8.8. C. “INQUISITION”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 148, 8 June 1932, Page 10

8.8. C. “INQUISITION”

QUESTIONNAIRE FIASCO. DETAILS OF FAMILY LIFE. Only 5000 replies have been received by the London School of Economics to their questionnaire on family life arranged in conjunction with the British Broadcasting Corporation. The number of forms sent out was 48,340, It remains to be seen whether this figure will be considered as justifying the considerable expense to which the 8.8. C. has been put in printing and sending out the questionnaire forms in response to inquiries, even if a further 5000 replies which, it is stated, the London School of Economics expects, should materialise. The much-criticised questionnaire was announced in January in connection with a series of broadcast talks by Sir William Beveridge, Director of the School, on “Changes in Family Life.” Listeners were asked to apply for a form in which were set out a number of questions relating to the most intimate details of their family life, such as “Where did you first meet your wife?’’ and “What, was your grandfather’s occupation?’’ The replies were to be tabulated at the London School of Economics, and from them it was hoped that there would be obtained valuable “information in connection with the social sciences. ” Members of the school were asked to co-operate. The total number of questionnaires sent out on request was 48,340. The latest figure obtainable of wireless sets in constant use in England is 3,000,000. So the response does not appear to have beer, encouraging.