AN OVERSEAS TASK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19688, 15 January 1926, Page 5

AN OVERSEAS TASK

TARING THE CENSUS. NEW ZEALAND’S GOOD RECORD. EXPERIENCES IN EARLY DAYS, (From Oun Own Coeeespondent.) WELLINGTON, January 14. Householders throughout New Zealand will have an onerous task to perform in a few months’ time in filling in of census papers. Just when the next census will be taken has not been announced, but as the last one was taken m 1921, and the law requires an enumeration every faye years, the work must be carried out again in 1926. The quinquennial period was chosen in 1881 as a convenient one, being half of a decade, and since that year it has been strictly adhered to. It was adopted some years ago by the British Empire Statistical Conference, and in 1921 censuses were taken within a few month? of each other by the Governments of all the principal British countries. In the compilation of statistics within and without the scope of the census New Zealand has a very good record, in the first place (says the Official Year Book) the comparative shortness of the between census enumerations mitigates the danger of serious intercensal error ; secondly, owing to the high standard of intelligence of the population, and to the political, social, and geographical conditions prevailing in the Dominion, the data compiled as a result of the census are both remarkably free from error and unusually comPl Tho history of the census in New Zealand dates back to the days Doforo responsible Government was established. Indeed, some crude form of census-taking appeal*? to have been brought into operation in the early ’forties, shortly after the n reclamation of British sovereignty over the islands of New Zealand* Manuscript records of the population of different settlements compiled by resident magistrates from to 1852. The returns, however, were far from adequate, because the settlements were few in number, and limited in area, and settlers, whalers, and other persons living in remote places were not enumerated. Various difficulties also occurred. For example, the population of Nelson in 1842 was estimated at 2500, with a footnote stating that the actual figures, were unobtainable, as the resident magistrate had betm killed by the Maoris, doubtless in the Wairau massacre. _ . What is usually regarded as the first general census of New Zealand was made in December, 1851, being first taken by law. This woe more comprehensive than earlier enumerations, which contained only the number of persons, male and female, separately, in each settlement. Particulars of sex, age, and dfegree of education of each person were now required, with information concerning the numbers of scholars at day and Sabbath schools. Particulars of live stock and crops were also obtained. The population according to this census was 26,707. In conformity with the ordinance of 1851 censuses should have been taken in 1856 and 1857. Responsibility for carrying out the work rested on the Provincial Councils, which had been constituted in 1853, but for some unexplained reason all of them did not comply with the law. Provincial enumerations were made in Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Nelson, Taranaki, and Otago at various dates, but no return for the whole colony could b© compiled. In 1858 the procedure was put upon a new footing by the passing of a Census Act, which contemplated triennial censuses, the first of which was taken in the same year. Others followed in 1861, 1864, 1867, 1871, and 1874. In 1877 a new Act was passed repealing that of 1858 and its amendments and providing for censuses in 1876 and 1881 and every fifth year thereafter. After 1858 the scope of the census was gradually extended, and the procedure in enumeration was improved in various ways. The most important change was made in 1910. when the Census and Statistics Act separated the offices of Registrar-general and Government Statistician, and enabled the Census and Statistics Office to be sot up.