MOTUIHI ESCAPE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16146, 26 February 1918, Page 6

MOTUIHI ESCAPE.

THE QUESTION OF

RESPONSIBILITY

(special io "the rntss. )

WELLINGTON. February 23

The Defence authorities arc not yet ready to malic public the finding <n the latent Motuilii Court of Enquiry which investigated the question el" whether Colonel G. W._ S. Paterscn. commanding Auckland district. and Major Osburne Lilly. Director of Personal Services on the Adjutant-Gene-ral's staff, were in any degree to blame for what occurred. It is known, ho.vevor, that the Court —as did also tho previous Court of Knquiry—ha? unsolved Colonel Patterson from : H blame. This finding is in direct conflict " Uli the evidence of the General Officer Commanding. General Robin, who has maintained that the officer commanding the district was responsible for the control of the island of Motuilii. As to Major Lilly, the Court has •found that he misconceived his duty to some extent, but it i= understood that his conduct is not severely reprobated by the Court. This means that such blame as may be attached to anvone besides Colonel Turner must be borne by General Headquarters. The evidence has been very indefinite and inconclusive on the subject of the chain of responsibility. There was conllict- of opinion as to what the chain was as affecting Motuihi. and it will be for Cabinet to say if it is worth while deciding who was responsible for the incompleteness of organisation which permitted such indeiiniieness to exist.