CENSUS LIKELY NEXT YEAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 29, 4 February 1935, Page 9

CENSUS LIKELY NEXT YEAR

TEN YEARS SINCE LAST ONE AN EARLY DECISION CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 1!). New Zealand has not taken a census of its population since 1926, although the statutory period between one census and another is live years. It is anticipated, however, that the Government will arrange for a •census early next year, 10 years after the last one. The Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. J. A. Young), said last night that the Government had already considered holding a census in 1936, and that such a course would probably be decided on by the Cabinet before very long. The last census was due in .1931, but it was postponed as an economy measure. It was explained last evening by the Minister and by Mr. -Malcolm Fraser, formerly Government * statistician, that international arrange- ; ments and statistical convenience made I it difficult to take vensus enumerations except at five-yearly intervals. The suggestion of taking the last census | seven and a-half years after the 1926 • one had been considered but rejected | on these and other grounds. A census next year, however, was regarded by many as necessary, as ■ population and official statistics had been somewhat disorganised by the delay of 10 years in their compilation and comparison. The census would also involve a redistribution of Parliamentary electorates, on the basis of population. For this purpose an electoral Commission was generally set up, consisting of three men and representing appropriate Government departments. The Last Census. An explanation of the •census as a means of compiling population data is given in the New Zealand Official Y'car Book. It is stated that the comparative shortness of the interval between census enumerations mitigates the danger of serious intercensal error, and also that,, owing to the high standard of intelligence of the population, and to the polftical, geographical, and social conditions prevailing in the Dominion, the data compiled from the census are remarkably free from error and unusually complete. The population of the Dominion of New Zealand and its dependencies and the mandated territory of Western Samoa at the census of 1926 is quoted ; as follows: — Males. Females. Total. P o pulation ( e x’clusive of Maoris) o f N- Z. proper .. . 686,947 657,4. U 1,344,384 Maori pop. o f N. Z. proper .. . 32,730 .30,0. >1 62,781 Total pop. o f N. Z. proper . . 719,677 657,488 1,407,160 P o pu lation of Cook Islands and Niue .... 7,023 6,810 1.3,833 P o pu lation of Tokelau Islands . . 523 510 1,033 i P o pu lation of Western Samoa .. 20,985 19,246 40,231 I Totals . ■ ■ 748,208 714,054 1,462,262