The Wagga Wagga Advertiser of 3 November 1881 published the following article - which is sad in every aspect.
THE GABO ISLAND TELEGRAPH.
A telegram to the Sydney Morning Herald, dated Melbourne Sunday says:
A curious instance of official neglect was disclosed during the search by the Victorian Government steamer Despatch for the missing vessel Balclutha.
When the Despatch arrived at Gabo Island on Thursday morning, Captain Anderson elicited from the lighthouse-keeper (Kermode) and the telegraph operator that they had seen the Balclutha pass on the previous Friday. She was then going very smoothly but, soon afterwards, the gale increased tremendously with a heavy sea, raising the spray to the lighthouse tower, 200 feet, and they then lost sight of the vessel. Information of the Balclutha passing Gabo could not be transmitted to Melbourne because, for over four months, the cable connecting the island with the Victorian land line had been broken and although the New South Wales Government, who are responsible, were aware of the fact, no effort was made to repair the line.
The operator is kept on the island, receiving a salary though, for months past, he has been unable to do any work, on account of the line being disabled. If the line had been in order, information would have been received in Melbourne of the Balclutha passing Gabo, and the Government would have been saved the cost and trouble sending the Despatch in search between Capes Everard and Howe.
A telegram from Melbourne, dated Sunday, in reference to the Gabo Island telegraph, would make it appear (says the Echo) that there had been some "official neglect" on the part of the Government of this colony. Inquiry into the matter, however, proves that an official in the employment of the Victorian Government - the lighthousekeeper at Gabo Island - has certainly not exhibited that humanity which might have been expected.
The facts of the matter are briefly these:
Some difficulty was experienced in constructing the telegraph on account of the shifting sand and the heavy sea. Screw piles were tried first; afterwads bridge cylinders, filled with concrcte. Both of these plans failed, and it was determined to try a submarine cable, which was in use for some time, but which also failed at last.
It was some four months ago that the communication became interrupted. Mr. Charles Kebby, Telegraph Stationmaster and line repairer at Eden, Twofold Bay, was sent to ascertain the cause of the damage and to repair it if possibe. Mr, Kebby found that the defect was in the cable joining Gabo with the mainland and he was on the island for some time endeavouring to remedy the fault. His provisions ran short, but he was refused assistance by the lighthouse-keeper on the ground that the telegraph was a New South Wales affair, and that he and his mates were therefore not bound to assist those who had to repair it.
Mr. Kebby was eventually obliged to put out in a boat to a passing steamer to obtain food, after which he made his way to the mainland and endeavoured to return home. On the way, he became delirious and, though eventually taken to Eden, where he arrived on the 11th July, died on the 14th, his death being caused, according to the medical man of the district, through want of nourishment and exposure.
These facts becoming known to Mr. E. C. Cracknell, Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs here, that gentlemen recommended to the Government that the line to Gabo Island should be abandoned as it had ever been a source of endless expense. A telegraph to Green Cape, some 25 miles distant from Gabo, in the New South Wales territory, should be established instead. There were several reasons which induced Mr. Cracknell to take this course:
Taking all these matters into consideration, the Government here adopted Mr. Cracknell's recommendation. The telegraph operator has been allowed to remain at Gabo, because it is part of his duty to act as signal man; but he will be removed to Green Cape, where he will be employed by this colony solely as soon as the new telegraph line is completed, tenders for which have already been accepted.
The Victorian Government will have it at their own option whether they will maintain a telegraph to Gabo Island or not; but of course if they do so, they will have to do it at their own cost".