A Statistics New Zealand employee appears to have threatened a Hamilton woman with prosecution for not filling out a survey.
The woman's partner, who asked to remain anonymous, posted a photo of the threat on Facebook.
"This is a compulsory govt survey. I am the local area leader for Stats NZ and we will pursue prosecution if you fail to comply," the note reads.
"We are somewhat dismayed at you refusing to talk to [us]."
The threat was scrawled on a note bearing an official Statistics NZ letterhead. The pre-printed message reads: "You have been selected to participate in a Statistics New Zealand survey. Sorry I missed you when I called today."
The Hamilton man who posted the threat to Facebook said his partner was too busy to talk when Stats NZ came knocking. He told Newshub the staff member may have been "having a bad morning".
"I appreciate they've got a job to do but threatening legal action seems a bit of an extreme way to go," his post to Facebook read.
Statistics NZ told Newshub it was looking into the circumstances of the note. It's not clear yet what survey the Hamilton man's partner was being asked to take part in.
In 2008 a Wairarapa man was threatened with a $500 fine after he asked to be excused from taking part in Statistics NZ's Survey of Family, Income and Employment.
Under the Statistics Act 1975, Kiwis asked to take part in a survey by Statistics NZ have to do so, or could face prosecution. In 2013, 46 people were convicted for failing to take part in the census.
Statistics NZ says prosecutions are rare outside of the census, however.
"The usefulness of the information collected from these surveys relies on attaining consistently high response rates," its website reads.
Newshub.
