The New Zealand government Department Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. Statistics New Zealand (Te Tari Tatau) is a New Zealand government department, and the source of the countrys official statistics. ... A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... A dwelling is a structure in which humans or other animals live. ...

The census officially occurs at midnight on a Tuesday in March. These are statistically the month and weekday on which New Zealanders are least likely to be travelling.

All census forms are hand delivered by census workers during the lead-in to the census, with one form per person and a special form with questions about the dwelling. In addition, teams of census workers attempt to cover all hospitals, campgrounds, workplaces and transport systems where people might be found at midnight.

History

The first full census in New Zealand was conducted in 1851, and the census was triennial until 1881 at which time it became five-yearly. The 1931 census was cancelled due to the effects of the Great Depression, as was the 1941 census due to World War II. 1951 was the first year in which Maori and European New Zealanders were treated equally, with Maori having had a different census form in previous years and separate censuses in the nineteenth century. Events January 23 - The flip of a coin determines whether a new city in Oregon is named after Boston, Massachusetts, or Portland, Maine, with Portland winning. ... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Great Depression was a massive global economic recession (or depression) that ran from 1929 to 1941. ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air, August 9, 1945 after the Allied atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. ... Te Puni, Māori Chief Māori is the name of the indigenous people of New Zealand, and their language. ...

Next census

The 2006 census will be held on Tuesday 7th March, 2006. For the first time, respondents will have the option of completing their census form via the internet rather than by a printed form. 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Objectors

A few people object to the census and attempt to evade it. The most famous of these is The Wizard of New Zealand, Ian Brackenberry-Channell, who has variously spent the night in a boat beyond New Zealand's 20 Km territorial limit and presented affidavits from followers who believe that he 'magically disappeared' for the night. The Wizard of New Zealand is also the Archwizard of Canterbury, a living work of art at the National Gallery of Victoria and the Robert MacDougall Art Gallery, and Cosmologer at the University of Melbourne. ... An affidavit is a formal sworn statement of fact, written down, signed, and witnessed (as to the veracity of the signature) by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public. ...

External link

• Statistics New Zealand's Census page