Turning Men Into Figures

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 10, 13 January 1936, Page 2

Turning Men Into Figures

“ There is an. increase in tlio marriago and death rates and a fall in the birth rate.”

Each quarter an announcement such as this is mado by the Registrar-Gene-ral in his’ returns, writes a Registrar in the “Daily Mail.” His figures are not guesswork, but probably tho most accurate of all statistics ever published. They represent the combined efforts of thousands of officials throughout the country, tabulated at Somerset House by hundreds of clerks equipped with the latest machines.

The registration of a birth by a proud father, or of the death by a sorrowing relative, is only tho first step in the collection of these vital statistics. At the end of each quarter the local Registrar supplies an exact copy of each entry ii his books to the Superintendent-Registrar of the district, who in turn makes further copies for transmission to tho RegistrarGeneral.

Over a quarter of a million certificates under these two heads alone are received at Somerset House every three months, yet in a week or less it is possible to publish figures which are eagerly awaited by Government Departments and local authorities.

Marriage statistics call for the cooperation of an even greater number of persons. At the end of each quarter, every rector, vicar, or curato of a church, or the registering officer of a synagogue must, when he is asked, but not before, supply to the Superin-tendent-Registrar a copy of the certificate of -every marriage which has been solemnised by him, and, in the words of the Act, these copies must be “on durable material,” as they will be preserved for ever.

M'any a parish priest Las had to cutshort his holiday to comply with this requirement, for failure to do so involves a severe penalty. A telegram stating that there had been no weddings would not bo acceptable. A sworn declaration to that effect must be furnished. All these certificates must bo copied by the Superintendent-Registrar and sent, with copies in respect of all the marriages he has himself performed at the register office, to Somerset House within fifteen days.

Approximately 200,000 certificates are received by the Registrar-General at tho end of each quarter, but within a few days h c is able to publish such interesting details as tho ages of the happy couples, their occupations, and whether they have been previously married or divorced.