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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 6235, 4 April 1881, Page 2

The work of numbering the people of the colony has commenced throughout the Australasian Colonies, and hereafter, as the time for taking the census comes round, the plan now initiated will be continued of making the collection of the returns in each colony simultaneous. The night of Sunday is fixed upon for very obvious reasons. More people are in their houses on the Day of Rest than on any other day of the week, and thus the grouping together of families in one form of return is more complete than would otherwise be the case. The returns are designed to show “the actual number of the population, their distribution over the country in counties, ridings, wards, electoral districts, road districts, boroughs, villages, towns, parishes, goldfields, &c., their religions, occupations, ages, birthplaces, civil condition, state of education, &c.; also, the numbers and distribution of live stock, and certain information as to land.” To ensure that such information shall be reliable, it is necessary in the ever changing condition of the colonies that the returns should be frequent. Migratory influences now largely prevail, the work of settlement on new land is always advancing, new towns spring into existence, even while others dwindle into decadence and neglect, new industries become established, and in many instances an interval of two or three years changes the entire social and political conditions of communities and districts. Hence the need for often recurring enumeration if census statistics are to be of any practical value. One especial duty of the collectors will be to gather returns of pastoral and agricultural property, live and dead stock, and the yield of wheat, oats, and barley, the annual production of butter and cheese, and various other items of a similar kind. Against giving such information f there should not bo the slightest demur, and cannot possibly affect injuriously any individual interests. The details of information will be massed together in general returns, showing the amount of corn and other agricultural products in each county or district in precisely the same way as the periodic Customs returns show the amount of merchandise in bonded stores and in the hands of dealers. On previous occasions _ the census returns have been made with a promptness and general accuracy which has been the subject of commendation on me part ot the aumonties, and tnat such will be again the case there is no reason to doubt. The energies of the Registrar’s department will be fully taxed to collate ad interim returns in time to present when the House meets in June.