NOTE-TAKING BAN BREACHED

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27011, 10 April 1953, Page 8

NOTE-TAKING BAN BREACHED

Incident At Opening Of Parliament AMERICAN ASKED TO LEAVE CHAMBER “The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON. April 9. A man who was taking notes in the gallery •of the former Legislative Council chamber during the Speech from the Throne at the opening of Parliament was asked to leave the chamber yesterday afternoon. The incident passed almost unnoticed by most of those present and did not offer any interruption to the Speech. The man concerned was Mr Robert N. Kelson, of Boston, who is studying Solitical science at Victoria University ollege under a 12-month Fulbright scholarship. Mr Kelson said later that one of the messengers in the gallery noticed him taking notes and asked him to leave the chamber. He walked out as quietly as possible and once outside the chamber was advised by the messenger that the taking of notes in the public galleries was prohibited. Mr Kelson apologised for bis mistake and was allowed to return to the chamber, where he stood behind the last row of seats until the Speech from the Throne was finished.

“There is no rule against note-taking in the American Senate,” said Mr Kelson. “I wanted to note some of the more important points in the Speech and gather some colourful material for a thesis I am writing for my doctorate of political science.”