Census (1848) (WA)

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

ANNO DUODECIMO

VICTORIYE REGINA:.

No. IV.

An Ordinance for taking an account of the Population and of the amount of Live Stock and Crop and other Particulars of the Colony of Western Australia.

HEREAS it is expedient to make provision for ascertaining

-with accuracy the number of persons in the colony of West-

W ern Australia, together with the amount of live stock and crop and

12th Viet. No. 4. 1848,

Preamble.	other statistical particulars within the limits of the same ;—Be it en- acted, by His Excellency the Governor of Western Australia:and its Dependencies, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof; that it shall be la wful for his Excellency the Gov- ernor to cause a notice to be published in the Government Gazette,
Governor to cause notice
to be issued requiring	at such times as to His Excellency shall appear most advisable, re-
householders, Sec., to give	quiring every householder, employer of servants, and proprietor or
the information required
by this Ordinance.	occupier of land, or owner or person in charge of any sheep, cattle. or live stock of any description therein, upon a day specially appointed in any such notice or on the days immediately subsequent thereto, to fill up or be prepared to give all such information as may be required to fill up any such form or forms as may be tendered for the purpose, by such persons as shall be employed in manner hereinafter men- tioned to collect the same.

Governor to appoint II. AND be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for His Excellency

mation requiredctthis the Governor to appoint by notice in the usual manner in the Go- persons to colle byinfor-

Ordinance. vernment Gazette, such and so many competent persons as to His

Excellency shall seem fit, in the several districts of the colony to collect the information required, and the said persons shall on the day so appointed in such notice and on the days immediately subsequent thereto, if one day shall not be sufficient for the same, proceed to take an account in writing of the number of persons and the amount of live stock and crop at that time being within the limits of the dis- tricts respectively assigned to them, and to inform themselves of the several particulars specified in the said forms, distinguishing the dis- trict in which each person shall be or reside; and the better to enable the persons so appointed as aforesaid to take such sccounts, they are hereby authorised and empowered to ask such questions of the per- sons residing or being within their respective districts concerning themselves and the number, quality, age, and trade or calling of the persons constituting theit respective families, households, or estab- lishments, and all such other particulars as shall be necessary to fill up the said forms, and every such person refusing or neglecting to answer any such question, or wilfully giving a false answer thereto, shall, on conviction, fbr every such refusal or neglect, or for any such false answer thereto, forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding five pounds, at the discretion of the convicting Justices.

Persons appointed as a- foresaid are to transmitAND be it enacted, that the person so appointed as aforesaid, the returns to the officer shall within fourteen days after the day so appointed by notice as appointed to reeeiret bem. aforesaid, appear before some Justice of the Peace for the colony, and

1848.              12th Viet. No. 4.

produce the original accounts taken in writing and subscribed by them, and shall make and sign a solemn declaration before such Jus- tice of the Peace, who is hereby authorised to receive such declara- tion, that the statements therein contained are true to the best of their knowledge and belief, and shall answer all such questions concerning such accounts as shall be put to them by the said Justice of the Peace, and that the person so to be appointed as aforesaid, shall within thirty days after making such declaration as aforesaid, trans- mit to such officer or other person as may be publicly notified as ap- pointed by his Excellency the Governor to receive the same, the ori- ginal accounts so taken in writing and verified by their declaration as aforesaid, and if any such person shall fail or neglect to take such accounts, or shall knowingly make any false statement therein, or shall omit to verify or transmit the same in manner hereby required, or shall refuse to answer or wilfully give a false answer to any such question as last aforesaid, he shall on conviction forfeit and pay for every such offence any sum not exceeding five pounds, at the discre- tion of the convicting Justices. ,

IV.      AND be it enacted, that all informations and proceedings for Limitation of prosecuti-

offences against this Ordinance, shall be commenced within three ca- lender months after the offences thereby respectively charged shall have been committed, and shall be heard and determined, and the forfeitures and penalties in respect of the same shall be awarded and enforced in a summary manner before any two Justices of the Peace, Jurisdiction 7 Viet. No.

according to the provisions of an Ordinance passed in the 7th year 12•

of the Reign of Her present Majesty, intituled "an Ordinance to re-

gulate summary proceedings before Justices of the Peace."

V. AND be it enacted, that this Ordinance may he amended or °rainance may be re-

repealed by any Ordinance to be passed during the present session. Pealed.

FREDERICK CHIDLEY IRWIN,

GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

Passed the Council

25th July, 1848. j

WALKINSHAW COWAN,

Clerk of the Councils.

Printed by authority of the Government, by E. Stirling, Perth.