sub new {
  $Census++;
  my $proto = shift;
  my $class = ref($proto) || $proto;
  my $self  = {};
  $self->{NAME}           = undef;
  $self->{DESCRIPTION}    = undef;
  $self->{INTERFACE}      = ([],[]);
  $self->{ROUTINGTABLE}   = ([],[]);
  $self->{SHAPEID}        = undef;
  $self->{MASTERSHAPE}    = undef;
  bless ($self, $class);
  return $self;
}