Sessional_Paper_1931 — Page 101

Sessional Papers 議政定例兩局文件 All

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in the New Territories the work of supervision was performed by the Police, each officer in charge of a Station being appointed Chief Enumerator for the area under his control. Officers in charge of Launches were also appointed Chief Enumerators for the area covered by them and they were responsible for enumerat- ing not only the land population in those areas which are accessible only by launch, but also the population afloat found within their "beat." It was not possible com- pletely to carry out in the New Territories the system of a preliminary canvass followed by a final revision, because some places are so inaccessible that one visit only could be made by launch. But in the main, the preliminary census completed by March 5 and revision was carried out on March 7 and 8.

was

The Census of the Mercantile Marine in harbour was supervised by the Chief Boarding Officer, and that of the Population Afloat by the Chief Junk Inspector and 11 Chief Enumerators. 302 Enumerators were appointed; 2 were employed at Stanley, 22 at Aberdeen, 22 at Shaukiwan, and the remainder in 8 sections into which the Harbour was divided. 140 sampans were engaged and the enumeration was carried out on March 7 and 8; no revision was, of course, possible. Each vessel, when enumerated, received a slip bearing a large red C which was pasted on a conspicuous part of the vessel to show that particulars of the occupants had been taken. This method was considered better than the white cross painted on the vessel on previous occasions, as being less easily copied.

An arrangement was also made with the Police who, by means of Patrols between the hours of 12.30 a.m. and 2.30 a.m. on Sunday, March 8, obtained figures of persons who have no fixed abode and were found sleeping in the streets, Only the numbers of each sex were reported as owing to an error in the instructions issued even an estimate of the ages was not obtained.

Some time before the Census Date an attempt was made to interest the population of the Colony in the purposes and methods of the Census by a series of articles in the Press. The original articles appeared in all the English papers and translations of portions of the articles appeared in the Chinese papers. A special article was written for use in Vernacular Schools and copies of this article together with specimen copies of the census forms were forwarded to all the schools in the Colony.

With such a system of canvasser enumerators, reasonably small districts, and preliminary propaganda of methods and intentions, accurate results were to be expected, even from a population which is admittedly difficult to count.

(3) PROGRESS AFTER CENSUS DAY.

(a) Preliminary Report.

The collection of the Schedules or Census Forms commenced early on the morning of Sunday, March 8. It proceeded fairly rapidly and the bulk of the forms: were in the hands of the enumerators by Monday, March 9. A considerable number were delivered, together with Enumerators' Summary Books, at the Census Office on Sunday, the day after Census Day, and the majority had been received, roughly checked, and laid aside by the evening of Tuesday, March 10.

The Summary Book formed a useful check on the work of the Enumerator. it a description of each building to be found in the Enumeration District had to be entered, the postal address given, the number of stories in the building, whether it was a tenement house or non-tenement, and whether it was occupied or vacant. Buildings in course of erection had also to be mentioned together with buildings not used for dwelling purposes. By checking each book against a description of the District prepared earlier, it was possible to discover whether any building had been omitted.

The enumerator entered up against each dwelling the numbers of the form or forms, issued and stated whether he had left them to be filled in by the occupants

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