REPORT OF THE TELEGRAPH ENQUIRY COMMITTEE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3343, 11 November 1871, Page 2

REPORT OF THE TELEGRAPH ENQUIRY COMMITTEE.

«- The select committee appointed to " examine into the whole question of the working and management of the Electric Telograph Department with power to call for persons and papers, but not to hare power to inspect telegrams or to examine officers ns to the contents thereof," have considered the matters to them referred, and have agreed to the following report : — The committee resolved to investigate all specific charges which had been preferred against the Telegraph Department, and invited information in every direction where discontent was known to have been expressed, with a view to the fullest investigation of the grounds of complaint. The committee also examined Ministers and officers connected with the Department as to the conduct of the Department. The accusations against the Department resolved themselves into four dUtinot charges, — 1. That known as the Bluff Telegram case, being thb information received by the steamer Gothenburg on the 29th September, 1870. 2. The Hokitika telegram case in reference to the alleged detention of the "Evening Post" telegram on the Bth and 9th September, 1870. 3. The Timaru telegram case. 4. The charge of Ministerial misuse of the Department. 1. The committee have to report, with respect to the first charge, in which the Government weve accused of misappropriating the " Ofciigo Duily Timea " telegram for their own information, and of wrongfully conveying the information so obtained to that portion of the press which supported them, that the evidence adduced on the purt of the part of the principal accuser and of the Department proves the charge to be entirely without foundation. In the opinion of the committee the Department acted with impartiality and probity, and the information obtained by the Govern ment on that occasion was derived from ordinary and proper sources. 2. The charge of dasignedly detaining the "Evening Post" telegram sent from Hokitika on the Bth September, 1870, is proved by the evidence to bo entirely unfounded. 3. In the Timnru telegram case, tho Minister temporarily in charge of the Department exceeded, as admitted by himself, his authority as commissioner in obtaining » copy of Mr Stafford's speech. The committee consider this a breach of tho rules, which should not be repeated. The committee would at the same time observe that no personal imputation rests on the hon the acting commissioner in connection with this case, with respect to which an explanation has been given to and accepted by the House. 4. The charge of Ministerial misuse of the department resolved itself into a charge of Ministers having franked telegrams which should have been paid for. The coimuiiiee examined Ministers in respeot to tho practice of franking telegrams. It appears from the evidence given, that during tho late elections a fow telegrams were franked by Ministers in matters relating to tho elections. For the future the committee recommend that such telegrams should be considered of a private nature. The committee have arrived at tho fallowing conclusions, founded upon the evidence taken : — (1.) That the Telegraph Department has boon fairly and honestly conducted, and has beon eminently worthy of public confidence. (2.) That the accusations have been founded entirely on misconceptions and inferences drawn from supposed occurrences which are proved not to have taken place. (3 ) That the principal accuser of the Government and tho Telegraph Department (Mr Barton) should navo continued to use the press in reitorat.ing the charges oven alter evidence was in his possession which should have disabused his mind— shows, iv the opinion of the committee,that his mind was warped by previous antagonism to the Commissioner of Telegraphs ; and that the wholo of his accusations and beliefs — although by the peculiar eircumBtancos of the case they may havo beon justified in the first instance — were not justifiable after the evidence which explained uway his misapprehensions was in his possession. The committee desire to record tht-ir opinion that tho evidence of one witness (Mr Hart) is un example of the most renkless und wicked con duct ; and that unfounded reports such us those spread by that witness have caused great uneasiness in the public mind an to the integrity of the Telegraph Department., and entailed unnecessary expense on tho public. Tho committee, notwithstanding tho expense incurred in conducting the inquiry, believe that good bus resulted irom it, through its having established the integrity of the Telegraph Department. ! The evidence token during the sitting of the committee, and documents referring to tne question, are appended to the Keport and Miuutes of ProceedingE. W. Stafpokd, Chairman.