Captain BALFOURasked the Minister of Health if he will consider the employment in each area of local unemployed possessing the necessary qualifications on extra work entailed in the preparation for and carrying out of the forthcoming census?
2139W
§ Mr. MARSHALLasked the Minister of Health if, when making arrangements for the census to be taken, he will consider the advisability of employing men from the Employment Exchanges to distribute and collect the necessary forms?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI have, of course, given the most careful consideration to this matter, since all would agree that the unemployed should have the maximum opportunity of work consistent with success in carrying out the census work, which, I may observe, so far as it is enumeration, does not last very long. It is a condition of such success that persons recruited as enumerators must be fully qualified for the work and must also be so situated that they can be relied on to be available for instruction during the necessary interval between their appointment and the census and to do the work without fail when the day comes. Therefore, enumerators are required to bind themselves under penalty not to make default. Wholesale recourse to the unemployed in such conditions is not consistent either with their interests or with safety in the census arrangements, since if offered regular work in the interval they must refuse the offer or make default. I have, however, taken all steps practicable to see that full consideration is given to unemployed persons with the necessary qualifications so situated that they can be relied on to do the work efficiently when the time comes. The success of the census enumeration has, however, to be the paramount factor in deciding what can and should be done.