Poverty Bay Independent

A number of short-lived newspapers were started in Gisborne in the late 1800s, including the Poverty Bay Independent. This newspaper was started by printer John Fisher and journalist John Baldwin (-1888) in March 1885 as a weekly publication. Fisher became bankrupt in May the same year, leaving Baldwin as the sole proprietor.

In partnership with his wife, Flora, (named as publisher, lessee and editor of the Independent at different times) Baldwin increased publication to three times a week. It appears he had an eventful time running the Independent, being both sued for libel and suing others. He had a particularly fractious relationship with his opposition, the Poverty Bay Herald. In 1887 he sued the owners of the Herald for criminal libel over an editorial which accused him of being drunk and disruptive at a Harbour Board meeting in 1886. The Herald also took Baldwin to court in 1887, alleging that he had copied and printed a telegram from news agency Reuters’ from their newspaper without permission. Around the same time, Baldwin sued the Herald again over a story they ran accusing him of drunkenly waving a handgun around and threatening to shoot a jockey.

Baldwin also didn’t seem that fond of his fellow townsfolk, stating in 1888 ‘that for sheer right down villany and deliberate, sneaking, crawling, cowardly, lying Pecksiniffian [sic] scoundrelism we can challenge all creation, and whip them into chips, hands down. Why, the most honest and straightforward man in the place is the gaoler, and the elite of the town his charges.’ (quoted in the Temuka Leader, 11 February 1888: 2)

In August 1888 both Baldwin and Flora were accused of libel by John Bourke, the town clerk and secretary to the Harbour Board. Baldwin was convicted and sentenced to six months in gaol, while the case against Flora was withdrawn. After Baldwin was sent to gaol, the printing press, type and other furniture were put up for sale. The final issue of the Independent was published on 1 September 1888.

Baldwin did have some supporters, who appealed to the Minister of Justice to release him because he was ill. They were successful in having Baldwin released early in mid-December, but he died on Christmas Day. Flora attempted to clear his name but it wasn’t until 1891, after Bourke had drowned (possibly by suicide) and his books had been investigated, that it was shown that Baldwin had been right all along.