POSTPONEMENT OF CENSUS

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1930, Page 3

POSTPONEMENT OF CENSUS

PROTEST FROM ECONOMISTS.LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER. The following letter protesting agaihot the decision of the Government not to take the 1931 census has been forwarded to the Prime Minister (Hon. G. VZ. Forbes). It is signed by all but one.of the teachers of economics . in the University of New Zealand, including Maasey and Lincoln Agricultural — ; . We, the undersigned,, have noticed with regret the proposal to abandon The census of 19.31, and have, .th® honour most respectfully to suggest that this proposal be reconsidered. We are aware. ; that., the -present. financial position has raised a problem of serious difficulty to the Government of this country, but as professional economists it is-our considered' opinion that the economies to be gained by the postponement of the census are not such as to justify such a measure; in viewof the serious disadvantages which will accure. We, feel that it will be unfortunate indeed if the temporary financial embarrassment of the country leads to action of this sdi’t, which will Tais© permanent difficulties. Our main reasons for considering the proposed abandonment of the census -tb be unwise may be stated as follows:— (1) Ever since the beginning of the sixties there has been a New Zealand census in the years vffiose number fulfils the formula 10n plus 1. where n is an iteger This has enabled population, data to be compared at ten-yearly intervals. Any alteration in the length of this interval will introduce serious statistical difficulties, and very much impair the comparability of the figures. • < - : - . ' > (2) The difficulty ’will not be. met . by continuing tlie census in the years fulfilling the formula lOn plus 6 for thefoilowing reasons: —? (a) Prior to 1886 the census wan not-' held in years fulfilling this formula, tlie ■ census beinw held thrice, in each, decade from ' the -late fifties .till the early eighties. ' (b) The year 1916, was an abnormal year, owing to the absence. of troops, so that useful comparisons cannot be wot for the years ending in 6.- ° (c) by resolution at the Iriiperial ■ Statistical. Conference of 1920, the census is held throughout the Empire in years fulfilling the formula lOn plus L (3) The New Zealand population data enable accurate estimates, of■ total . population to be made between census • dates, but there is no means of getting interceneal estimates for portions of the •< country, such : as cities, counties, electorates, etc. In a country whose popu- . lation ks rapidly growing and where the geographical mobility of the popu- ■ lation is high a decennial census- w therefore too. infrequent. • .'..'7 '(4) The population data are the basic statistical data to which all others are referred. Therefore, if economics ’ are' required in the statistical office, they should be .effected . in connection with some other department of enquiry. (5) The ostensible object of abandon- . ing the 1931 census is to effect economica durinw the current financial year.—. Yet the whole of the work of compiling and publishing the data would fall hi. _1 later years, and only the expense of printing and collecting the schedules falls in til's year. •- ; » (6) If any economics are to be effected in the census, those which might best be effected .ye cutting out . some of the supplementary enquiries in - the years conforming to the 'formula lOn plus '6. . .' • We would- draw attention to the

fact that questions of public and private , policy are being increasingly ; based upon statistical data. It is, therefore, highly important that the data shall be as accurate< as possible and shall ;be ... reasonably comparable. - - - For the reasons stated above, we feel that the value of statistical data in New Zealand will be seriously jinpaired; and that misleading comparisons are likely to result if., the 1931. census is postponed or abandoned. In consequence we consider it to be in the ■ social interest that the census be conducted in 1931. despite the additional expense which. will be, entailed. ■As pouted out, it appears to jw that the net saving during the current year from . the abandonment of the census will not . be large. ' \