The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 782, 28 February 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1871.

Yesterday was the time appointed for the filling up of the papers left by the various census sub-enumerators throughout the colony. Every householder is notified that he has to place on record all who slept in his house during the night of February 27th to the morning of the 28th; and, in many cases, the earlier the list is compiled the less likely is it that any error would arise. The value of such statistics as are compiled on the occasion of the triennial census is necessarily very great, and their value becomes increased in proportion to the confidence with which their correctness may be relied upon. It is by mean's of these that the material progress or decadence of the colony may be estimated. The acreage under crops or used for pastoral purposes shows, at a glance, the extent of the facilities of the colony to retain and settle a population. The returns of shipping will enable a comparison to be instituted as to our commercial progress ; and tables will be compiled upon all manner of subjects, demonstrating the social and material condition of the entire people. The reason that we refer to the subject is to impress upon each individual the necessity of rendering the return as complete and correct fts possible. There is also a special feature in connection with the present occasion of taking the census, which is that under the Payment to Provinces Act the amount of revenue paid bv the Colonial Government,forprovincial purposes, is entirely regulated by the population. Apart, therefore, from the interest which has ordinarily attached to go important a work as enumerating the people, it will be seen that any carelessness in the performance of the task will at once make itself felt in tho reduced sum that a province receives as its share of the consolidated revenue, and how largely the province may be effected by the effective or careless enumeration of the population, may be gathered from the fact that every man, woman, or child, represents a money value to the province of £5 148. Much care, therefore, was necessary in appointing men to the task who would fulfil the duties zealously and faithfully, and it was wisely decided to increase the rate of payment originally proposed, allowing, at the same time, a fair and reasonable amount for unavoidable expenses. Looking at the scattered nature of the workings on this portion of the coast, the difficulty, in the absence of roads, of speedily traversing the various districts, and, in many instances, the rough and densely wooded character of the country which renders it almost impracticable to penetrate the more remote portions of the outlying districts, we must confess to a grave feeling of doubt as to whether, even with the utmost diligence, an unduly large proportion of the population may not escape enumeration. There being reason to fear that the parties to whom the work has been entrusted may miss obtaining returns from persons resident in thickly wooded and isolated localities, it would be well that those acquainted with any such bush residents should inform the enumerators of their whereabouts, and also, if possible, give such information and direction as may enable the collectors of the census returns to find them out. It might easily happen that one or two parties of men, numbering in all, perhaps, twenty, would be overlooked in each district by the enumerator, hut for opportune assistance in directing him to their whereabouts. We trust, therefore, that any persons with whom no papers have yet been left will at once communicato with tho officers of Police, the nearest storekeeper, or any person likely to take an interest in having the oversight remedied. That there are such, we can scarcely doubt, as many must be working in the more [seclude 1

portions of the various districts whose location it would be impossible for any stranger to find, unless some person aware of it should give the necessary information. "We trust storekeepers and others will take the trouble to afford assistance in this respect to those upon whom has devolved this important task.