THE "HANSARD" STAFF.

NZ Truth, Issue 131, 21 December 1907, Page 4

THE " HANSARD " STAFF.

■ — The question of "Hansard" reporting has cropped up before to-day and it is really time that the Ward Government put the '('Hansard" staff on a proper and recognised basis. The present system is always responsible for many outcries and not without reason, too, as "Truth" proposes to show. Unlike the Austratralian Commonwealth and several of the. State Legislatives "Hansard" reporters are Civil Servants whose services are ever at the heck and oall of the various governments. | They are official reporters, and must he ever ready to report any Government proceedings as they are required to record Parliamentary proceedings. New Zealand' however, has a bastard system. It employs reporters hy the Session, and while not doubting the stenographic abilities of suoh men as Fred . ' Weston , Geddes , Bob Thompson, Donald Cameron and Berry, it must also he pointed out that these men belong to papers like thq Auckland "Observer," "Free Lance," Otago "Daily Times," and other papers. Having, presumably, during ihe political session sold their services to the Government, and to the Government alone, as soon as the session \ ends we find these inky warriors returning to the fold and giving their political opinions free vent, which, m the light of the McCullagh case is "lese majeste," or something savoring of a violation of Public Service regulations. Again, what do newspaper men mean by doing other shorthand experts out of billets ? They are all feathering their own nests pretty comfortably, and Sir Joseph Ward, if a genuine Liberal politician, ought to put the "Handsard" reporting staff on a more sound basis. They should be made Government officials hound by Puhlic Service regulations, and surely work could be found for the reporters all the year round. We have heard Timi Carroll complain that he cannot get an efficient clerical staff m his Department. Did he forget the hired reporting staff ? Is there not plenty of material for an efficient staff to he recruited from that crowd. Of course there is, and the Government ought to consider the matter and always . have a reporting staff on hand..