REPORTING THE DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 43, 18 November 1871, Page 6

REPORTING THE DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT.

The Reporting Debates Committee of the Legislative Council have made the following report upon this subject: — Your committee, having considered a proposal submitted to them by Mr M'Kenzie, the proprietor of the Independent newspaper, beg to report as follows, viz : —Mr M'Eenzie proposes in future to publish in the Independent, for the sum of £55 3s weekly, the debates of both Houses of the Legislature, day by day, for four days in each week, to the extent of fourteen columns in brevier type daily, striking off 2,000 copies, the amount of his daily issue, and delivering to Parliament, free of charge, 150 copies. He further proposes, ‘in addition to this, to make up 500 copies in Hansard form weekly, the paper being supplied to him in the latter case, which would cost about £3 15s per week in addition. The reporting stuff to be, as at present, provided by and under the control of Parliament, and printed slips of the Independent issue to be supplied to members for correction, and when such corrections are made (at a charge of Is 6d an hour), the matter to be made up in the Hansard form.

The arguments adduced in favor of this proposal are stated to be, a much earlier and more reliable report; the consequent early reproduction in the newspapers of this and other provinces ; the benefits arising from each branch of the Legislature being daily in possession of the other’s proceedings ; the gain in time, money, and efficiency, especially showing itself in the relief to the Government Printing Office; the consequent rapidity in printing bills, returns, and other papers, thereby enabling it to do all the necessary work without recourse to private printing establishments.

Your Committee proceeded to take the evidence of Mr Didsbury, the Government Printer, which may be summarised as follows : —He regards the proposals as possessing many obvious advantages, both to members, the public, and to the printing department, if the reports were considerably condensed, so as to induce other newspapers to devote sufficient space to their reproduction, and if the departure of steamers were more regular and at shorter intervals. It appears from Ins evidence that the Hansard of last session contained 1,795 pages, and that the number of sitting days was 57 —or, in other words, that the daily average length of the Parliamentary report was 31£ pages of Hansard, which might be regarded as equal to 25 columns of the Independent. The daily average is less this year, but will increase, as is invariably the case, towards the end of the session. The saving in paper by condensation of reports would be considerable ; the contract printing, which costs during a session between £4OO and £450, would be saved; and also the binding of the bi-weekly pamphlet of Hansard, which costs about £ls per week. The expense of printing and publishing Hansard, exclusive of the cost of t he reporting staff, was, in 1869, £1,792; in 1870, £1,742 ; and will probably be about- £1,630 for this year, reckoning for 57 sitting days, and about 28 pages of Hansard per day. The expense of correcting speeches was, in 1869, about £200; in 1870, £170; and will probably be about £42 this year, principally owing in the latter case to the corrections being made generally in manuscript. Mr Didsbury considers that to print 500 copies of Hansard in the Government printing office, containing the amount of matter Mr M'Kenzie proposes to publish in the Independent, would cost about £4O per week, exclusive of paper. Your Committee next proceeded to take the evidence of Mr Barron, the chief of the Reporting Staff, who, in reply to questions put to him, 6tuted that he could not see that the reports would be earlier unless published on the following morning; nor so reliable, and certainly nob more useful, unless at once corrected. Neither does he believe that other journals would reproduce long debates except in cases where local interests were concerned ; nor that the proposal offers any inducement in regard to taring in time or gain in efficiency. The expense of the Reporting Staff may be thus stated :

To carry out a system of greater condensation, Mr Barron is of opinion that a smaller stuff of, reporters would suffice; but that they should be on the permanent staff, receiving an increased salary, and that there should be little or no appeal from the reporter’s judgment. It appears that when there are urgent demands for the services of a short hand writer in a select committee, it is met, without interference with Hanaard, by permission being given to a reporter to perform the work, charging two guineas a sitting, and one shilling per folio for transcribing In the colony of Victoria the Hansard staff consists of three reporters, each receiving £SOO a year on a permanent engagement, their time during the recess being at their own disposal. The reports of the debates are furnished weekly to the Government printer. Though Members of Parliament are not, as a rule, furnished with proof slips for correction, yet, occasionally, when desired, they are so furnished ; but the admission of any corrections is entirely subject to the approval of the reporter. It appears that the emendations have generally been very trifling, and it is said that not a single substantial complaint has been brought against the reporting staff. The nature of the reports depends upon the importance of the subject and the character of the speech ; sometimes it assumes the form of a verbatim report, at other times it is a mere epitome. The expense of printing may

be roughly calculated at about £8 a sheet of 16 pages, and the average cost of Hansard (reporting, printing, paper, &c., but not binding) at about £2250. It. appears, from information received, that the “Argus” devotes about twelve columns daily to reporting debates, and to effect this requires the services of eight short-hand winters, as three hours are required to transcribe half an hour’s short-hand notes. In South Australia there has been a contract existing since 1868 between the Government and three private gentlemen for the publication of a report of the debates and proceedings of the two Houses of Assembly, which embodies the following provisions : The contractors agree to prepare, edit, print, and publish daily, either in brevier, emerald, minion, or nonpareil type, in the “South Australian Register,” and weekly in the “ Observer,” newspapers, reports of the debates, to consist of a fair abstract of matters of public interest, and to furnish daily, on the morning following the debate, proof slips to each member, reasonable alteration and correction to be made without charge if the slips are returned on the day following their receipt ; and in case of difference occurring in regard to corrections, the decision of a referee, appointed by the Government, shall be fiual. Within one month of the close of the session, 250 copies of the reports of the session, in large octavo, printed either in brevier, emerald, minion, or nonpareil type, bound in cloth and lettered, with complete indices, shall be delivered to the Chief Secretary. For all the purposes of the agreement, the Government have undertaken to pay the sum of £5 per day for each day’s report and publication, and a further sum of £250 on the delivery of the 250 bound copies, —the Government reserving the right, upon resolution of the Houses of Assembly, to terminate the agreement at one month’s notice, and not more than three months from the passing of such resolution, if the reports are incorrect, defective, or not according to a fair construction of the contract.

In Queensland the reporting staff consists of three reporters, each receiving £4OO per annum on a permanent engagement ; their time during the recess being at their own disposal. The proof sheets are issued weekly, the reporters exercising their own judgment in admitting or erasing the alterations which have been made. Though sometimes engaged in Select Committee reporting also, it is found to be practically impossible to overtake both duties without increasing the staff. During the recess the reporters, if employed on boards of investigation end inquiries, make the usual professional charge of two guineas a sitting, and Is per folic for transcription is charged. Your committee have now only to bring the information thus gathered to a focus, and to submit a recommendation for consideration.

Mr Didsbury, the Government printer, considers the expense of Hansard, when finally issued, bound, with indices complete, at about £235 per week, including the intermediate issues, or, in an ordinary session, about £3,000.

Viewing, then, all the circumstances of the case, the local means at the command of the press, the comparatively limited number of local readers, the difficulties attending a condensed report, the long and uncertain intervals in the communications between the different parts of the colony, the indisposition of editors of papers away from the Seat of Government to reprint or circulate the arrears of debates, and the various other disadvantages, —your committee do not see their way to recommend a daily condensed report in any one of the local newspapers ; but should any alteration be made, they are of opinion that the system which prevails in South AustJalia is that best adapted to suit the requirements of the colony; which, in the judgment of intelligent and able reporters, would give the public all that is worth knowing, in a compact form, and at short intervals, J. Richardson, Chairman.

1869. 1870. 1871. Chief Reporter ... £500 £500 £500 Reporters at £200 600 600 400 Sessional Reporters 252 351 468 £1,352 £1,451 £1,368