THE FORTHCOMING CENSUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17556, 23 August 1920, Page 4

THE FORTHCOMING CENSUS.

The Cabinet has departed from precedent in deciding that the quinquennial census, which falls due next year, shall be taken on the last Sunday in February. The custom of recent years has been to fix the census for some - day in April, and it is necessary to go back to 1871 to find the month of February chosen. The Empire Statistical Conference, held in London early this year, decided that the population census should be taken throughout the .Empire on as nearly the same date as possible, but allowed a range of two months before or after April 15, to suit local conditions. This means that any* day between February 15 and June 15 may be fixed for the census. It is desirable that the census should be held when the distribution of population is as nearly normal as possible. From this point of view February, a favourite holiday month, is unsuitable. Easter falls at the end of March next year, and by the end of April the seasonal movement of population within New Zealand win practically have ceased Possibly the reason for the alteration of the date is to be found: in the seasonal movement of travellers between the Dominion and other - countries. The Statistical Conference

recommended that the census should be =on at de facto rather than a de jure basis, that is that it should show the number of people actually in the country and exclude residents temporarily abroad. March and April are favourite months of departure for European, and Australian tours, and by taking the census in February the statistician will be able to include a good many New Zealanders who would otherwise be excluded.