EFFECTING ECONOMY IN HANSARD SYSTEM

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 386, 21 June 1928, Page 18

EFFECTING ECONOMY IN HANSARD SYSTEM

INNOVATION THIS SESSION With the commencement of the coming session of Parliament an innovation connected with the production of “Hansard” will be brought into operation. It was usual in the early days of the official record of Parliamentary oratory to send the transcript of the short-hand-writers’ notes direct to the Government Printing Office, where they were set in type, and printers’ proofs were forwarded to the speakers for their revision. In many instances the alterations made were so extensive that large portions had to be reset. In order to obviate the heavy extra cost thus entailed, an alteration was made about 25 years ago, in the days of the Seddon Government. An officer known as the Hansard supervisor was appointed, whose function was to receive the typescript of the shorthandwriters, have the slips pasted upon broader sheets, so as to leave margins of 3in. or 4in. upon which any emendations desired could be marked, send the typescript of each speech, generally miscalled by members a “Hansard” “proof,” to the member who made it, see that the corrected version was returned in good time for the printing arrangements, thgn sub-edit the whole mass of “copy” and send “Hansard” to press—virtually to edit the official publication. Under this system the cost of production was very materially reduced. NOISELESS MACHINES Further economy will be effected by the latest change. In lieu of the older style of typewriter, the members of the Hansard staff are being provided with noiseless machines, fitted with what are known as “brief” platens. This in itself will convert the “Hansard” room from a place as noisy as a small factory with the tapping of keyboards to one of silence. The transcripts will be made on very broad sheets, leaving the required margin for corrections without the necessity for the pasting process. In this way members will receive the chronicle of their utterances much soner, and in a much neater form, and men whose time has been taken up with the use of gum and brush will be set free for other duties.