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Census Nears: Accuracy
National Need
Because of the natural importance of the Census,
full and accurate information should be entered in the
forms now being distributed.
Midnight next Wednesday
is the time at which the cen
sus will apply.
Information given on a cen
sus form is strictly confidential
and is used only for statistical
purposes.
A collector who discloses par
ticulars is liable to a penalty
under the Census Act of £50,
There are two census forms
-the householder's schedule
(white) and the personal slip
(blue).
The householder's schedule is
the principal form and particu
lars regarding all persons who
spend the night of June 30 in
the dwelling should be entered
on that form. together with de
tails of the dwelling itself.
Personal Slip
The personal slip is to be used
only in special cases where an
inmate objects to having par
ticulars entered on the house
holder's schedule.
In that case the slip must be
handed in an envelope to the
head of the household for de
livery with the schedule to the
collector.
The occupier, or person in
charge of a dwelling (or ship),
is responsible for filling in par
ticulars on the schedule for
all persons in the household.
The name of each person who
has been issued with a personal
slip must be entered on the
schedule and the words "per
sonal slip" must be written in
the line opposite the name.
It any person who usually
lives in a particular dwelling
is away during the night of
Wednesday, June 30, and re
turns on July 1 without having
been counted elsewhere, the
name and particulars must be
entered on the schedule or a
personal slip must be filled in.
Where a private house is shar
ed or a building is occupied in
tenements or flats, each is re
garded as a dwelling and re
quires a separate householder's
schedule.
Hotels, boarding houses, in
stitutions and ships are also
treated as separate dwellings.
Both householder schedules,
and personal slips must be filled
in with ink.
The Questions
"Although the questions seem
somewhat complicated, they are
not so formidable as a first and
perhaps hasty glance may con
vey," said the Deputy Field
Supervisor of the Census - for
W.A. (Mr. J. M. W. Ander
son) yesterday.
A careful perusal before be
ginning to fill in, he said, would
save the householder a lot of
time and worry and would be
of immeasurable help to the
department.
The description of a dwelling
might prove to be something in
the nature of a headache be
cause it included sheds, huts,
tents, boats, and, among other
things, charitable, hospital and
penal institutions.
Here too, however, the way
was easy if the directions were
studied carefully.
Referring to occupations and
crafts, Mr. Anderson empha
sised that it was essential not
to use general terms, such as
foreman, labourer, miner and
machinist, but to give full de
scriptive qualifications-fore
man carpenter, road labourer,
coalminer, metal machinist.
Occupations
In the case of occupations
found in a number of different
industries an employee should
be careful to state the industry
of the employer for whom he
is working.
Mr. Anderson said that, where
an-employee worked for an em
ployer who carried on more
than one kind of business, he
should state the particular
branch in which he was em
ployed.
As to unemployment, this
question on the schedule did
not apply to those who had re
tired and those unable per
manently to work through ill
ness, old age or other reasons.
Neither did it apply to people
who were not out of a job but
were only temporarily absent
because of illness, accident,
holidays and long-service leave.
It did apply to those who had
lost their jobs through illness
or accident.
Nationalities
Mr. Anderson said the matter
of nationality was bound to
cause some confusion, particu
larly in the minds of new Aus
tralians.
The householder was required
to state the nationality of each
person in relation to the coun
try to which he or she owed
legal allegiance-for example,
"British," "French," "U.S.A.,"
"Stateless."
If British by naturalisation the
correct answer was "British
(N)."
For people of European race,
wherever born, "European"
must be written.
For non-Europeans the race to
which they belonged was to be
stated-"Aboriginal," "Chin
ese," "Negro," "Afghan."
If a person were half-caste
with one parent of European
race, then the answer would be,
for example, "H.C. Aborig
inal," "H.C. Chinese" as the
case might be.
Every person who was born
outside Australia must give the
name of the country of birth,
not the town or other locality.
These people should also state
the number of years of resi
dence in Australia (ignoring
temporary absences) or, if resi
dent less than one year, should
write "0" in the appropriate
column.
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