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POPULATION CENSUS IN 1981
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THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO HOLD THE NEXT POPULATION CENSUS IN 1981. THE LAST FULL CENSUS WAS CARRIED OUT IN 1971, AND A BY- CENSUS IN 1976 BASED ON A 10 PER CENT SAMPLE OF THE POPULATION.
A PILOT CENSUS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH THIS YEAR TO TEST VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE CENSUS ORGANISATION AND TO CORRECT ANY DEFECTS WHICH MAY EMERGE.
THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN LAYING GROUNDWORK FOR THE CENSUS. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT URGED THE PUBLIC TO CO-OPERATE WITH ITS ENUMERATORS WHEN THEY CALL ON THEM.
HE EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CENSUS FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY: +WE MUST HAVE UP-TO-DATE AND ACCURATE INFORMATION ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION IN ORDER TO MAKE MEANINGFUL PLANS.+
+WE CANNOT DO WITHOUT SUCH PLANS IF WE WANT TO HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING AND ADEQUATE TRANSPORT FOR OURSELVES, EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN, AND THE MANY OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THOSE IN SPECIAL NEED.
+FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT DISABLED PEOPLE AND THE IR PROBLEMS IN HONG KONG SO AS TO BETTER HELP THEM, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE PILOT CENSUS WILL COVER BOTH THE FLOATING AS WELL AS THE LAND POPULATION, THE SURVEY OF THE MARINE POPULATION WILL BE HELD FROM FEBRUARY 12 TO 15 IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR, WHEN ALL FISHERFOLKS WILL HAVE RETURNED TO BASE- AND OF THE LAND POPULATION FROM MARCH 7 TO 16.
ONE THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS FROM DIFFERENT TYPES OF VESSELS IN THREE MARINE DISTRICTS ABERDEEN, YAU MA TEI AND CAUSEWAY BAY WILL BE RANDOMLY SELECTED FOR THIS PILOT CENSUS. ON LAND, 20 000 HOUSEHOLDS FROM VARIOUS TYPES OF LIVING QUARTERS IN 11 LAND DISTRICTS WILL BE SIMILARLY SELECTED SO THAT AN ENTIRE CROSS-SECTION OF THE POPULATION WILL BE COVERED. HOUSEHOLDS IN PERMANENT LIVING QUARTERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BEFORE HAND BY THE DEPARTMENT.
THE SPOKESMAN ASSURED ALL THOSE WHO WILL BE TAKING PART IN THE CENSUS THAT ANY INFORMATION THEY SUPPLY WILL BE TREATED AS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
THE ENUMERATORS WILL BE UNDER OATH NOT TO DISCLOSE THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE CENSUS. THE DATA WILL BE PROCESSED BY COMPUTER AND THE OUTPUT WILL BE IN AGGREGATED FORM, MAKING INDIVIDUAL PARTICULARS UNIDENTIFIABLE. FURTHERMORE, ALL COMPLETED CENSUS SCHEDULES WILL BE DESTROYED WITHIN 12 MONTHS AFTER THE CENSUS.
THE CENSUS WILL BE A TWO-PHASE OPERATION, WITH ALL PERSONS BEING ASKED TO GIVE A FEW BASIC DETAILS, SUCH AS AGÉ, SEX AND RELATIONSHIP TO HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD AND A 20 PER CENT SAMPLE BEING ASKED FOR FURTHER PERSONAL PARTICULARS, SUCH AS EDUCATION AND TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT, INCOME,(AND INTERNAL MOVEMENT. THE FLOATING POPULATION WILL BE ASKED FOR ALL OF THE DETAILED INFORMATION.
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