FIVE MILLION WORDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 17, 20 January 1914, Page 6

FIVE MILLION WORDS.

LEGISLATORS' LOQUACITY. Wrai "HANSSKD" .DISCLOSES. (By-Trteßrmpli.—Own 'Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. The, final number of "Hansard" is published to-day, and it is now possible tv apply 'the-- measuring tape to the -eloquence, or Tather -the volubility of legislators during last session. The sittings created a fresh record for length, and ■tie reported talk aggregates well over five million words, covering 5.664 pages of the official record. The previous reeoru session speeches in 1910 were printed on 4,782 pages. A change has ibeen made in the type since then, but liberal allowance for ithe extra space now taken by the larger type still gives! 4913 session an easy lead. The balk of the tallc-was. of course,-in tbe House of Representatives, and, as its- committee -proceedings ale scarcely: , imported at ail, it will ibe reaiiseoVtiiat' -the avalanche of talk ie not f unrepresented by tbe -big total aitready-qooted. Tho, Prime J .Minister -was not pm&cniaxly prone to > speech, last .session. It -was tlie Leader of the Opposition (Sir .-Joseph Ward) who led tie <way and filled most space, despite«£het'J«cMdixt<ihe was not present duzhigstbe earliest weeke of the "'Hansard" is published twice weekly, and usually about thirty parts come out. This year -the final issue is No. 51. The reporters "well deserve the extra, pay ivoted them by the House just before there -was -welcome silence in the legislative halls.