ENG-1961 — Page 39

24

REVIEW

in the pilot land census held in October 1960; so that most people met somebody who had been in the sample. These two pilot censuses enabled an estimate to be prepared of the total population, perhaps the first estimate since the Pacific War compiled entirely from statistically valid data. The estimate announced on 9th January 1961 was that the population on 25th October 1960 had been 3,193,197 ± 138,670.

One further sample survey was ordered after the census. This was the post-enumeration check held on 8th and 9th April 1961. This was a very small sample (only 3,637 households or non- household units out of 690,209) but being taken in statistically ideal conditions the results command a high degree of confidence. From the general reader's point of view the most important object of this check was to assess the degree of over-enumeration (i.e. persons enumerated more than once) and under-enumeration (i.e. persons omitted). Census takers are usually happy if they find their figures to command a confidence of 99%. The values found here were two-thirds of one per cent under-enumerated and less than one-tenth of one per cent over-enumerated. It can therefore be said that the total census figures are correct to within twenty thousand, which is better than 99%.

Twenty two days after census day the first results were announced in the shape of a total for males and females in each district. This was a ‘crude' total, compiled from the returns made by enumerators in the field, but it differed only narrowly from the final figure. A mechanically verified figure was issued on 30th May after each card had passed once through the counting machines, and the final corrected figure was issued on 12th October. It was 1,610,650 males and 1,522,481 females, 3,133,131 in all, including 3,483 persons classified as transients.

Comparison with previous censuses and estimates showed moderate increases on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon proper and among the boat population, but phenomenal increases in New Kowloon and several parts of the New Territories. This was not a surprise, because it meant only that the people were going where there was more room for them. (See map opposite). Hong Kong Island had just over a million people of whom 674,962,