H.-12

4

Resolutions 18 to 30 deal with trade statistics, and recommend — (a.) The adoption of the calendar year for trade statistics for all parts of the Empire: (b.) The classification of imports under countries of origin, and exports under countries of final destination, in addition to any other basis (i.e., shipment or consignment) : (c.) A uniform classification of geographical divisions, and of the commodities comprised in imports and exports also, to be aimed at throughout the Empire : (V/.) The keeping throughout flic Empire, wherever possible, of separate records of transit and transhipment trade: (('■) The assignation to the proper import and export headings, whether separately or not, of imports and exports on Government account, and by parcels-post (and where, possible by registered post) : ■ (/.) The valuation of imports c.i.f. and of exports f.o.b. : (//.) Publication of monthly statements of imports and exports It is also recommended that special, studies should be made of the distribution of staple products of Empire origin, and that all trade returns should be accompanied by prefatory remarks explaining in some detail the basis on which imports, exports, re-exports, &c, are valued and their quantities verified; the method by which the statistics are collected and compiled, together with an explanation of the system of classification adopted and of the terms employed. A good deal of what is recommended is already done in New Zealand, but there are one or two important points raised which I propose to discuss with the Customs Department on my return. Any action required would be one for consideration by the Customs Department and the Census and Statistics Office jointly. Resolutions 31 to 54 relate to statistics of production, and fall under three heads, according as they relate to one or other of the following classes of statistics : (a) Agriculture (including pastoral) and fisheries; (b) mining and quarrying; (c) factory production. (a.) In connection with agricultural and pastoral statistics, the importance of systematic annual collections of statistics relating to areas devoted to agricultural and pastoral production, numbers of live-stock, and amount of produce, is stressed, together with the desirability of annual crop forecasts. It is also suggested that a valuation of agricultural and pastoral production should be made at least once in five years ; the values would be computed as nearly as possible on wholesale prices prevailing in the market nearest the place of production, due deductions being made from the gross produce for such products as are used by producers for seed, manure, or feeding of stock. The collection of statistics of the following is also recommended : Stocks of the principal agricultural and pastoral products, and the course of supplies; price quotations of agricultural produce; systems of land-tenure and irrigation; extent of land capable of being brought into agricultural and pastoral use; areas in forest; annual output of limber and other forest: produce; annual production of inland and sea fisheries. (b.) For mining, including quarries, &c, statistics are recommended showing production and finance, with particulars as to machinery employed, conditions and terms of labour, accidents, &c. : and it, is suggested that for statistics of mining production Ihe value of mineproducts at the mine itself should be taken regardless of any treatment the product may undergo subsequently, particulars as to such subsequent processes being included in the factory statistics. (c.) Complete annual statistics of all industrial (factory) production are also recommended. So far as the statistics of agricultural and pastoral prod net. ion are concerned, New Zealand is already doing practically all that is suggested, but in regard to both forestry and fisheries practically no particulars are at present available in New Zealand. There are also one or two other points arising out of these resolutions, such as periodic valuations of agricultural and pastoral production, particulars as to irrigation, further statistics of mining and quarrying, which will require attention. The annual collection of statistics of factory production in New Zealand was being taken when I left the Dominion, so that in this respect the resolution of the Conference was anticipated. One of the difficulties of dealing with these statistics is the range or size of factory to be covered. In the very small factories where proper books are not kept, although the total output and total expenditure are fairly correctly returned, the details of both output, and expenditure are so apparently unreliable that their inclusion in the tabulation lends to vitiate and destroy the value of the statistics, while the rejection and omission of such returns would quite seriously affect the totals of the factory production of the country., 1 discussed the point with (he Board of Trade Statistician, and was interested to find they had come to the same conclusion as we had in New Zealand —namely, that the best way to treat these small unreliable returns was to omit them from the main tabulation of the details, and to simply add their totals separately lo obtain the total factory production of the country, thus enabling the relations of the various factors entering into production for any industry to be set out accurately from year to year. Resolutions 55 to 66 deal with Ihe population census, and raise some very important points. Resolution 55 affirms that a decennial census is insufficient, and that the aim should be to take a census at intervals of not more than live years. A quinquennial census has been always taken in New Zealand. Resolution 56 recommends thai all censuses within the Empire should be taken in the same .year within two months before or after the 15th April. This is important to New Zealand, for it allows the selection of a dale in February when the weather is at its best for the work of the sub-enumerators in the country districts particularly. Resolutions 57 and 58 affirm that, the tie facto population should be taken, and that census legislation in each part of the Empire should be placed upon a permanent basis. New Zealand census gives the de facto population, and permanent legislation exists for the taking of the census. Resolutions 59 to 66 refer to the details of the census questionnaire and the presentation of the results, stressing the necessity for uniformity as to treatment of divorced persons and of fertility statistics; the importance of classifying workers both by industries and by personal occupations, and of obtaining particulars as to unemployment; while special attention is to be given to inquiries as to aliens.