422 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



the census of 1881 this was secured in the case of all the colonies 

 of the group except one, which preferred to adhere to a far less 

 comprehensive system, which had been handed down from darker 

 ages, but which had been abandoned by all the colonies, except 

 the one referred to, as not professing that precision of detail 

 which was necessary to render it suitable to the requirements of 

 the present time, and conformable with the state of perfection to 

 which statistics have attained in other countries. This is to be 

 regretted, as the fact of one colony being non-accordant, has 

 broken the uniformity between the statistical records of the 

 various colonies wliich is so desirable, and has rendered sum- 

 marised statements relating to the occupations pursued in the 

 whole of Australia, or the whole of Australasia impossible. Had 

 it lieen practicable to make correct comparisons between the 

 relative strength of the different occupations and callings pursued 

 in the colony referred to, and one of the others — her immediate 

 neighbour — much light might have been thrown upon the ques- 

 tion as to the relative merits of freetrade and protection, as well 

 as many other moot points and important social problems. It is 

 to be hoped that when the next simultaneous census is taken, 

 there may be no difference of opinion between the colonies as to 

 the propriety of adopting a uniform principle as to the compila- 

 tion and arrangement of the facts embodied in their census 

 schedules. 



The system pursued by the six colonies which worked in 

 uniformity provided for grouping the occupations of the people 

 in classes, orders, suborders and distinct callings. Of the last- 

 named there were 380, which were in at least one of the colonies, 

 and should have been in all, again subdivided, so that as many as 

 1,600 occupations were shown. This further subdivision, how- 

 ever, was not attempted generally throughout the group. It is 

 desirable it should be so in future, as, apart from the interest 

 and utility of having a statement of the occupations of the 

 people of the country published in almost the same words as they 

 were returned in by the persons who pursued them, such a state- 

 ment affords those who disagree with the mode of grouping- 

 adopted in the tables — respecting which there are many differences 

 of opinion — an opportunity of retabulating them, according to 

 any mode of classification they may consider more scientific and 

 useful. 



In one of the colonies, very interesting and curious particulars 

 were obtained from the census schedules, relating to the ordinary 

 occupations of the sick both in and out of hospitals, of the 

 inmates of Benevolent Asylums, Lunatic Asylums, and prisons, 

 and of those who at the time the census was taken were out of 

 work ; also, the occupations, if any, followed by the Chinese, the 

 aborigines, the deaf and dumb, the blind, and the graduates of 

 universities. As this information can be got out without much 



