WHAT THE FORMS WILL ASK.

OCCUPATION AND DEPENDENCY.

On the last Sunday in April next the census will be taken throughout Great Britain. The last census, taken in 1911, cost £196,000 for England and Wales and £41,000 for Scotland. Next year the cost, according to a provisional estimate, will be £500,000. The increase is due to depreciation in money value and increased rates of remuneration. Owing to a reduction in the size of the census schedule it is calculated that a saving of £8,000 will be effected in the cost of paper. These particulars were given at a Press Conference held yesterday afternoon at the Ministry of Health, presided over by Mr. S. P. Vivian, Deputy Registrar-general.

Mr. Vivian explained that the next census will take place a little later in the year because it is considered desirable that the enumerators should be able to take advantage of the additional daylight, particularly in the industrial areas. One of the features of the bill, which would shortly come into force, is the power to bold a quinquennial census.

Hitherto the census has been taken every ten years. That period is considered too long for an accurate basis on which to estimate the population and the rate of mortality. He pointed out that a census is an expensive undertaking, and although power will be given for a five years’ census, the country will not necessarily be committed to such an undertaking. It will depend upon the circumstances in 1926 whether there will be another registration.

If there is a census both in 1926 and in 1936, any intervening census will probably be restricted in its scope, confined to the number of population, the ages and sexes. Another feature of the bill is its perpetuity. Formerly it was necessary to have a separate Act for each census.

CENSUS FOR LOCAL PURPOSES.

Then the bill takes power to hold a census for the area of a local authority at the request and expense of the particular authority. In regard to the Equalisation of Rates Act, the London County Council require particulars of population and estimates of the boroughs year by year, and they have promoted private bills because they thought a census ought to be taken in a shorter period than ten years.

The new power will apply to big towns as well as London. The Minister of Health has a wider field than that concerned with health functions proper. He deals with industrial matters, occupation, and employment, questions of the greatest value to actuaries and life insurance companies, as well as to those concerned with matters of housing.

There are three census authorities, one for England and Wales, another for Scotland, and another for Ireland. A joint committee representing each authority is settling what particulars are to be obtained with a view to arriving at some degree of uniformity. The object is to secure that the national peculiarities do not forbid the same particulars being asked in the three countries. Thus for the first time it is hoped to have material for a United Kingdom census. Under the bill it is proposed to leave out the “fertility” inquiry – the number of children born and alive in the case of existing marriages. That inquiry, which was made in 1911, was of importance as bearing upon the tendency of a diminishing population, but owing to the war the results have not been completely published. It is a question that need not be repeated on the next occasion.

No inquiries will be made about infirmities, but in their place it is hoped to substitute inquiries as to occupation, industries, education, continuation schools, transport, housing, and old-age pensions. A knowledge of the extent of the stream of traffic between places of employment and residence would be of great importance, inasmuch as it would be of the highest value in regard to matters like housing, overcrowding, and transport. Continuation schools have to be set up, and it is important to know in what neighbourhood they should be. The dependency problem is another matter that may be inquired into. The Workmen’s Compensation Act might be modified so as to provide pensions instead of a lump sum. If that happened it would be desirable to know how many people there were with dependent families, and when they would cease to be dependent.

QUESTIONS ABOUT DIVORCE.

No questions will be asked about religion, military service, or illegitimacy. Every census has brought its new problems. On the last occasion the important inquiry was the fertility problems. Economic and labour questions are now regarded as of more importance. By mechanical tabulating machinery it is hoped to get the results out without undue delay. A provisional volume of the last census came out in about a couple of months; next year it is hoped to have a provisional return by June. The returns would be valuable in regard to unemployment insurance and the National Health Insurance Act.

Asked if people were to state whether they had been divorced, Mr. Vivian replied that that was uncertain, They had the heading “Whether married, widow, or single.” Probably, some divorced people would describe themselves as married and some as widowed. The penalty for supplying false information has been increased from £5 to £10.

In reply to an inquiry about confidential returns, Mr. Vivian said they wanted to make the returns less public this time. They proposed that the head of the household should make a confidential return direct and not through the household. “If my cook objects to give information then I shall let her make a return,” he added.