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would not in any case be associated with a diminished population
as has actually occurred during the last six months of the year.
It is to be remembered, however, that the population is
estimated on the assumption that the average number of
persons per house as ascertained at the census remains constant
throughout the intercensal period. This average number of
persons per house is an expression for the whole District, which may
be said to discount the tendency of older houses to increase their
average number of persons and of new houses to be occupied by
considerably fewer persons than the average for the District.
Although this assumption is subject to error from fluctuation, the
intercensal fluctuations are inestimable, and experience has shown
that, by taking the datum as constant, the error falls within the
range of practical utility.