USES OF "HANSARD."

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 2, 3 January 1934, Page 6

USES OF "HANSARD."

M.P.'s SHOULD BE GRATEFUL

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, December 21. A fortnight afro the question of milk and its price was raised by Mr. Lazzarini (Langite) in the Legislative Assembly. He spoke at some length, and during his oration Mr. iSpooner asked, "Why waste the time of the House because you have to pay Id a quart extra for milk?" There was no doubt about the words used, because this rather cynical interruption was much resented, not only by Langites, but by other members, at the time, and Mr. Spooner's remark was quoted outside the House a little later as typical of the callous attitude that the Government has'adopted town I'd tho workers in regard to the cost of living.

Last week Mr. Lazzarini drew the attention of the House to the fact that Mr. Spooner's question appeared in "Hansard" in this form: "Why waste the time of the House when you get milk at a fair juice?" Amid loud cries of derision fjrom the Langitcs, Mr. Spoonor, who has plenty of courage, rose to defend himself against the charge of having altered the "Hansard" proof of his speech. Mr. Lazzarini's version of his remark, he said, was quite correct. "Hansard" was wrong, and he had not touched the proof. This statement, of course, was .accepted—though Mr. Speaker promptly called for a report on "Hansard's" wording. But the impression left is rather a painful one—that even without a member's knowledge the "Hansard" version of his speech 'may be "edited," to serve certain ulterior puri poses. In this instance Mr. Spooner's reference to the price of milk was. so flippant and SO injudicious that his colleagues might well w-ish to see it modified before it was permitted ;to go permanently on record. Something of the sort apparently happened; but if this is so, what becomes of the value of "Hansard" as a work of reference? It is quite true that, witli the laudable object of presenting our legislators to posterity in becoming guise, it is the practice, in most countries where such reports are taken, to make sure that the speeches, as finally embalmed in the record, arc grammatical and intelligible. The other day Mr. Bryan I'enton, protesting against such epithets as "scribblers"

land "scavengers" levelled by polilieiaiis at newspaper men. gave an illustration of the .services rendered at Canberra by the '•"Hansard" stall' to certain fluent but not specially cultured members. Here is the original sentences which emanated from a well-known 'Senator: , "As far as people who live in glass j bouses is concerned, they should not I throw stones. The average person, .so i it's said, has got a skeleton in their eupI board, so that in the vernacular those I nasty, cheap words arc left at the doorstep of the persons who wished to achieve some cheap notoriety, so far as. the Press, of Australia is concerned." This is distinctly incoherent; but, by the time that the "Hansard" expert had "got in his work," it van smoothly enough: i "I remind them of an old adage, that ! people who live in glass houses should not throw clones, and of another old adage, that the average citizen in any community has a skeleton in his cupboard." Not bad; but do you think that the Senator in question expressed his appreciation to the reporter for services rendered? By no' means.. I