HUMOURS OF THE CENSUS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 871, 18 July 1910, Page 8

HUMOURS OF THE CENSUS.

■ ■ . —. —4- : — Statistical work is generally regarded as being somewhat fity; but even a census lias its humorous aspects, remarked the Federal Statist (Mr. Knibbs) during a recent lecture in Melbourne. Jlr. Knibbs was addressing a. gathering convened by the Empire League he'.-.l iiv the Town Hall, and presided over by Mr. Deakin, M.P. The lecturer proceeded to quote some of the replies given on the last consus papers. In the column where yoii mention how long you have been living in the State, he said a man gave as the length of resilience: "391' feet frontage, half block." The colnninheaded "Occupation" brought some humorous replies. One mother described her ten-year-old son as an "errant boy"; while a cycle manufacturer announced himself as a "Cyclist maker." It was apparently an exasperated father -who gave *he occupation- of his 12 months old child as "yelling." As her age, one lady gave 508. She meant 58, but got confused in the figures. The credulity of the collectors was sometimes taxed by ladies,' and in two cases against thft ngo which was put down was a parenthetical note by the collector, "looks 20 years older." A lady of .75 said that her occupation was "studying human nature," whilo another lady of G5 philosophically remarked that she was "battling things out the best way she could." "Boligion—Lore God and watch my fellow man," wrote a householder. In the column headed "Infirmities," a young' man made the doleful admission, "In love," whilo the only complaint that another individual- could think of was, "a voracious appetite." Mr. Knibbs said that the cost of a census in Australia was .£150,000. The educational facilities of the State should be employed in assisting to extend information regarding the census, and the necessity of particulars supplied being correct.