Hansard Ranks Are Depleted

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 49, 20 May 1927, Page 10

Hansard Ranks Are Depleted

SHORT OF RECRUITS TALK MUST BE NOTED (From Our Resident Reporter,, WELLINGTON, Wednesday If the Parliamentary session is tc be a long one—as appears imminent W the Prime Minister’s prediction— tk. recorders of House and Councadl bates will require to be in more than usual note-taking and typing f or T Just a little concern is felt at the moment by the remnants of tile Han sard army because of three vacancies which will require to be filled belote the staff is at its recognised imota. Recruits to the ranks will have to be readily adaptable, prepared to work at full pressure from the start, and the question in the Hansard gal.ery isWhere are the men coming from? The chief reporter, Mr. D. Cameron retires on superannuation before the commencement of the coming session after a very lengthy period of service in the House; while the vacancies created by the resignation of Mr. W Russell (who now looks upon his former associates from his place in the Press Gallery), and Mr. Sievenson (who left last year), have not vet been filled. It is believed that trouble is eiperienced in securing the services of capable young men for these rositions. The practice in the past has beer to draw either from the Public Service itself, or from the ranks of the joarnalists; and a glance at the present note-takers would detect the faces of quite a number r whose associations with metropolitan dailies throughout the Dominion have been extensive. Appointments to Hansard will have to. be made very shortly. No risk will be taken to have an occurrence such as happened in the English House of Commons, when the Committee debates had to be adjourned because of a shortage of Hansard reporters to record the deliberations. - Nor cau there be allowed to exist a state of things such as prevails in Australia, where difficulty is being experienced in filling Hansard ranks. Many were tried out when vacancies occurred last year, but, in the words of a higher authority, few were chosen. People may come and people may go, in the world outside, but members of Parliament —well, even if they do go on for ever —must be reported.