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Canterbury Provincial Ordinances |
1. The Census Ordinance 1855.
Whereas an Ordinance was passed by the Governor-in- Chief and Legislative
Council of the Islands of New Zealand, entituled " An Ordinance
for taking a
Census of the Colony of New Zealand, Session XI, No. 8:" And Whereas it is
expedient that further provisions should
be made for obtaining full statistical
infornnation respecting the Province of Canterbury and the inhabitants
thereof:
Be it therefore enacted by the Superintendent of the said Province, with the
advice and consent of the Provincial Council thereof
as follows:—
1. Census to be taken at certain times.
A Census of the number and condition of the Inhabitants of the Province of
Canterbury shall be taken in the first, fourth, and seventh
years of every
decade of years, and in such other years as the Superintendent, with the advice
of the Executive Council shall think
fit, upon the days and in the manner
hereinafter provided.
2. Superintendent to appoint Collectors of Census.
The Superintendent shall appoint fit and proper persons to collect the said
Census, and may cause a reasonable allowance to be made
to any such person, not
exceeding Twenty Shillings a day for every day during which he shall be actually
employed in collecting thc
said Census.
3. Superintendent to publish notice of Census to be taken.
The Superintendent shall, on or before the First day in January in each year in which it is intended such Census shall be taken, cause a Notice to be published in all the Newspapers within the Province, and to be affixed in such conspicuous places as he shall think fit, calling upon every Householder to be prepared, on
the Fifteenth day of January, or so soon thereafter as he shall be required
by any Collector duly authorised, to give all such information
as is required by
the Schedule hereunto annexed.
4. Schedules, when to be left at houses and filled in.
Every such Collector shall, on or before the Tenth day of January in each
year in which it is intended such Census shall be taken,
leave at every house
within the district assigned to him a Schedule, being a blank copy of the
Schedule hereunto annexed; and every
Householder able to write, shall, on the
Fifteenth day of January, furnish, in writing, the information required by the
said Schedule,
by filling up the same, and subscribing his name at the foot
thereof, and shall deliver the same to any such Collector on demand.
5. If master of house absent, Schedule by whom to be filled in.
If the Master of any house shall have been absent therefrom on the Fifteenth
day of January, it shall be lawful for any competent
person resident therein, to
fill up and sign the said Schedule on behalf of the said Householder.
6. Collector to call for Schedules, if not filled in, Collector to obtain necessary information.
Every such Collector shall, as soon after the Fifteenth day of January as
possible, call at every house in his district to collect
the Schedules; and is
hereby authorised to put such questions as may be necessary to the complete
filling up thereof to any Householder,
who, from inability to write, may not
have duly filled up the same; or, in case of the absence of such householder, to
any other
person who may be resident in such house; and the Collector shall
thereupon himself fill up the Schedule with the information so
supplied, and
shall sign the same.
7. In certain cases Collectors may call only once at each house.
And whereas, by reason of the population being thinly scattered over some
parts of the said Province, the said Collectors could not
conveniently leave the
Schedules and call for the same at each house as hereinbefore required without
much unnecessary loss of time
and expense be it enacted, it shall be lawful for
the Superintendent to authorise the Collectors, in such parts as he shall think
fit, to call only once at each house therein upon the Fifteenth day of January,
or so soon after as possible, and to obtain, by enquiry,
from the Master of such
house, or, in his absence, from any other person resident therein, such
information as may be necessary to
enable him to fill up the said Schedule; and
the Collector shall in such case fill up and sign the said Schedule.
8. Penalties for refusal or neglect in filling in Schedules or for making false
Returns.
Every Householder who shall wilfully refuse, or, without lawful excuse,
neglect to fill up the said Schedule to the best of his knowledge
and belief, or
to sign and deliver the same, or shall make, sign or deliver, or shall cause to
be made, signed, or delivered any
false Return of any of the matters specified
in the said Schedule, and any person whatever who shall refuse to answer, or
wilfully
give a false answer to any such questions as aforesaid, shall, for
every such refusal, neglect, or wilful false answer, upon conviction
before any
two Justices of the Peace, forfeit a sum not exceeding Five Pounds, nor less
than Twenty Shillings.
9. Penalty on Collector for neglect of duty.
Every such Collector who shall have been duly appointed, and shall have consented to act under the authority of this Ordinance, and who shall thereafter refuse, or shall wilfully neglect to fulfil the duties of such his office, not being hindered by illness or other sufficient cause, shall, upon conviction of such
refusal or neglect, before any two Justices of the Peace, be liable to a
penalty not exceeding Ten Pounds.
10. Superintendent may issue instructions for collecting Native Census.
It shall be lawful for the Superintendent, any of the provisions herein
contained notwithstanding, to issue such Instructions as he
shall collecting
think fit to the said Collectors, or any of them, for collecting the Census of
the Native Inhabitants of the said
Province, and such Instructions shall be
taken and deemed to be a part of this Ordinance, and shall be received and
complied with
accordingly by any Collectors to whom the same shall have been
addressed: Provided that no Native person shall be liable to any fine
or penalty
imposed under the provisions of this Ordinance.
11. Collectors to return Schedules within one month to Provincial
Secretary.
The several Collectors shall return the Schedules within one Collectors to
return month after they shall have been filled up, into
the Office of the
Provincial Secretary, unless reasonable cause shall be shewn to the
contrary.
12. Superintendent to publish totals of Returns in Gazette.
The Superintendent shall cause the totals of the Returns contained in the
said Schedules for each District to be made up, so soon
as conveniently may be,
after they shall have been sent in to the Secretary, and shall publish the same
in the Government Gazette
of the Province.
13. Original Schedules to be deposited in Public Record Office.
So soon as the said Returns shall have been published, the original Schedules
shall be deposited in the Office of Public Records,
and shall be preserved
therein.
14. Title.
This Ordinance shall be entituled and may be cited as the “Census
Ordinance, Session V., No. 1.”
Schedule. Census Form.
Note.
This Ordinance was passed by the Canterbury Provincial Council on 17th October 1855, and assented by the Superintendent on 23rd October. It was annulled by the Census Act 1858.
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URL: http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/can_ord/co1855149