FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1976
1976 POPULATION BY-CENSUS
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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT IS GEARED UP TO CONDUCT A SAMPLE CENSUS COVERING 10 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION.
THERE WILL IN FACT BE TWO SEPARATE CENSUSES ONE ON THE MARINE POPULATION BETWEEN MAY 29 AND JUNE 1, COVERING SOME 1,200 BOATS- AND THE OTHER ON THE LAND POPULATION BETWEEN JULY 30 AND AUGUST 8, COVERING SOME 100,000 HOUSEHOLDS. SELECTION OF BOATS AND HOUSEHOLDS HAS BEEN DONE BY RANDOM PROCESS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE CENSUS IS TO OBTAIN UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THE POPULATION FOR EXAMPLE, ITS OVERALL SIZE, ITS AGE AND SEX STRUCTURE, ITS DISTRIBUTION, HOW AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED, LEVELS OF EDUCATION, HOUSING CONDITIONS AND SO ON.
THIS INFORMATION IS VITAL FOR THE PLANNING OF HOUSING, EDUCATION, MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND FOR MANY OTHER PURPOSES INVOLVING BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS.
THE LAST TIME SUCH COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED WAS IN THE 1971 FULL CENSUS. FULL CENSUSES ARE USUALLY TAKEN EVERY 10 YEARS, BUT IT HAS BEEN FELT NECESSARY TO HOLD A CHECKING-UP OPERATION MID-TERM AS WAS DONE IN 1966.
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ENUMERATION WILL BE CARRIED OUT BY SOME 50 ENUMERATORS FOR THE MARINE CENSUS AND SOME 2,100 ENUMERATORS FOR THE LAND CENSUS. THE MAJORITY OF THEM WILL BE SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND
MATRICULATION CLASS STUDENTS, FULLY TRAINED IN ENUMERATION PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES.
EACH ENUMERATOR WILL BE ISSUED WITH A CENSUS IDENTITY CARD WHICH HE IS REQUIRED TO PRODUCE WHEN HE MAKES A VISIT. HE WILL ALSO TAKE AN OATH NOT TO DIVULGE ANY INFORMATION HE COLLECTS TO ANYONE NOT ENGAGED IN CENSUS WORK.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORMAL PRACTICE, INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION WILL BE TREATED AS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL TO THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT. THE CENSUS DATA EVENTUALLY RELEASED WILL BE IN SUCH A FORM THAT IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY ANY INDIVIDUAL OR HOUSEHOLD.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS RECOGNISED THAT ANSWERING THE QUESTIONNAIRE INEVITABLY INVOLVED SOME INCONVENIENCE TO THOSE CONCERNED. HOWEVER, THE DEPARTMENT HAD ALWAYS RECEIVED EXCELLENT COOPERATION FROM THE PUBLIC IN ITS VARIOUS SURVEYS OF THIS KIND AND HE HOPED THAT SIMMAR COOPERATION WOULD BE GIVEN IN THE FORTHCOMING EXERCISE.
HE STATED THAT PROVISIONAL POPULATION ESTIMATES BY AREA ARE EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION IN EARLY OCTOBER THIS YEAR.
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