D0167: Australian Gallup Poll, October, 1955
POLLING ORGANISATION Roy Morgan Research Centre SURVEY METHOD Each weekend, 110 trained interviewers were sent to different but randomly- selected "cluster points" spread in proportion to population over cities and country areas throughout Australia excluding the ACT and the Northern Territory. Interviewers were instructed to commence interviewing at the dwelling adjacent to, and at the right of, the random start and to interview one individual there and, moving in a clockwise fashion around the block, in each adjacent dwelling until a cluster of 10 individuals was interviewed. Interviews were conducted during daylight hours, on Saturdays and Sundays when most people were at home. Each weekend, an Australia-wide cross-section of about 2,200 different adults aged 21 years and over from 110 districts were therefore interviewed. This poll is based on 2,022 interviews conducted in October 1955 BACKGROUND VARIABLES age / sex / economic classification / occupation / religion / location / vote at last Federal election / voting intention / car ownership / telephone subscriber / political complexion / WEIGHTING The responses are unweighted. A weighting variable (WEIGHT) is included in the data file to indicate the interviewer workloads selected for duplication. THEMES - NAMES AND RESPONSES 1a. The first question is about speed limits? Do you favor, or oppose, a speed limit in built-up areas? If 'FAVOR': What limit do you favor? Category label Code Count Percent 5 3 .1 10 5 .2 12 2 .1 15 45 2.2 20 136 6.7 25 266 13.2 27 4 .2 30 1148 56.8 35 250 12.4 40 74 3.7 45 5 .2 50 4 .2 NO LIMIT 98 62 3.1 MISSING 99 18 .9 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 1b. An what about a speed limit on country roads - do you favor or oppose that? Category label Code Count Percent 15 1 .0 20 6 .3 25 6 .3 30 57 2.8 35 44 2.2 40 216 10.7 45 180 8.9 50 646 31.9 55 51 2.5 60 152 7.5 65 7 .3 70 9 .4 75 1 .0 80 1 .0 NO LIMIT 98 605 29.9 MISSING 99 40 2.0 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 1c. Are you a car driver? Category label Code Count Percent NO 0 787 38.9 YES 11 1188 58.8 MISSING 12 47 2.3 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 2a. The next question is about mid-week races. Are you for, or against, mid-week races, on courses in capital cities? Category label Code Count Percent FOR 1 603 29.8 AGAINST 2 796 39.4 NO OPINION 3 616 30.5 MISSING 4 7 .3 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 2b. Do you go to the races? if 'YES': Often or only occasionally? Category label Code Count Percent OFTEN 4 90 4.5 OCCASIONALLY 5 726 35.9 NEVER 6 1159 57.3 MISSING 7 47 2.3 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 3a. And now a question about hotels on Sundays. Would you favor, or oppose, opening hotel bars on Sunday, the same as Saturday? Category label Code Count Percent UNDECIDED 0 62 3.1 OPPOSE 11 1589 78.6 YES, FAVOR 12 371 18.3 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 3b. If 'OPPOSE': Do you think hotels should, or should not, be allowed to open for about 2 hours on Sunday afternoon? Category label Code Count Percent YES, OPEN 1 341 16.9 NO 2 1226 60.6 UNDECIDED 3 47 2.3 NOT ASKED 4 371 18.3 MISSING 5 37 1.8 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 3c. Should they be allowed to sell liquor with meals on Sunday? Category label Code Count Percent YES 4 1141 56.4 NO 5 536 26.5 UNDECIDED 6 99 4.9 MISSING 7 246 12.2 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 3d. Should people who have traveled long distances be allowed to get drinks at any time on Sundays? Category label Code Count Percent YES 7 980 48.5 NO 8 694 34.3 UNDECIDED 9 100 4.9 MISSING 10 248 12.3 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 3e. If 'YES' on (d): How far, at least, should they have traveled? Category label Code Count Percent 0 6 .3 1 30 1.5 2 93 4.6 3 134 6.6 4 55 2.7 5 263 13.0 6 48 2.4 7 7 .3 8 17 .8 9 1 .0 10 196 9.7 12 4 .2 15 21 1.0 16 2 .1 18 1 .0 20 30 1.5 25 2 .1 30 1 .0 50 3 .1 70 1 .0 NOT ASKED 98 1042 51.5 NO IDEA 99 65 3.2 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 4a. In a few months, there'll be a referendum in Victoria, on whether to close hotel sat 6 o'clock or 10 o'clock (on week days and Saturdays). If you were voting today at the referendum, would you probably vote for 6 o'clock closing, 10 o'clock closing? Category label Code Count Percent NO OPINION 0 96 4.7 10 PM 11 1223 60.5 6 PM 12 703 34.8 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 4b. Are you a teetotaller, or do you have an occasional drink? Category label Code Count Percent YES 1 495 24.5 NO 2 1472 72.8 MISSING 3 55 2.7 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 5a. WAGES AND HOURS: Do you think such things as the 40 hour week and changes in the basic wage, should be decided ... by Federal Parliament, or by the Arbitration Court? (Read 5 forms as ...'by the Arbitration Court or by Federal Parliament?') Category label Code Count Percent PARLIAMENT 3 273 13.5 COURT 4 1351 66.8 NO OPINION 5 372 18.4 MISSING 6 26 1.3 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 5b. Would you suggest any (other) changes in the Federal Arbitration system? Category label Code Count Percent YES 6 313 15.5 NO 7 1361 67.3 MISSING 8 348 17.2 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 6a. ELECTION PROSPECTS: If a Federal election were being held today, which party do you think you would probably vote for? Category label Code Count Percent LABOR 1 791 39.1 LIBERAL 2 867 42.9 COUNTRY PARTY 3 140 6.9 COMMUNIST 4 4 .2 INDEPENDENT 5 10 .5 UNDECIDED 6 189 9.3 MISSING 7 21 1.0 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 6b. As you know, there's a fine for NOT voting at Federal elections. If there were no fine, do you think you would always vote for not? Category label Code Count Percent NO 11 349 17.3 YES, ALWAYS 12 1585 78.4 MISSING 13 88 4.4 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 7. On this card (HAND CARD) are some things which may worry people. Which of them are causing you some concern at present? CIRCLE AFTER ALL NAMED Category label Code Count Percent HOUSING P1Q71 250 12.5 SECURITY P1Q72 406 20.3 INCOME P1Q73 436 21.8 WAR P1Q74 430 21.5 NO WORK P1Q75 127 6.3 OWN HEALTH P1Q76 330 16.5 FAMILY HEALTH P1Q77 365 18.2 NONE OF THEM P1Q78 675 33.7 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 8a. GOVERNMENT POLICY: Did you read, or hear about, the Government's cutting hire purchase, bank lending, and imports? Category label Code Count Percent NO 11 113 5.6 YES 12 1873 92.6 MISSING 13 36 1.8 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 8b. Do you favor, or oppose, the restrictions on hire purchase? Category label Code Count Percent YES, FAVOR 1 967 47.8 OPPOSE 2 829 41.0 NO OPINION 3 194 9.6 MISSING 4 32 1.6 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 8c. And the tightening of bank credit? Category label Code Count Percent FAVOR 4 515 25.5 OPPOSE 5 1135 56.1 NO OPINION 6 338 16.7 MISSING 7 34 1.7 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 8d. And do you favor, or oppose, the import cuts? Category label Code Count Percent FAVOR 7 866 42.8 OPPOSE 8 727 36.0 NO OPINION 9 388 19.2 MISSING 10 41 2.0 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 8e. Which of those three changes, do you think, may affect you in some way? CIRCLE AFTER THOSE NAMED Category label Code Count Percent Dichotomy label Name Count Cases NONE OF THEM P1Q81 285 14.6 IMPORT P1Q82 397 20.3 BANK P1Q83 426 21.8 H.P. P1Q84 1048 53.7 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 9. WEEK-ENDS OFF FOR PRISONER: It's been suggested that long-term prisoners - well-behaved and near the end of their sentences - should be allowed to go home one week-end a month. Are you for, or against that proposal? Category label Code Count Percent NO OPINION 0 193 9.5 AGAINST 11 876 43.3 YES, FOR 12 953 47.1 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 10a. DEATH PENALTY: In your opinion, should a MAN convicted of brutal murder be hanged, or not? Category label Code Count Percent YES, HANG 1 1359 67.2 NO 2 496 24.5 NO OPINION 3 158 7.8 MISSING 4 9 .4 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 10b. And what of a woman? Category label Code Count Percent YES, HANG 4 1215 60.1 NO 5 613 30.3 NO OPINION 6 171 8.5 MISSING 7 23 1.1 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 10c. To help classify answers to this question, would you mind telling me your religion? Category label Code Count Percent ROMAN CATHOLIC 1 382 18.9 CHURCH ENGLAND 2 846 41.8 PRESBYTERIAN 3 247 12.2 METHODIST 4 259 12.8 BAPTIST 5 43 2.1 PROTESTANT 6 47 2.3 OTHER CHRISTIAN 7 94 4.6 NON-CHRISTIAN 8 12 .6 NO RELIGION 9 23 1.1 MISSING 10 69 3.4 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0 11. RUSSIA: Recently some American and Russian farmers visited each other's country. Do you think similar visits between Australian and Russian Farmers would be a good idea, or not? Category label Code Count Percent YES, GOOD 7 1473 72.8 NO 8 331 16.4 NO IDEA 9 198 9.8 MISSING 10 20 1.0 ------- ----- Total responses 2022 100.0
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