WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1876. THE HANSARD REPORTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 154, 18 October 1876, Page 2

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1876. THE HANSARD REPORTS.

It ia generally supposed by the uninitiated that Howard is a correct record of the utterances of the combined wisdom of both' Houses, and that z ia pages may be thoroughly relied upon for the correctness of its reports. Moat people are aware that its staff of shorthand writers have been selected on account of their especial capacity .for th. work to be performed, none but the very best xtrbntim reporters being employed. Such being the case, then, does it not appear the height of absurdity to allow each member a proof of his speech so that he may add thereto the brilliant ideas which he had forgotten

when on his legs, or porliaps excise what has been indiscreetly uttered. What a farce to suppose the work possessed of the slightest value as a reference, wlien lion, members are allowed the privilege'-of pruning their hasty expressions, or publish ingaaucond edition of theirrhodomontade3. We are not aware that the privilege of correcting their speeches, so grossly abused here, is allowed to members of other legislatures ; and certainly the restriction appears to bo a wise one. Even witli the New Zealand Hansard it was never intended that the word " correct " should have such a comprehensive meaning as that accredited to it by certain hon. members. Of such a length, however, has the advantage been taken, that the matter cropped up in t'ie House, and several most glaring instances were given of the very liberal interpretation which members place on their right of correcting t!«eir utterances. In noticing the debate on the question, the A r.jus asserted that the report of the Wakefield breach of priviLgj casj differs very materially from what was actually said. Mr. Wakefield denied that l>e had altered the proof, but the fact was uncontrovertible that a speech, which was really most abject and grovelling, the whining!}' apologetic tone of which saved him from the chastisement which he merited, and which the House accepted as a humble retraction of his slanderous statements, appeal's in Hansard as a self-glorification and just-'fication of the speaker. Surely it is bad enough to put the country to the expense of retailing the silly twaddle which falls from the lips of a good many le islative pseudo-orators, without foisting a spurious rehash upon the public.