THE CENSUS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 12 March 1936, Page 10

THE CENSUS

WHAT THE STATISTICIAN ? WANTS TO KNOW ' TASK FUR HOUSEHOLDERS i | OUEcTiONS ON TIIE- SCHEDULES I. ; , . . _ 1 ■ 'The' siuyeijs - of ,a census of population is dependent/ upon (he active co-upe-at ion of .the whole of the popu- , nition, ami il is hoped that every person i will do his or her share in order to ! cnsiu-c.'. satisfactory results,'’' says A;r i J.; VV, IWI-cll’cr, .Government. Statist iI cian, in £ "’special message to householders on the front page-of tins year's census selieduie. "All answers given will be -treated as strictiy conlidential. They will bo used solely, for statistical purposes, and no individual information will be given to any other State Department or to any person or body.'’ Penalty for wrongful disclosure is £SC. In general the particulars required ■ arc those asked for at similar inquiries in the past. The. only entirely new question is one on war service, which asks each person to name the war in which lie or she served as a member of a New Zealand or British force. Nurses are included. The -name of force is required, ns is information as to whether the • person is in receipt of a war pension or not. INCOME GROUPS Much worry has been caused by the prospect of l having to state income for the year ended 31s.t December, 1935, but this appears to be 'groundless. The, actual 'amount earned is Pot required, but merely a statement : of The - group into which a,;, person falls as the question clearly explains “If total •oh earnings and other income, (from- all sources) t was nil, write 0: if under £52 write X; if

£52 to. £lO3 write lp if £IC4 to £155 write 2; if £156 to £207 write 3: if £2OB to £259 write 4; if £260 to £3ll write s'; if- £312 to ; £363 write 6 ; if £364 or over, write 7.” ' If particulars arc’ hot available for the calendar year, 1935 the nearest 12niQiitiily, periqd, will .suffice. Income

means the gross income of persons from wages, invest-

ments, ec.\ and-the net receipts (gross receipts less expenditure incurred in earning them) of busiqess men, ■ farmers, professional men, landlords, etc. Allowances which are not in respect of paid services, such as housekeeping allowances received by wives from their hus-

bands, are hot to be counted by the re-

cipient as income.-Where any employee receives free housing, free fuel, .free travelling .passes, free uniforms, etc., as. pact of his-' remuneration, the value; should be assessed approximately and j considered as part of the'recipient’s in- 1 come. • - 1 An ' official of the Wellington I Corporation Tramway!? .said that the uniform issued; ip .one of their employees j va.N. v\ uptli a|bout , £5, and. a. railway offi- , inJ: said that railwaynieii s uniform varied between £3 and £5 according to status.' T V-' .rc-t-:- , ' ■ ■- j I>E RSONAL DETAILS : •* ' • ,•••■ ■ ■ -T. • ; Eacii schedule provides for . tire, particulars of ' up to seven persons, and ihe dwelling to be entered in vertical columns. ' The'columns are to Its filled in . .for very Tuan, woman -and child who spends the night? - of Tuesday, 24th March, .in the dwelling, and is alive afe-midnight, and who arrives at or returns;, to the dwelling on. ithe following morning without having been, included in the cens.us.-elsewhere. ; -. ; First;the- surname must' be written, then -the first-or Christian nanic, and the l persdrils-,relation to the head of the hoiisshald-Miead, wife,, .son, .daughter, 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 unde: 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 widely The,.,-age should he given in years and completed.months. 1 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 T 6 years, of age. Orphans wliose parents are both de£d must-fill in those whose: father is dead,- “F,D,.”; or where the mother fs. dead,” “M.l>.” Where; the parents are not known, PN.K.”,,., is ~the. symbol.. Juveniles who are not orphans will be represented, bv “B.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, un-

lor 16 years, whether living in the louse 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 j it,. although following a distinct per--1 sonal occupation, questions arc asked as to industry and occupation, and special direction’s as “to’ the answering of llic.se questions are provided. . “A single industry may cover persons of many different occupations,” the. directions explain. The, oneat- , freezing industry, for instance, - ein--1 ploys -slaughtermen, chambermen, fellmongers, engineers, clerks, account; I ants, etc. In, this case all persons, 1 should describe their industry as meat.-' freezing, aiul their personal, occupation. as slaughtermen, chamberma.ll, etc., as (be case may be. “It will be. obvious also that the same personal occupation may be found in many industries, particularly sucli 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-fanners, sheep-farmers, oreliardisis, etc., according to the branch in which they are chiefly engaged. .Miners must class themselves similarly. - Merchants and manufacturers should indicate the commodity in which they ! deal and whether engaged in rnami- , faeturing. or in wholesale or retail biisi--1 ness. : A further division inquires as to occupational status whether employees I r.f labour, whether working on one’s , own account and not, employing la- ; hour; whether working for salary and . wages; jf wholly unemployed or on . sustenance; if partially unemployed, Nlnit not on relief.;, or if a relative assisting, without salary or wages. Em- | pioyment, of domestic servants does . not classify one as an employer, and • salaried managers of companies are . j not to include themselves in. that class, j either. ’ : . I There is a section dealing with un- • ! employment. Unemployed are asked to state the number of weeks since they ■ ! were 1 last in “fairly steady employf.ment,” and whether registered. Parrjticuh.irs are also required as to the ! j number of weeks lost in 1935 through scarcity of work, accident or illness,

and through all other causes, such as bad weather or strikes.

Religious profession is also asked for, ami 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, Europcan-s -.Maori, - • /qA statement crl the- town or district usually resided iti 'Completes the' personal details. PARTICULARS OF DWELLING , The first question which the householder will have to fill - in with reward. to- ,Ins horn;c is vyhethe;- he lives in a house, a ■ flat, rooms attached to a shop or office, a country “bach,” workman's hut, tent, aor camp. If he Jives in a flat, lie must'tell the census: officials whether it has its own conveniences, or not. The next query is what materials theouter walls of the house, are constructed of, and here again the statistician comes with help in advance. -Walls of galvanised iron -secured - to wooden -studs should be described as irony he explains, but where* for example, front and back wails are of wood and sido walls- arc of iron, the correct entry is wood and iron.

The householders must also, say whether lie is renting or leasing the house, if he is, living refit free, or buying the house 011 time payment, or with table mortgage; or if lie has a flat mortgage on it, or if < ho 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 poultry 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'.