THE CENSUS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2883, 22 September 1916, Page 6

THE CENSUS

ARRANGEMENTS WELL IN * HAND ' i USING THE POST OFFICE SOME WAR CHANGES [ A statement was made to .1 Dominion reporter yesterday by tlio Hon. G. W. Russoll (Minister of Internal' Affairs) regarding tlio census to be taken in tKo Dominion on the night of Sunday, October 15. For tlio first time the machinery of tho Post Office is heihg used extensively in tho taking of the census, and the Department lias supplied for this purpose officers to serve as enumerators in all districts. "For tho purpose of tho census," said Mr. Russell, "tho Dominion, has been divided into 94 census districts, caeli consisting of one or more counties with interior boroughs. For ovory district an enumerator has been appointed, all enumerators on this occasion being postmasters or other responsible officials of the Post and. Telegraphs Department, this being dono in accordance with the decision of the Cabinet to utiliso the machinery of that Department. for the sake of efficiency and economy in tho supervision of tlio taking of the census. Each of tho 94 districts is further divided into sub-dis-tricts (some 1006 in all), for each of which a sub-enumerator has to be.ajv pointed to do tho actual work of distributing and collecting the schedules. In the larger oentres and wherever possible in othor parts, postal officials are being used as sub-enumerators. In other cases police officers or outsiders are being appointed. Each enumerator is responsible for tho efficient and economical enumeration of the people in his district, and for this reason ho is given practically a* free hand in tho selection of his sub-enumerator's. For tho enumeration of the people some 350,000 forms of householders\ schedules havo been printed in l tho Government Printing Office, and these, with other census forms, are now being issued to the enumerators in readiness for the census. A householder's schedule will be collected for every building,. dwelling, or other place in which a person may pass tho night of October 16, 1916. A householder's schedulo will also be supplied by the sub-enumerators for each uninhabited dwelling and for each dwolling in course of erection in his district, but not for shops, warehouses, or ottfer "For the convenience 'of inmates of buildings not used as dwellings, tho hotels and , boardingl&uses, ships, and trains, and to prevent the particulars in regard to the individual being made known to more than the proprietor, a variation is being made in tho form of the householder's schedulo. It, will be divided into two schedules, one called the personal schedule, which will contain particulars in regard to one individual only, and the other called tho householder's covering schedule, on which tlio particulars required in regard to tho building or dwellinghonse will be given, and which will 1 contain a certificate by the proprietor that ho attaches a personal schedule for every individual who occupied the building on census night. "In former census years a separate census of tho Maori population has been taken, bnt on this occasion a separate Maori census will be taken for tlio North Island only, where practically the whole of tho Maori population lives. In. the South Island tho Maoris will be enumerated on tho same form and by the same 6ub-enumerators a 6 the Europeans, this system tending to cconomy' as well as providing for fuller particulars concerning tho ' South Island Maoris than would be obtained on the usual Maori form. A separate census of the Cook and other annexed islands is also being obtained. ( « !• "As many men will bo in the military camps in October, special arrangements have had to be made i with the Defence Department for the' enumeration of these, \as well as those in the internment camps. The address prior to enlistment will bo obtained of all members of the Expeditionary Force _ Reinforcements in camp on census night, and these men are to bo allocated to their proper districts. _ It will be impossible to obtain similar information I concerning the Expeditionary Forces in Franco and other theatres' of war, but the Defence Department will furnish a statement, showing the actual particulars on census night. For Samoa arrangements have Dean made to procure an individual schedule for each New Zealand civilian or soldier as in the case of the military and the mternmeni camps. "All the maps of the 1006" sub-dis-tricts have been prepared and are now ready for distribution. Everything is now well in hand for the proper enumeration of the people on October 15, and sub-enumerators should be able to commonce the delivery of the schedules in their respective districts as 6OOU after October 1 as may be necessary to allow of every householder being furnished with a schedule before census night. Tho collection of the completed schedules will be commenced by the sub-enumerators immediately after October 15, and after being ohecked by tho enumerator for the wliolo district, tho schedules will be sent on to the census and statistics office. Immediately on tho receipt of the schedules in this office a statement ol' the population in tho various local divisions of the Dominions must lis prepared and sent, on to tho Representation Commissioners, along.,-with tho sub-enumerators' books to allow of t{io now electoral boundaries being prepared. ' "As 011 previous occasions, returns of public libraries and of mooting placcs of religious denominations will ibo collected in conjunction with tho j ccnsus. For boroughs, also, agriculI tural and pastoral statistics will bo col--1 looted from occupiers of holdings of one acre or over, and from all owners of, horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats. This will comploto the collection of agricultural and pastoral statistics which has already, been dono for tho counties by police officers. "Everything is now in train for the taking of tho census'oll October 15, and anything remaining to be dono will bo completed ill amplo timo to allow of a olear start being mado with tho distribution of the schedules immediately after Octobor I." ,