TAKING THE CENSUS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3184, 1 April 1911, Page 7

TAKING THE CENSUS.

TO-MORROW NICHT’S TASK.

SOME IMPORTANT PARTICULARS.

To-morrow night, 2nd April, all New Zealand will be counting heads, human, and otherwise. The domestic animals and the beehives will come into the tally. This will be the first census of New Zealand’s million- status. Subenumerators, an army of 1100, have for some few days been distributing the schedules. These papers, when properly filled in, will be forwarded to the 59 enumerators stationed at convenient, points throughout the Dominion, and will then be passed on to the Government Statistician, who will have a staff of 60 or 70 men for the counting. In 1906 the census was taken on the- night of -Sunday, Bth April. Agricultural statistics have been added to the list, and the counting of the population has to be hastened to enable the Representation. Commissioners to readjust electoral boundaries for the general election. The •counting will) be on a plan to furnish the commissioners with the number of inhabitants on very small blocks, which they will he able to move about on the electoral map, like checkers on a draught board, to make a balance. In--1906 it was discovered that the North Island had remarkably forged ahead of •the South in population, and it is anticipated that a further large advance will be recorded this year. Schedule for Householders.

The general instructions are very simnle. The schedule is to be filled in bv the- occupier or person in charge of tiie dwelling, with particulars respecting all persons who slept or abode therein on Sunday night, together with those travelling or out at work during that night, and who return to the dwelling next day (Monday). If the house is occupied by different Families in separate stories or apartments. each storv or apartment must be treated as a separate dwelling, and the occupier or person in charge of each must make a return- upon a separate schedule. In the case of large pastoral or other similar establishments, the proprietor or manager may fill in the return of his complete establishment, hut a separate schedule -must in such case be filled for each of the out-stations, dwelling-houses or huts in which a distinct family or person resides, in addition to that of the home station. The schedule will be called for by the sub-enumerator on Monday or as soon after as is practicable. Householders are required bv the Act to have the answers written in the proper columns and the document duly signed. It- is the sub-enumerator’s duty to verify the facts, and to make the necessary corrections from- inquiries which he is authorised to make for the purpose. No aboriginal Natives are to be entered in this schedule, excepting Maori women who are married -to living Europeans A census of the Maori population is being taken separately. Points for Consideration.

The householders’ schedule closely resembles the form of 1906. There is a welcome innovation this year in the provision of individual cards for the occupants of hotels, boarding-houses, and kindred institutions. Formerly the boarders made their confessions on the one sheet, possibly to the sore embarrassment- of some who liad been posing on more or less false, pretences. This svstein was a temptation to a measure of falsehood. This year the entries are to he made separately on slips which the head of the establishment will attach to his main schedule. Thus cherished secrets of the boardei-s will remain secrets. It is enjoined on the schedule that “the words •gentleman’ or ’lady’ are not to be used in place of ‘no occupation’ or •'independent means.’ ” The census does not attempt to give the number of “ladies” and “gentlemen,” under the heading of “occupation” or otherwise. Every answer is to Ire written in full. The use of dots, or “ditto,” or “do” is liable to lead to troublesome mistakes, and sub-enumerators are not to accept these makeshifts for plain English. Salaried persons employing domestic servants are required to enter themselves as “W.” (worker), not as “E. employer). Under the line “condition as to marriage” occurs an important parenthesis Chinese to study. It is stipulated that “a Chinese is to be set down as never married unless he has, or lias had, a wife in Australasia.” Householders who are likely to be absent from home when the sub-enumer-ators are collecting the schedules are expected to leave the filkd-in paper with a neighbor to lie collected. For the first time in New Zealand's bistort-'this year will witness a train census. The Mam Trunk express, outward bound from Auckland on bun day evening 2iicl April, will listve to rondoi an account of its passengers.

A Warning. A severe penalty is provided for any person detected in an. offence against the Census and Statistics Act. Hero are some awesome lines from the schedule;—Caution. —Any person wilfully refusing or neglecting to fill up, sign, -and deliver this schedule, or to answer the necessary inquiries which the enumerator and sub-enumerator are required to -make, or furnishing false, returns or answers, or obstructing any person m the performance of any duty^ imposed on him. bv the Census and Statistics Act. 1910, is liable to a penalty of £_U. The information given will be treated as confidential, and any person divulging it. is liable to a penalty of £2O. The returns are not to be used as preot of a< y e as in connection with pensions, or for ’any other purpose than the preparation of statistical tables. Similar penalties for similar offences are prescribed by tlie Commonwealth Government.