✨ Census and Statistical Analysis
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other New Zealand Ports, Southland suffering thereby not only in revenue but in relative importance.
Tables 1, 2, 7, and 8 may be relied upon as correct, with the exception of the number of rooms in the houses, which in many of the Census papers is not stated; in every such case the houses have been classed as 1 or 2-roomed.
Tables 3 and 4, from imperfections in the Census papers, are not so reliable as the former, but may be considered sufficiently accurate for the purposes for which they are likely to be required.
Tables 5 and 6 are given as the best that could be made, the returns of "Religious Denominations" and "Degree of Education" being very imperfect; they may, however, be taken to be near approximates to correct results, with the exceptions of the columns headed "Insufficient Returns" and "No Returns."
Some of the imperfections may be attributed to the captiousness of individuals, and others to carelessness, either in the persons making the returns or in the sub-enumerators. Many imperfections, attributable to the former cause, occur in the column of the Census paper headed "Religious Denomination," in which the term "Catholic" appears to have been claimed alike by Members of the Church of Rome, Members of the Church of England, and some others. Many others are described as "Protestant," a definition as wide as the former; both these classes, with some others, are included under the head of "Insufficient Returns."
It is much to be regretted that the Table of the "Degree of Education" should be included in the imperfect list. This heading in many of the Census papers is filled in with vague terms, which are made to apply to all the members of a family, however young some of them may be; in others information not required is given, and that which is required is not given.
It should be borne in mind by persons filling up Census papers that the information required from them is such and such only as will enable the compiler of the respective Census to classify them as units of the respective classes to which they belong. The object being to obtain the totals of each class, the information from individuals is necessary for that purpose, and only valuable as far as it facilitates this end: therefore all vague and singular descriptions are simply valueless.
It may be as well to notice before closing these remarks that the Imports for the month of January, 1863, amount to £35,725, showing that the Commerce of the Province is extending in a still increasing ratio.
Invercargill, Feb., 1863.
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Southland Provincial Gazette 1863, No 39
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Southland Provincial Census and Statistics for 1862
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🏛️ Governance & Central AdministrationCensus, Population, Stock, Improved Land, Revenue, Customs, Imports, Exports, Southland