The instructions that come with the Census forms clearly state 'The census is on Tuesday 5 March 2013”. To me this means the forms are to be completed on that date.

So why are the census staff who are delivering forms to households prior to the census date advising residents 'You can complete these forms now”? I have heard this comment from a number of people from different locations in Tauranga. The effect of completing the forms prior to the specified date is that the census results will be inaccurate eg Individuals completing the forms prior to the specified date could in the meantime die (heaven forbid), give birth to a baby or leave the country. If my memory serves me correctly, in the past the census instructions stated the forms were to be completed 'in the evening” of census day. The whole point of the census is to get an overall snapshot of the population on a stated day.

So what is the point in specifying a date for the census if forms can be completed any time before census day? Unless the forms are completed on the stated day, in my opinion the whole exercise is a waste of time.

Roger Bailey, Papamoa.