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The Great NZ Telegram-Hacking Scandal

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The Great New Zealand Telegram-hacking Scandal (1871) A Shakespearean Comedy in Multiple Parts The current phone-hacking scandal in the UK, involving the news media, and, possibly, political corruption, is not really new! Similar events took place in NZ well over 100 years ago: albeit the technology of the time was slightly different. This story involves the fledgling NZ national telegraph network, and relates to accusations that politicians were misusing the telegraph services for political purposes. This included interception of sensitive telegraph messages by telegraph operators, who then passed them to unauthorised recipients (i.e. “hacking”, to use modern terminology). The events which unfolded over a period of about 18 months, during 1870 and 1871, involved numerous court cases, side-issues, and culminated in a parliamentary Select Committee. It was a political melodrama reminiscent of a Shakespearean comedy, and the story is therefore written in that style. Dramatis Personae The Otago Daily Times (ODT) The ODT was first published on 15 November 1861. It is New Zealand’s oldest existing daily newspaper (as at 2012), and was founded by William Cutten and Julius Vogel during the boom following the discovery of gold at Tuapeka; the first of the Otago goldrushes. Vogel was the first editor (1861-68), followed by George Barton (1868-71). (Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otago_Daily_Times) Mr George Burnett Barton Barton was an Australian lawyer, journalist and historian. He was born in Sydney, and educated at William Timothy Cape's school and at the University of Sydney. After a dispute with Professor John Woolley he left for England, where he was admitted to the Middle Temple (effectively a law school) on 20 April 1857 and called to the Bar in 1860. He returned to Australia, became a journalist and was the first editor of the Sydney Punch. From 1865 to 1868 he was reader in English literature at the University of Sydney. During this period, he published works on Australian literature, which received considerable acclaim. Barton came to New Zealand in 1868, and was editor of the ODT until 1871; the period during which the Telegram Hacking scandal occurred. He then practiced for some time as a barrister and solicitor at Dunedin, and in 1875 published a book on NZ legal matters. He returned to Australia in the 1880s, and died there in 1901. Barton had a strong background in literature and law. He was articulate, and had a tendency to be outspoken, to the point of rebelliousness. All of these characteristics made him an ideal candidate for a role as chief protagonist in the telegram hacking affair. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Burnett_Barton) (Ward, John M. (undated), Australian Dictionary of Biography URL http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barton-george-burnett-2949) Mr (later Sir) Julius Vogel Julius Vogel was born in London in 1835. He went to school until he was fifteen and then worked in his grandfather’s merchant business. In 1852, he emigrated to Melbourne. In the gold-mining town of Maryborough, he opened a drugstore. However, he became interested in journalism and took a job as a reporter. He then became editor of a local newspaper. Later, he established his own paper - the Inglewood and Sandy Creek Advertiser. He had strong political views, and used his editorials to advance these. By 1861, Victoria was in a recession. Vogel lost his editing job, and was forced to sell the newspaper. He stood for election to the Victorian General Assembly, but was unsuccessful. In 1861, he emigrated to NZ, to join the Central Otago gold rush, and, in conjunction with William Cutten, founded the ODT. After several attempts to gain a seat in the New Zealand parliament, he won Dunedin North in 1863. His departure from ODT, in 1868, was apparently somewhat acrimonious: … the company's editor [Vogel], who had been devoting more and more of his time to politics. He had become one of the leading spirits in the Provincial Executive, and the directors, believing that the two positions were not compatible, decided on dispensing with Mr. Vogel's services. Their resolve was given effect to in 1868, not, however, without protest from Mr. Vogel. (The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts] (1903)) According to the Melbourne Argus (29th April 1871), Vogel harboured a significant grudge against the ODT: Mr Barton, as our readers may remember, is the ex-editor of the Otago Daily Times, a paper which supports political views inimical to the present Government, a member of which, Mr Vogel, was his predecessor in the editorial chair. Mr Vogel, it appears, alleges that the proprietors of the journal in question did not treat him well, and in order to be revenged on them he has never ceased to pursue his successor with every annoyance that could suggest itself to a little mind and a naturally spiteful nature. In June 1869, Vogel was appointed Colonial Treasurer, Commissioner of Customs and Postmaster-General under Premier William Fox. New Zealand’s economy was in poor shape, and Vogel was determined to turn it round with a daring expansionist policy. In 1870, he borrowed large amounts of money from the UK for infrastructure projects, and increased immigration to provide labour to progress them. The policy was popular at first, but by 1872 it hadn’t shown results, and Fox’s government was defeated. Vogel later returned to the government benches after the Stafford government was defeated after a very short term, but resigned in 1876 to become, effectively, NZ’s High Commissioner to the UK. He was re-elected to parliament in 1884, but resigned again in 1888 and returned to the UK, where he lived until his death in 1899. Vogel was an accomplished and (generally) popular politician. However, he went into the Telegram Hacking affair with considerable “baggage” from his spell as editor of OTG. It is likely that this influenced his views, and was probably a major factor in the government of the day deciding to sue George Barton for libel. This then led to the prosecution of the case with extreme vigour; to the point of indulging in dubious legal tactics to compel ODT staff to give evidence. Mr William Gisborne William Gisborne was born in England in 1825, and at the age of 17, emigrated to South Australia. In 1847 he came to New Zealand and held several public service appointments. In July 1856, he became Under-Secretary in the Colonial Secretary's Office, thus becoming the senior public servant in the colony. In July 1869 Gisborne resigned from his official posts when he was appointed, on the nomination of the Premier, Sir William Fox, to a seat in the Legislative Council and elevated to the Ministry as Colonial Secretary. In 1871 he resigned from the Legislative Council and was elected unopposed to the House of Representatives as member for Egmont. During the Telegram Hacking affair in 1870-71, he spent a period as acting Commissioner (Minister in charge) of the Telegraph Department while Vogel was absent overseas. It was during this period that he was accused of requesting, and receiving, from Charles Lemon, a copy of a telegram detailing William Stafford’s speech in Timaru, in April 1870. (http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/gisborne-william/1) Mr (later Sir) Edward Stafford Edward William Stafford was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1819. After attending Trinity College, Dublin, he travelled in Australia during 1841 and 1842 and then came to Nelson, NZ in 1843. In 1853 Stafford became Nelson's first superintendent and served in this role with some distinction. His free, secular and compulsory education system and his County Roads Act were precursors of colony-wide legislation. Stafford was not a member of the first General Assembly in 1854, considering it inappropriate to hold provincial and colonial office simultaneously. However, at the 1855 election he became a member of the House of Representatives for Nelson, a seat he held until 1868 when, after local disputes, he resigned and became member for Timaru. He held that seat until 1878. Stafford was Premier for three terms, during two turbulent decades, when political power alternated frequently between Stafford, William Fox, and, occasionally, others. At the time of the Telegram Hacking affair, Stafford was just an ordinary MP, there being no formal “opposition” party in those days. (http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1s22/1) The Parliamentary Select Committee: The Working and Management of the Electric Telegraph Department A Parliamentary Select Committee was appointed by Order of Reference dated 15th September 1871 "… to examine into the whole question of the working and management of the Electric Telegraph Department with power to call for persons and papers, but not to have power to inspect telegrams or to examine officers as to the contents thereof”. It met over the period September-November 1871 and delivered its report on 10th November 1871. The members were: Mr. Farnall, Hon. Mr. Hall, Mr. Johnston, Captain McPherson, Mr. Pearce, Hon. Mr. Rolleston, Mr. Stafford, Mr. Steward, Hon. Mr. Vogel. … On the motion of Mr. Pearce, the Hon. Mr. Stafford was elected Chairman. (AJHR 1871 Session I H-08) The committee had a curious composition, and some of the perceived conflicts of interest would probably not be tolerated today. For example, Vogel, as Commissioner of Telegraphs (Minister responsible for the Telegraph Department, in today’s terms) gave evidence to the enquiry, had previous service with ODT, and was also a member of the committee. Stafford, the Chairman, was also involved in the case, as the deliverer of the Timaru speech in April 1870, the telegraphed report of which was obtained by Mr Gisborne, and used for political purposes.
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