THE CENSUS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1926, Page 4

THE CENSUS

NEW FEATURES OF SCHEDULE.

STATISTICS OF LOCAJ CONDITIONS.

WELLINGTON, February 15

Every five years a census is taken of the population of the Dominion and the affairs of the people, and on the night of Tuesday, April 20th next, citizens and householders will he asked to nil in forms supplied them.

The questions to lie asked the people in regard to their income were rcterred to by the Hon R. K. Bollard in an interview to-day. ”To help the Government,” he said. "in investigating the practicability of providing assistance for householders with families, the Government: Statistician has been requested to include ill the census schedules questions relating to income, .’vs evervbodv know.--, the first essential 10 a remedy' ol any disease is a correct diagnosis, and diagnosis cannot be made without lull knowledge of the circumstances, conditions, etc. Statistics of the social conditions as they exist throughout the country are required fo enable the problem to he properly studied and estimates made ot the cost. Questions have accordingly been included in this census schedule, not oniv as to the number of dependent children under lii, but also as to the income category of all persons over lii. The actual income is not asked, but eaeb person is required to indicate into wTiieli category he or she falls. In determining this chissifeation each person should count all income being received in his or her own right, i.c.. earnings for services rendered, plus income to which he is entitled Ironi other sources.

IN( < >.M K< I. ASS IKK ATIONS. " Allowances received hv wives front their husbands should not he counted, nor should allowances from parents or other relatives unless for services assisting he included. Wives, daughters. or other dependents with no income of their own should classitv themselves in the category ‘no income.’ Persons m constant or regular employment should classify themselves according io the rale of remuneration living received at the date of census, plus any other income rereived during the previous twelve months. Those in irregular or casual employment. or in business, should determine their elassiticaliou hv the amount of their income for the twelve months preceding the census date. Income lo he determined is income without deduction for any household or domestic expenditure.

j "The problem involves not only eon- | sideralion of the incomes of the laini--1 lies them.selves, but also their relative I positions lo other members ol the eomI mtinity. hence the question as to inJ conic applies to all person, over Hi. SMAI.LKI! SCHKDKI.K j Tim schedules for ihe census are to I he "gazetted” tills week, and apart j Iron) the new features introduced, they I will contain some modifications of the schedules used previously. ”A glance at the prineipel census schedules." continued Mr Hollard. "which are being gazetted l/>r public information will disclose some considerable inodifieaI lions. j "The large and formidable census j schedule of 1921 and previous censuses i has been replaced by two schedules i much smaller in size. These two. which I arc known as " tlm dwelling schedule” | and "the family schedule” respectively. I together comprise Ike older liousej holders* m nodule. In addition lo eouj venteiiee in handling, the new arrangci loeiil s should he popular, as only the ■ householder himself need neriise flic | dwelling schedule, and the family I schedule contains fewer items over j which to ponder. The personal schedule | takes the place of the lamilv schedule; lor the cuiluicrnt ion of persons who do! | mit belong 10 the family of the house- ] 1 holder or the proprietor. In itself the j personal .schedule is a concession to ! convenience and to natural desire for privacy in personal mat tors, lull on this occasion further Mens in this direction, have been made. These provide for j eases in which personal schedules may; jbe furnished under sealed cover, in | which circumstances they may not lie; opened hv either the hoiise-imlder. or, snh-emimerafoi'. This procedure j should remove the disability of [he census. the accuracy of which is, after all. j entirely dependent upon ihe care and i goodwill of the whole population. Thai I the privilege of supplying personal, schedules under sealed cover is being) granted on thi- occasion should give) householders the confidence and privacy so desirable in disclosing the par- 1 tieulars required liv the census.” j GROWTH OF DOMINION. j After giving a positive assurance! that information obtained from people) would lie regarded as strictly eonfiden- j Hal. Mr Hollard said that the census' about to he taken would lie tlm vigil-! tcputli in the series ol general emiiil-j orations, which date back to Ds|, ftt ! the period ol three-fourths ol a century, which has elapsed since I Sol. the population (exeluding Maoris) had grown ' from a meagre 27.000 to the more imposing level of well over 1 ..‘{Of 1.000. The area within the field of operations had extended also, and numerous islands from the Campbell Islands in the smith to the Cook Islands in the north, were now within its ambit. The mandated tei ritorv of Western Samoa also took a quinquennial census under the auspevs ot New Zealand. Its enumeration wa -

due to different climatological conditions, its date was difl'erent, and its census day (January Ist) was. ut.-fi.t-Innately, synchronous with a femur hurricane.