HANSARD

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 89, 16 April 1931, Page 11

HANSARD

EEPOETINa PARLIAMENT

NEW ZEALAND HISTORX

Mr. "W. H. Russell, for many , years a member of the Parliamentary "Hansard" Reporting Staff, recently delivered before tke\ Wadestown and Highland Park Men's Society an address embodying interesting particulars and recollections concerning the staff. It was mentioned that "Hansard" was so named from the first compiler of the British Parliamentary Debates, . Mr. Luke Hansard, who died in 1526. The London "Times" subsequently reported Iho debates for 25 years, an official reporting staff not being constituted until modern times. In New Zealand, for the first twelve years of its existence, Parliament had no "Hansard" reporting staff} the newspapers of the day did the work. They were very partisan, prone to publish in full the speeches of their own party, and to dismiss with such re-marks as "an ineffective address and "a long and rambling statement" the remarks of their opponents, -and it was not till 1867 that a "Hansard" reporting corps was formed under the late Mr. C. C. N. Barron, who held the position of chief reporter' until 1895. The speeches prior'to 1867 wore subsequently compiled by Mr. Maurice Fitzgerald, son of Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald, member for Ly.ttelton in the first Parliment.(lßs3), and afterwards Audi-tor-Genera]. Mr. Fitzgerald, junr., drew largely for his work from the old newspapers of the period, and the files from which he made his'""cuttings" are still to be seen in the Parliamentary Library. Ho also had the assistance of some of the members then living, but in his introduction to Volume I. he lamented the fact that the majority of the speeches delivered in the Legislative -! Council prior to 1867 had been irretrievably lost.

'Reference was made by Mr. Russell to the death in ISS7 of Mr. George Adams, a "Hansard" reporter, from a fall through a fence giving way ■while he was clearing gorse on a section he owned at the back of the Wellington .Club. He was removed to the club, and attended by Dr. Collins (now the Hon. Dr. Collins, M.L.C.), but died of his injuries. The accident happened on Boxing Day; The session had continued; until nearly Christmas that year, and Mr. Adams had taken the notes of a statement made by the Pre : mior (Major Atkinson), but had not transcribed them, and "Hansard" came out with this notice:—"Australian and. New Zealand Cable —Major Atkinson, — Sir, lihave to . state that the . reporter who had the notes of this statement was unfortunately Milled by a fall before he" had written them out." "It"is," stated Mr. Russell, "probably the only case where 'Hansard' is not > complete, and the publication now amounts to 226 volumes."; ° ' " CRITICISM. BARRED. Mr. Grattan Grey succeeded Mr. Barron as chief reporter, but hia services were dispensed with, in 1900 pursuant to a motion carried in Parliament after an acrimonious debate. The circumstances leading iip to/this incident, probably unique, in that Parliament was called upon to sit in judgment on one- of its own officers, were as follow: .In 1599 Mr. Grey had published in the "New York Times" letters attacking the domestic policy, including the land and labour legislation, of the New Zealand Government,, Mr. B. J. S'eddon then' being Prime Minister. The matter was' referred to the Parliament-; ary Committee concerned, which; .recommended that in future members of the "Hansard" staff should' not" actively participate in New Zealand politics by writing articles for publication or otherwise. Mr. Grey in the following year sent another article to the same paper, commenting on the action of Parliament' with reference to the dispatch of contingents to the South African War, and the question again found its way to the Committee, which reported that it was no longer possiblefor Mr. Grey to remain an officer of Parliament seeing that its report of the previous year had been, disregarded. The chief reporter not only disregarded the report, but, in the Committee's own words, "he refused to recognise the authority of,-. this Committee in his statement before them this morning." They therefore recommended that his services be dispensed with. Mr. Grey was given the, opportunity, even at the eleventh hour, to retract from his position, but- he "maintained his cause," and after a debate lasting far into the night the report was approved by a large majority, and Mr. Grey soon after loft New Zealand.

Mr.'RusselUmentibned: that an old photo in the "Hansard^ room indicated that the staff in •'seventies'con-', sistcd of. six. reporters, and -included Mr. C. M. Crombio, afterwards Commissioner of' Taxes, and Mr. George Fisher, subsequently • member , for Wellington, and Minister of, Education in the Atkinson Government.' An incident in the Legislative1 Council was recalled in ■\vhiclp Captain Baillie, ■ one of the "life" members of .the Council and a surviving officer of the' Battle of ChiU lianwallah, fought.in India in 1849, figured. The Captain was relating the story of the battle to a knot of mein^ bers, prior to the meeting, of the Council, but the account was unfortunately cut short by the Hon. the Speaker having to take the ,Chair. The reporter caught these words: "It was a terrible day, and the men went down literally in hundreds, not only from the fire of the enemy, but from the awful heat." A CONVINCING SPEAKER. Mr. Russ.ell said l^c could.only recall ono instance of a member, admitting in the course of his; speech that his vote would be changed as the,result of the arguments advanced by a previous speaker. That occurred in the Legislative' Council •vthen the Hon. James Korr, of Westland, paid the tribute in question to the Hon. Dr. Grace. "Of courso," said Mr. Russell, "there may have been others,;but that is the only one I heard whilo.-on duty." At one time interpreters were, employed to translate the views of the Maori members, and a well-known- East Coast chief (Hon. "Wi Pere) was orating. Something in the interpreter's ■words or action did not suit him. apparently, for ho paused and in a rasping tone addressed the interpreter in English to this effect: "You interpret properly or I'.U hit you on the nose." lie then continued his remarks in his native tongue. No member of thel Legislative Council rose to a point of order. Many other humorous incidents that had enlivened the debates were narrated by Mr. Russell, who was accorded a vote of thanks.