COUNTING HEADS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1921, Page 5

COUNTING HEADS.

ESTIMATED POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND 1.194,832. YEARLY INCREASE OF 19,157. There was a good deal of difference between the 1921 census paper and those issued in previous years. Considerable additional information was asked for in the papers that were filled in Sunday night. This related principally to housing accommodation —materials of which the houses were built, number of rooms, rents paid, etc. —stock, bees, poultry, and religion. The religions were classified in a different way, the I terms and ‘"Protestant” beihg both barred in this year’s forms.

Tho o of the Roman Catholic faith h(id to distinctly state that fact; and no such vague form as “Protestant” was allowed, the different denominations having to be distinctly stated. The column for those who object to state their religion was, however, retained.

The principal enumerator had been hard at work for weeks past preparing the details in connection with the taking of the census, and a very large number of sub-enumerators have been, and will be, engaged in the task of completing the enumeration. An interesting feature of the census will be the information obtained as to the proportion of inmates to the number of rjoms in the houses. This will show the exact state of affairs in regard to the housing shortage. At the date of the 1916 census the total European population of the Dominion was found to be 1,099,944 (Nqrth Island 639,768, South Island 447,173; shipping and trains, etc., 12,'103), as against 1,008,468 in 1911 (North Island 560,540, South Island 442,930; shipping, trains, etc;, 5008). The preponderance of males over females in 1916 was 4782, the totals being 551,913 males and 547,131 females.

For the December quarter of 1920 the population of the Dominion was estimated at 1,194,932—ma1es 604,753, females 590,079.