman, chamberman, etc., as the case may be.

“It will be obvious also that the same personal occupation may be found in many industries, particularly such occupations as clerk, accountant, mechanic, engineer, machinist, carpenter, labourer, etc. The personal occupation in such cases would in itself be no guide to the industry with which associated;- for this reason it is necessary to ask for both industry >and personal occupation.” Farmers must distinguish . themselves as dairy-farmers, sheep-farm-ers. orchardists, etc., according to the branch in which they are chiefly engaged. Miners must class themselves similarly. Merchants and manufacturers should iudi'-ate the commodity in which they deal and whether engaged in manufacturing, or in wholesale or ■ retail business.

A further division inquires as to occupational status whether employers of labour, whether working on one’s own account and not employing labour: whether working for salary and wages; if whollv mreinployed or on sustenance; if partially unemployed, but not on relief; if on part-time relief; if apprentice; or if a relative assisting, without salary or wages. Employment of domestic servants does not classify one as an employer, and salaried managers of companies are not to include themselves in that, class, either.

i There is a section dealing witli unemployment. Unemployed are asked to state tin* number of weeks since they wore last in “fairly steady employment.” and whether registered. Particulars are also required as to the

number of weeks lost in 1935 through scarcity of work, accident or illness and through all other causes, such as bad weather or qtrikes. Religious profession is also asked for, and the use of indefinite terms such as Protestant, Catholic, Believer, is banned. Particulars of birthplace and the number of years lived in New Zealand, disregarding temporary absences, must also be furnished, together with details of race. Where more than one race is involved, details must be given: e.g., 3 EuropeanJ Maori. . A statement of the town or district usually resided in completes the personal details. PARTICULARS OF DWELLINGS The first question which the householder will have to fill in with regard to his home is whether he lives in a house, a flat, rooms attached to a shop or office, a country “bach,” workman’s hut, tent, or camp. If he lives in a flat, he must tell the census officials whether it has its own conveniences, or not. The next query is what materials the outer walls of the house are constructed Of, and here again the statistician comes with help in advance. Walls of galvanised iron secured tc wooden studs should be described as iron, he explains, but where, for example, front and back walls are of wood and side walls are of iron, the correct entry is wood and iron. The householder must also say whether he is renting or leasing the house, if he is living rent free, or buying the house on time payment, or with table mortgage; or if he has a flat mortgage on it, or if he is the unburdened owner. Where the house is rented the amount, of the weekly rent must be supplied. The number of rooms, and occupants, and the location of the house complete that part of the .programme.

The final act is one in which poult.r,y keepers alone will perform. It is quite a short act. —merely a recital of the number of male and female fowls, ducks, geese and turkeys on the premises. ROLE OF THE POST OFFICE DISTRIBUTION OF SCHEDULES

New Zealand's large postal staff, with its unique knowledge of the streets and the dwelling places of the Dominion, will play an important part in the Census. Il is the task of the Post Office to distribute the Census schedules to every householder by means of a carefully devised system. whi<-h provides for entry in a field book of the destinafion of every form, and the final writing in of the fact HiaJ the completed form lias been handed to the sub-enumerator for despatch tc, the Government Statistician, Wellington. It is expected that six days will be needed for delivery

of tin' Census schedules to householders. Some of them may not get the form until the afternoon of Census night. • The Dominion lias been divided into <S2 Census districts, each witli a Postmaster as enumerator, with the duty of dividing his district into workable areas, each of which can be covered by one sub-enumerator who will deliver and ultimately collect the Census schedules. Every part, of the Dominion where people live is to be subject to simultaneous enumeration on the night of March 2 1. Points will arise regarding the method of answering the seventeen questions in schedule, and siib-enum-

erators will be found ready .to assist householders in that respect. They are in fact responsible to their directing officer for complete and accurate answers. As there are some questions which many individuals would like to regard as purely their own affair, the importance of securing this class of information in the national interest should be pointed out. What is needed by :ho Government Statistician is information regarding groups and .-.lasses not particular individuals, although individuals have to be approached to make possible the collection of statistics which in their public use become absolutely impersonal. The handling of schedules by employees under the control of the Bost Office should give reassurance m this point, for secrecy in respect o their work is so much ingrained into the minds of postal employees .hat reticence becomes instinctive, and '-.here is the further assurance of the Government Statistician to be found on {he Census schedule: “All answers given will be treated as strictly confidential. They will be used solely for statistical purposes and no individual information will be given to any other State Department or to any person or body.”