Agricultural Audi Pastoral Statistics

Northern Advocate, 19 February 1940, Page 8

Agricultural Audi Pastoral Statistics

Of the 900 schedules posted early this month to property owners in the Whangarei district for the filling in of annual returns of holdings under the Census and Statistics Act, 1926, about 300 are outstanding. The sub-enumerator (Constable C. Snow) requests that these forms be sent in as early as possible. If read carefully, instructions at the head of the form makes filling in of the returns quite a simple matter. Main difficulty seems to hinge upon filling in of part 111 “summarily of the area of holding.” Not True Return. Many occupiers excuse themselves by merely declaring “Same as last year,” but this is not a true return, as all past year’s returns, held by the sub-enumerator, are required to be destroyed before he receives the current year’s schedules from the Government Statistician for distribution. The sub-enumerator thus has no past year records for reference. The importance of these returns may be more fully realised when it is generally known that they are an index to the country’s wealth and by which probably the credits of the country are utilised on foreign markets. The returns are treated as confidential matters of State and the Government Statistician in Wellington is held responsible for the final compilation of the returns of all holdings throughout the country. To assist him in the compilation of these returns he authorises the appointment of sub-enumerators —usually the police officers in charge of the police sub-district —to collect a check over the returns in respect to each district before sending them to the Government Statistician's Office. £SO Penalty.

There is a £SO penalty for any wilful neglect or refusal to fill in the form or supply to the sub-enumerator the necessary information, or for the wilful furnishing of any false return. A return does not require a yardstick measuring of the land or an individual count of every pound of hay, root crops, etc. A return according to the best of the occupier’s knowledge and belief is all that is required.