I.—lo

1893. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORTING DEBATES AND PRINTING COMMITTEE (REPORT OF, ON THE PUBLICATION OF HANSARD; TOGETHER WITH APPENDIX). Mr. E. O'CONOR, CHAIRMAN.

Beport brought tip 29th September, 1893, and ordered to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the Souse of Bepresentatives. Wednesday, the 28th Day of June, 1893. Ordered, ".That a Committee, consisting of ten members, be appointed to assist Mr. Speaker in all matters, ■which relate to the reporting of debates, and to the printing executed by order of this House, and for the purpose of selecting and arranging for printing returns and papers presented in pursuance of motions made by members of this House : three to be a quorum. The Committee to consist of Mr. Speaker, Mr. Carncross, Mr. Fish, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Hogg, Mr. O'Conor, Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Sandford, Mr. Saunders, and the mover." —(Hon. Mb. Reeves.)

The Beporting Debates and Printing Committee have the honour to report,— That the circulation of Hansard, and its usefulness as a means of informing and educating the electors of the colony on political matters, is marred by the excessive quantity of irrelevant matter which it contains, and the stedeness of its contents. With the object of making Hansard more readable, and insuring its publication on the day following the debates, your Committee beg to submit for the consideration of the House the following recommendations : — (1.) That the space allowed to each member, excepting the Premier, a Minister introducing business of his department, and the leader of the Opposition, and one member of the Opposition to be appointed by him, be limited to a space equal. to fifteen columns of present Hansard per month. (2.) That the matter for publication in each Hansard be limited each day to debates taking place between the hours of midnight and midnight on the previous day. (3.) That the system of corrections by members be discontinued. (4.) That, unless specially requested by the member being reported, the Hansard reporters be authorised to condense speeches where this can be done without injury to the main arguments. (5.) That speeches made upon motions of adjournment of the House, and all irregular discussion, unless under special instructions from the House, shall be briefly summarised. (6.) That there shall be a daily issue of Hansard, in such form as may prove most suitable, which may be supplied to newspapers, for circulation, free of postage, at the cost of paper and printing. Eugene O'Conoe, Chairman. 29th September, 1893.

SUPPLBMENTAEY BEPOBT.

I have the honour to report that the Beporting Debates and Printing Committee express regret that the House has not given reasonable attention to their report upon the compilation and issue of Hansard, as the recommendations were calculated to be of great advantage to the electors of the colony, and lead to economy in the expenditure of public money; and I move that the report and papers with it be printed. Eugene O'Conoe, sth October, 1893. Chairman.