I.—B

2

In the course of their investigations the Committee visited the Government Printing Office and carefully examined the process of printing and publishing Hansard. The information obtained, taken in conjunction with the evidence given by the Government Printer, impressed the Committee with the pressing necessity for improved machinery in that office. It is true that some of the machinery in use for the printing of Hansard is the best of its class, but it is of a kind that appears to have reached its limit as regards speed, namely, 1,500 copies per hour. A rotary web machine should be obtained. Such a machine has many advantages over other printingmachines. The Hoe quadruple web machine, for instance, prints and delivers folded four-, six-, or eight-page papers at a speed of 48,000 per hour, while multiple web machines are built which produce large papers at the rate of 96,000 per hour. The Committee are satisfied that the publication of Hansard would be considerably expedited by the use of more efficient machinery. They are also aware that it may seem premature to suggest the importation of a rotary web machine for the purpose of printing Hansard, but they would point out that the steady increase in the amount of general work printed in the Government Printing Office will shortly render imperative the provision of more suitable machinery. At present a large amount of time is occupied with printing telegraph-forms, of which 12,000,000 are printed annually, and with printing long numbers of other work required by the Railway Department. The result is that the machinery of the office is now taxed to its utmost capacity, and it is running night and day. In giving evidence the Government Printer stated that he was of opinion that it would be possible to have a high-speed machine made that would be suitable for printing Hansard, as well as telegraph-forms, and that, if he could obtain such a machine, not only would the work of publishing Hansard be considerably expedited, but the general work of the office would also be more expeditiously performed. On the grounds of economy alone, therefore, it would appear desirable that more efficient machinery should be procured as soon as possible, and the Committee therefore recommend that the necessary machinery should be obtained without delay. In order that such machinery may be entirely suitable to the special requirements of the office, they also recommend that the Government Printer should be sent to England and to the United States of America to select or have constructed such machine or machines as he may deem necessary. In conclusion, the Committee would emphasize the fact that the publication of Hansard is governed entirely by the time occupied by honourable members in the revision of their speeches, and that unless honourable members are prepared to dispense with the privilege of correction, they may look in vain for that quick publication of Hansard that is necessary if reports of the debates in Parliament are to reach the public before the interest in the questions discussed has evaporated. 22nd October, 1906. Chas. C. Bowen, Chairman.

Authority: John Maokay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9o6.