CENSUS, 1881.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1287, 2 April 1881, Page 2

CENSUS, 1881.

We imißt remind ovr readers the census papers must be filled in aud completed to-morrow evening. Great care must be exercised in preparing all the information required. We hear that all the distributing has been completed, and the collectors will wait on every house- . holder on Monday to receive from them ] the census papers. It is therefore to be hoped that the public will use their best ' endeavours to save the sub-enumerators the trouble of a repeated application. We also learn that tho taking of thei Maori census is progressing very satisfactorily as far as this district j s concerned. Messrs. Huddleston and -.rooking having been busy for the last week compiling a careful list of every bapn iv the Bay. When this is comI'Jotod, the information (which, however, will not be perhaps as accurate as the European census) will be received with great interest, as showing the effect of improving the native race. We learn as far as observation is possible that the apparent scarcity of children of Ijotu sexes speaks very strongly of tne deterioration of the race. In many cases, we learn, that great (tiniculty was encountered in obtaining the necessary information, the movements of the enumerators being looked upon with great suspicion, and in instances, it was openly said that the object of the Government was to ascertain the strength <>f the Native race, with a view°of determining the advisibility or otherwise ot using strong coercive measures. As a matter of national pride, we have no doubt that tho householders of the Bay will use every endeavor to furnish as correctly as possible all the necessary information, and as this is the Brsfc time that a simultaneous census has been attempted through the British Empire, the result will be watched with interest