THE CENSUS PAPERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1091, 1 April 1911, Page 6

THE CENSUS PAPERS.

*— —-. TO BE FILLED IN TO-MORROW (SUNDAY) NICHT. A SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT MATTER, "I would be obliged if in your paper you would impress on the public the importance and seriousness of the census," said Mr. G. G. Hodgkins, Chief Enumerator for Wellington to a Dominion ' representative yesterday. "There have," I regret to say,'' continued Mr. Hodgkins, "been several articles written on the census in a jocular manner. That is all very well, perhaps, in certain cases, but the business of taking the census is quite a serious one, and I would not like to think that anyone will regard their duty lightly because of the spirit of raillery in which it has been referred in more than one instance. It is so serious that there are heavy penalties provided for thoso who fail to make out their returns, or who, in doing so, supply false information. I would also like you to say that all information acquired

through' the census is absolutely confidential, and is used for no purpose other than statistical. The importance of tho duty can be easily comprehended when it is stated that this is tho solo means of gaining a comprehensive record of population of the British Empire." Mr. Hodgkins stated that already he had experienced a littlo trouble over the issuo of papers on tho part of people removing from one houso to another. As he was about to move froni tho city to a suburb, one man filled in his schedule and sent it into the enumerator yesterday. That paper is now invalid, as tho papers have to be mado out to-ntorrow (Sunday) evening, and not before or after, unless it cannot be helped. Any persons contemplating moving to-day aro requested to leave the census paper in the house they aro vacating. They will find forms in the houses they are about to movo into. They must do this, as each form is marked with tho name of tho electoral district in which it is delivered, and bears a check number, the key to which is held by tho sub-enumerators. Special precautions aro being taken to mako the census returns as accurate as possible as far as tho seafaring community is concerned. Schedules have been served upon all shipmasters or pursers of vessels which will be in i New Zealand waters on Sunday night, and thoso officers will bo held responsible for an accurate return of all those who sleep on such vessels to-morrow night— officers, engineers, crew, and passengers. It is also pointed out that the loose forms to be issued with tho schedules to hotelkcepers, boardinghouse proprietors or managers, and head stewards or managers of clubs, gaolers, police station officers, etc., are to be attached to tho main schedule, so that all the "head of the house" has to do.in these cases will be to pin tho loose forms neatly to tho main schedule. As an indication of the work to bo performed, the chief enumerator, whoso district includes all local boroughs and the Hutt and Makara Counties, has engaged tho services of 76 sub-enumera-tors, 50 of whom will be employed in collecting the census papers in. Wellington City. It will probably take the whole of next week to collect tho city papers. The sub-enumerators are being paid as follow:—In the city, 10s. per day; in tho suburbs, 15s. per day; in the country 17s. 6d. to £1 per day. Tho extra money paid to suburban and country sub-enumerators is to cover the cost of bicyclo or horse hire.