NUMBERING THE PEOPLE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1096, 7 April 1911, Page 6

NUMBERING THE PEOPLE.

HOW THE CENSUS WORK IS DONE. "Everything working smoothly," reported Mr. G. G. Hodgkins, Chief Enumerator for Wellington, when questioned yesterday in reference in the census. He stated that he had been assisted most wonderfully by the public, who had evidently taken their duiies quite seriously, with the result that the sub-enumerators, in collecting the schedules from the houses, had been called on to do a minimum amount of work, liy a great effort they had succeeded in getting ah the papers out by last Saturday evening, tho strain at the last being brought on by a couple of the "subs" breaking down. Only two or three applications were made from places not served with papers, and these cams before the men had called on Saturday evening. The papers wore being collected steadily. Tliote. from the city were pretty well all in, and the end of the week would see most of the schedules from the outlying districts returned to tho office in Brandon Street for checking. A Dominion" reporter paid a visit to the office yesterday, and was given a glimpse of the very perfect system by which every census paper issued is accounted for. Each sub-enumerator engaged in the distribution of the schedules carried what is called a field book, in which ho entered the street, house-number, and number of schedule issued, for every house in tho particular block no was called upon to serve, so that it is, known through theso books where every schedule was left, and if it is found missing inquiries are at once made with u Mew- to its recovery. The field book, which is an innovation this census, is proving a reliable check. Now that the papers are coming'in, rach "Mib" has to prepare, at the end of his day's work, a distribution sheet, which is ;i check on Uia papers collected. This sets out the street, and the range of numbers of (ho schedules distributed, checked as they come id. This having been done, tho papers are sent on in bundles to the Registrar, who has a large staff engaged in making a. complete card record of every person whose name '.ins been iiiM-ribed on a schedule. Already these are beginning to pour in from all quarters, and next week will see the staff in full blast. It is hoped that the census figures will be known about two months hence. The population afloat .from other countries is also the trouble of chief enumerators. For instance, last Friday week Mr. Hodgkins forwarded (per favour of Mr. W. A. Kennedy) census papers to be filled in by the passengers of the Moeraki on Sunday evening, on her voyage from' Sydney. 'J'his was done very thoroughly, and as soon as the steamer arrived the papeis were handed to (h« chief enumerator in good order. It was also necessary to get a record of the passengers by the Rua|iclui, which arrived from London on Wednesday night. Yesterday morning Mr. Galbraith, of the New Zealand Shipping Company, went off to the steamer at C a.m., taking with him a number of census papers. At fl.Hl a.m. they wero returned to the chief enumerator's office with a complete record of all souls on board—good work.