UNDER ARREST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 680, 3 December 1909, Page 8

UNDER ARREST.

♦ position op Captain knyvettt EXTRAORDINARY LETTER. DEFENCE ADMENISTEAIION CEMCISED. (By Tclegrapn-Speoial Correspondent] ■> • Auckland, December-2, , A sensafaon has been caused in volunteer circles by the arrest of Captain V. B Knjvett, Officer Commanding No. 1 Company Auckland Division Garnson Artillery Volunteers, for al leged insubordination iin criticising the ad- _ ministration of fcho Defence Department, and ~ olso in bringing a chtrge against his superior officer couched in insubordinate langnago The Actual canse of Captain Knyvett's eraponeion is siud to be duo to a letter which no sent to the Defence Minister This letter refers to Vho efforts made by the officers of the Petone Navale and Captain Knyvetfs own company to cover ui> and prevent any possibility of a scandal leaking out to the public of the alleged "want of tact and the interference of the Chief of tho General Staff, Colonel Robin."

\ An Article in "The Dominion " ' 'The letter goes on to refer to tho astonish ment of the officers on tho Monday following when an article appeared in The Domimov, stating that No 1 Company, by coming to Wellington, had committed a very grave breaoh »of discipline, and burlesqued the whole volun ■.tearing forco throughout tho Dominion Captain Knyvetfs letter «ays thaj; ho is prepared to 6ubmit an affidavit from the officers who wore present at a certain interview in The Dominion office as to his authority for saying the matter was' supplied by Colonel Sobin - — The letter continues "The result of this I article irn-Tiifi Dominion'has been that the Volunteer movement, and my corps in paiibcular (which is the largest, without question iin the whole of New Zealand), haie been be 'httled and burlesqued to an astounding extent lArtielo. after article has appeared in the Welnngton papers, and interview after interview has been -accorded by *he Chief of the Genenl Staff,'and'tho statements ,made by him in these interviews tam prepared to prove are entirely -.wrong "> In addition, it seeme to mo, that the Chiehol the General Staff has poi tonally gone out of his waj to belittle, dis ' courage, and Samp the enthusiasm of tho whole foluntooring movemenf Since (these articles have (appeared, 1 have been approached, b) many officers throughout the whole of the"North Island, ,-who ha\e had-similai experiences of the unwarranted interference and| un- >- «iampled officialism x>f t Oolonol Kobm <• <, ' ' About Discipline. "Not only havo volunteers themselves been eub}fcted to his interference, but many prominent forco offieeis haye told v mo (which I, am prepared to prove at an inquiry) that he has many fames had private mtolnewj with per-" sons from privates to colonels to the undoubted ' disadvantage of the discipline of tho forces., throughout tho,Dominion Tuither, in the duties laid down for thc-Defence Council, I find the duties for tho chief of general stall are Field organisation, military t operations, ( „ staff i duties, military haining, military educa ■faon, military intelligence, .mobilisation, and war regulations No mention of any kind is made in this to the dutie* of discipline If any member of the Dofenco Council,had any • complaint, to make about tho action 6f myself 1 »nd the corps, it was ColoneUTuson/ A,A.G. '< Jt respectfully submit that at no- time have By officers or myself committed the smal'est i oreaeh of the regulations I havo been under ' provocation owing to tho many\ articles which nave appeared in The Dominion from the pen o f Colonel Eobin But I have withheld writIng to the press, well knowing I should ob f !ain from you justice I have documents in ony possession which, if pnblished,*would have t < treated ,a gra-vo scandal in ■volunteering throughout the whole Dominion. I must re- ' spectfully ask fpr an official inquiry into the conduct pf j tho head of the Defence Department, Colonel Robin, an officer^-who has a private channel ''of communication with an Opposition pape£ (Thf Dominion) in Wellington, and gives articles and information of a nature calculated to be contrary to the best traditions and interest of the' service." Captain Knyvett, when , asked if he had anything to say for publication, said that it was quite correct t that ho was nndor ( "arrest" He; u howover,'''did«not wish to 6ay ahytlnng for "bublicafaJWl'Ee had not, althoW suffer? Mg'.fiom granted l, 5J)y views during the'trying week in Wellington. | His conduct on that occasion had been the subject of an inquiry and he was exonerated, rf '' PREL|MINARY INQUIRY. (By Telegraph—Pres3 AesoolatlonJ i _ Auckland, December 2 A preliminary inquiry was by the officer commanding the district (LieutonantCblonol Wolfe) into tho .case of Captain Kny- / -vett. It is understood that it was decided \ that tho case should be referred to a court of inquiry (court-martial), tho officer v c6minanding considering the case too serious for him to deal with. In the,smcantimo Captain Knyvott tnll, remain unHer suspension.

The "arrest" of an officer, of garrison arfal- , lery volunteers in Auckland 'raises in tho mmd , ,'of the man in tho street an idea of a species ' of legal dotontion, not to say incarceration. > There it, however, a largo distinction to be drawn between tho arrest of a volunteer officer and 1 the arrest of a civilian A volunteer s otaqcr may be placed' nndet ,"arrest" for dislobcdience, neglect of duty, and other breaches ..of the codo of military discipline On such -' an occasion, lie is not allowed to wear his belt, he may v uot appear m uniform in pjbho, tho Garrison Officer's' Club is "tapu" to him, and in various other directions his privileges A3 a volunteer officer aro' curtailed, pending • his trial. If he were in camp, he would be * obliged to remain in his quarters, and in a general way his arrest would approach closer •to the restrictions imposed upon an officer of ■the permanent forces m similar circumstances.