THE CENSUS.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 355, 28 February 1871, Page 2

THE CENSUS.

Most of our readers arc aware that last night the census was taken throughout the colony of New Zealand, and will form portion of the returns of the population and resources of which the whole British Empire is this year taking record. We believe much care and precaution have been used to have the returns in our local districts as accurate as possible, and that few, if an} r, houses will have been missed by the sub-enumerators. But as, amid such a multitude of households, it is possible that some may have been passed overwifchoutacensus paper being left, Aye would desire to draw attention to the fact that any person who has thus been accidentally omitted in the visitations of the sube:;umerators, can receive a census paper by calling on the principal, enumerator, Mr. Lusk, sen., at the Provincial Treasury, in the Provincial Government Buildings. Of course it is not absolutely necessary that the paper should have been filled up last night; but whensoever filled up, it must bear reference to last night, and tell of the

persons actually sleeping on the particular premises on that particular occasion. The form supplied is simple, and we think is liable to lead to mistakes, even with the least intelligent. It will be observed that there are some peculiarities in the questions put, which are not so stringent as census papers of former days. We presume that it must be in deference to the known weakness of the ladies on the subject of age, and in order to free them from the temptation of fibbing, that nothing more is required than to merely state that people at that sensitive period are between the ages of 21 and 45. There is also an escape for those who are ashamed 'of their religion, and who can avoid exposure by simply inserting the question relating to religion the word " objects." The forms are very simple, and will not entail much trouble on the person filling them up. And we should strongly urge on any who have been omitted to take the trouble of procuring a form, and do their part in making as accurate as possible a record of our population and possessions.