Leakage From Telegraph Office.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1922, Page 1

Leakage From Telegraph Office.

THE SPRINGBOK CABLE.

WELLINGTON, Feb. 13

Following aire Die main features of the judgment given by Mr Hunt S.M., who was appointed'to inquire into the circumstances attending a leakage from the Napier telegraph office, resulting in .the publication of what is known as the “Springbok cable” : —“I believe the account given by Winstanley and Rodger to be a correct one, and that Evans ,if he was not indeed the originator and suggestor of wrongdoing, bad a greater share in it than lie admits and not a bit less guilty than Winstanley and Rodger, who have pleaded guilty. I find these facts:-The transmission of the telegram was finished at 6.36 and it reached the lower office for accounting at 7.27. Between 0.36 and seven, a copy of the message was made, T believe'by Evans, as Evans and Rodger were the only two typists, and Rodger did not come on duty till seven. A copy could not be made in the ordinary way by the typist, as this would have attracted the attention of the supervision. herefore it was obtained by one “keying” it through to the typist who received it. This operation takes twenty minutes, and as Winstanley is certain that he keyed it, to Rodger from a copy previously made on Rodger s machine it is clear that this copy was made by someone before Rodger came. Am shtftly after his arrival he wasj engaged in typing another, therefore it must have been Evans who made the first copy- The second copy, with carbon copy, was keyed by Evans' to Rodger to begin with, and aftor Rodger was called away Evans took bis place at the typewriter and Winstanley keyed to him the rest of the message. Although | Winstanley says he only sent a little, Rodger says he saw both Winstanley and Evans working together, and had to wait some time for them to finish before he could get his typewriter. Winsta,nicy’s evidence conflicts with this, S but it is to be remembered that he nnd j Evans were both in the room when the 1 first copy was made, and he may he j confusing incidents of the taking of | that copy with the second one. There j vere thus three copies, at least, of j the cablegram in the telegraph office, arid this inquiry clearly shows how important it is that rule 129 should) be | strictly enforced, as its breach in this i caso has been the direct cause of a | cross breach of the confidence reposed I in the office by a member of public.” ! This finding was. followed by the dei pnrtment’s dismissal of J. G. Evans on I July 9th., after fourteen years’ serjvice.