§ Sir JOHN WILLOX (Liverpool, Everton)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the last report of the medical officer of health for the city of Liverpool, in which allegations are made of the inaccuracy and unreliability of the census returns of the last census, and the consequent errors in the calculation of the mortality averages for the decennial period; and, whether measures will be adopted to ensure greater correctness in taking the next census by the employment of more competent enumerators or otherwise.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordThe question of my hon. friend appears to be founded on a misapprehension. No allegations are made in the report referred to of the inaccuracy and unreliability of the Census returns. The medical officer appeared to have been referring to the estimates of population in the years between 1881 and 1891. These estimates were based on the increase in population in the ten years between 1871 and 1881, and the result of the last Census showed that in the case of Liverpool the rate of increase had not been maintained. There appears, however, to be no reason to suppose that the Census returns themselves were inaccurate.