Henry Blundell set the tone for 158 years of journalism in Wellington

Friday, 14 April 2023

Henry Blundell (1814 -78) was the owner and first editor of The Evening Post from 1865-68.

Over the next two weeks, we’ll be looking back at milestones for The Dominion, The Evening Post and The Dominion Post. Today we start with the first edition of The Evening Post.

On February 8 1865, Henry Blundell published and edited the first edition of The Evening Post, setting in motion a chain of events that in 2002 led to the creation of The Dominion Post.

In the first edition Blundell set out his intentions for the paper: 'The proprietors of The Evening Post are led to hope that the inhabitants of Wellington will hail with pleasure the appearance of a journal devoted to their interests, in which they will endeavour, faithfully and concisely, to narrate various and several political on dits [rumours] of the day.'

It would provide the framework for the next 158 years.

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Henry Blundell's first edition of The Evening Post in February 1865.

Born in Dublin, little is known about his early life. He had worked for the Dublin Evening Mail for 27 years as its manager.

Accompanied by three sons and three daughters but not his wife, Blundell settled in Melbourne in 1860.

After briefly visiting New Zealand, he settled permanently here in 1863, working initially for the Otago Daily Times.

An attempt to launch a paper in Marlborough in 1864 was unsuccessful but the following year Blundell, alongside his son John and Henry, and business partner David Curle, turned to Wellington where there was no daily paper.

On February 8, 1865, Blundell proudly published the first edition of The Evening Post.

Just four pages, it was printed on a hand-operated press that printed 250 copies in an hour. Most papers supported a particular political stance but The Post, as it soon became known, preferred to take a neutral stance.

He laid out his position as editor and publisher: “a liberal course of policy will be pursued and the bounds of moderation will not be overstepped in giving expression to the views entertained by the proprietors as journalists.”

It would be many years until the arrival of colour, and the front page looked nothing like it does now.

Aerial view of the Wahine shipwreck, with Seatoun in the background, April 11 1968. The Evening Post took many important photos, all in black and white, including the Wahine.

Advertising ruled the roost – there was no news on page one and only a small amount on page two. In later editions, the news did not appear until page three.

The first edition contained a theme that would be a constant for the next 158 years, the advantages of advertising in a daily paper.

The Dominion Post front page of March 25, 2020, reporting on the early days of the Covid lockdown.

“Our scale of charges is framed with a view to placing publicity within the reach of everyone in the community.”

That first edition contained numerous adverts for hotels, including the Empire Hotel. “Gentlemen may be rest assured that none but first-class wines and spirits will be allowed to be sold.”

Blundell was both manager and editor, and was also prepared to roll up his sleeves and assist advertising staff and the print team.

The first non-family editor was Frank Gifford in 1868. Gifford came from the Wanganui Herald where he worked with a future premier, John Ballance.

The very first edition of The Dominion, the front page of September 26, 1907.

By 1874, the paper was flourishing and Blundell stepped back to let his sons run the business.

Two years later circulation had grown to 3000 and The Post was in a new home on Willis St.

Early editor Edward Thomas Gillon proved a fierce supporter of journalism. Throughout his editorship, his stance was to oppose the government of the day and, broadly speaking, take a liberal stance.

Clive Lind served 50 years in journalism. He was the last editor of The Evening Post.

He opposed the election of Joseph Dransfield in 1870, as Wellington mayor and echoed many a future editor in lamenting that rates were too high and that the council employees were paid too much.

The Dominion front page from July 12, 1985.

Dransfield responded strenuously. “You know who wrote them (editorials) and I am prepared to pit myself against him.”

Gillon was elected to the council in 1875 and was able to get the council restructured.

Although he opposed journalists being unionised, Gillon showed himself to be a person of principle. He founded the New Zealand Institute of Journalists, with the aim of protecting the integrity of journalists.

In 1885, he found himself in the spotlight when he published confidential information about a socially prominent Wellingtonian involved in an assault case.

Summoned to appear in front of a magistrate, he refused to divulge the source of his information saying he would not be “forced into the position of a private detective, spy or informer”.

Appearing in the Supreme Court he was again asked to name his source. Despite being threatened with a fine or imprisonment, he continued to say ‘no’ and escaped imprisonment when the prosecutor declined to take the matter further.

The only real competition to The Post came from The Dominion, which began publication on September 26, 1907, which was Dominion Day. The Dominion was seen as the voice of the conservative element in Wellington politics and had a very different editorial stance.

It appealed to farmers and initially supported the Reform Party. It was not initially a threat to The Post, as most of its readership was outside Wellington.

The Post remained in the hands of the Blundells until the 1970s, when its ownership was merged with The Dominion. What made it remarkable is that it remained an evening paper throughout its existence.

In a city with a large population of civil servants, it was not uncommon on an evening train to places like Upper Hutt or Tawa to see the entire carriage reading The Post. In the morning, they would be seen reading The Dominion, often purchased at their local railway station.

By the 1970s The Post’s circulation was in decline as it was surpassed by the more conservative morning paper.

By 2002, it had become clear that Wellington could not sustain two daily papers and the papers were merged to form The Dominion Post. The honour of being the last Post editor went to Clive Lind.

Blundell died in Australia in June 1878. His body was returned to Wellington by steamer and he was buried in Bolton Street cemetery. The Evening Post of June 17 noted his death describing him as an “honest man” who had a respect for the truth.

”He imposed on the newspaper his own standards of fairness and independence, and by example set those same high standards for succeeding generations of Blundells.”