THE KNYVETT CASE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 742, 15 February 1910, Page 6

THE KNYVETT CASE.

ANOTHEE INDIGNATION MEETING. "'.ATTACK ON COLONEL ROBIN. ■; - (By -. Telefraph'.—Press Association.)'.. Auckland, February. 14. ■ . An Meeting'was held- in His-Majesfy's; Theatre to-nigbt', to protest agaihjt'the' treatment meted-'out.to.Cap-tain'.Knyj;ett:iri;conrie,ctio'n witli';his'recent dismi'ssal.fro'm- th'e.vdlunteer?service. . .Tlie meeting (wliich .was.-presided i.ov'er: by Mr.i.C; .J.;. Parr) : was. packed'; to'/-.over-flowing;'- and: great- e'nthusiasiri' was 'displayed." Speeches .w'cro made by - Messrs.W. F. Massey, -jC.- H.;Poole,. ,1?. Ma'nder, A'., !. Glover. an'd F. W, Lang, M.P.'s, Messrs. G. Peacock "and- J-. Krieeh, Dr. Sfopford, aud Captain' Kn'yv'ett himself. Mr. Massey' said' he- intended to. stand by ;the resolutions of the meeting. Both inside # and-outside Parliament he:.had:no intention; of making party capital out of the Knyvett incident. They.had'not made party capital-' of'defence; matters in the' past; and .this. would'.'be' no exception.Gross injustice had been done to . a man who i .was;' an exceedingly useful < and valuable' 'citizen,.' and .it . :beho'ved eve'rybrio- • to'- stand, by'- him-'..and see justice ■ done", .''.He-.felt so strongly' about what'had happened to Captain. Knyvett that,.he was' prepared to, see it through, eyen . if -it were necessary to .take - th«! matter-to-the! steps- of the.Throne itself. If the new.Defence'Act;was,hot'-.adminis-tered .in;,a then every gatil in the Dominion would 1 , have to ; be enlarged. '~They -wanted .an;. impartial tribunal to [inquire;into'the charge which 1 'had been-made; against; Captain. Knyvett, and they-'would' be- satisfied/with nothing less.-.'.-Captain Knyvett .made-a'-series'"of allegations .against Colonel Eobihi, . .. Thei: 'following'' -resolutions'-, 'veie cm-'rieds-r.' - x; - ; -- ; v :.i ."That", this'meeting of: Auckland eitizens -.views with regret and indignation the; decision of the Government to adhere to , the ..grossly.i unjust, f. sentence ;,passedupon,Captain Knyvett with ,: respect' to . the" charges" against' which., he',lias ..not: allowed-- a 'projer.. opportunity-',of.defend-ing. .himself; and,' which.' have; never ;beei) proved,; and; for which); if. they had been proved,;the; puriishirient'is; out, of- all proportion, to.'tne J .offerice;;i' • -.- ' . "That it; is the opinion'of this meeting, W Tjew; of. the' disclosures; .made 'in,' connection with the Knyvett-, case, ' as' well a-s .the general state- of nnreat and' dissatisfaction .evident throughout tlie.coun'tliat there-; are strong- and- undoubted grounds .-for-believing.'-, that, thire , should bp 'sfit . up :ai-,Royal. Commission -of- Inquiry into - the administration .of- the Defence Department, and,,that .this' meetirig ..eiripowgrs the... gentlemen' - constituting' the executive, • of' the 'Knyvetty Defence, Committee':',- to'-.place' .the -matter:-before; the Gover.nmerit.-l'and xeijuest:that:such lloyal Commission of Inquiry-' be set.:up"witho'ut delay.'.. , ~' ' -."That this meeting'.erripowers- a ' deputation' 'consisting ': of'. the', chSirinahi'bf -the meetingj . the; executive -of' the Knyvett Defence .Committee,: arid -.the, .members: of Parliament present ;td'wait on. the Hon. Geo. -Fowlds,. and the Hon. Dr. -Fmdlay, and - supply..them-, with; copies of ;.the -'hk solutions passed' at-, this meeting;', arid • rednest them 'to '.bring-.,the rnatter before Cabinet'-, without' delay, " with : a .'.view' to' a»Eoyal Commission-of ilnqriiry'- into 'the administration ! - of'..-the',-;. Defence Department "being, set up'at once;"