THE KNYVETT AGITATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 745, 18 February 1910, Page 9

THE KNYVETT AGITATION.

:;y-Itwo ;ministees aOTEtessED;, a?!; I /,'.. (By,rTeleeraßh.—Press.:Aeßoolatloh.>".:'-•;•■ |; : :';:V'-!r,-.'/,/, ,;:f. , ;\'Auckland,:,l'ebrnary' ; i7. :- ".•! /As/in''outcome of ,/tho : indignation "ineet. ing ,;held','dn iMonday, a : ,, large deputation'waited On tho'Hoh.' G.'.Fowlds and/ the, '.Hon,.: Dr.' ,/Findlay, ' and; urged /the'Government,'t'o-giye-ex-Captain Knytrial;V b^. : an''impartial''tri-buhal.''';:////;/;.///-'/-''J/:--/',' '■' ": ; 'J':'' '■' The .Hon.';G;/Fowlds 'said':ho had''read, >tho/lettei;'..which'was;the: foundation;.of vthe'v charge, .and'he expressed...surprise -that .'..anyone ', could reread j.the letter ..and contend' .there.. /was'"■ no.",:: evidence,;' of V ih•'subordination. •,Tbo..siyerity'.of the'sentence ' -might ..bo/ open j'.to:;.question,-' -but Z/i\'.'Findlay',';was-better: able to .deal with that/aspect 'bfithevcase.;;'-;-/..''.'-' '■(:■' 'vff-y. ...Dr./Pindlay said'Mr/Fbwlds and himself //wero '' impressed',.', by'.;..tho •- feeling' exhibited /in/Auckland./ .'.The'..'■.'charge -against.'Knyyett ; ; was'/ that; ho bod .been' 'guilty .of 'insubordination: .in bringing charges;.against'^a' superior .officer. True, the charge wa3 not in terms investigated by tlis_Court "of Inquiry, but-anyone who .read -Ivnyvctfs'.own/evidenco:.: would' see ho- recognised/.he was charged 'with ' in,subordination. -■>. .Charges of -insubordinahon..wero heard, ?not tried. The court's duty was, to send' on" the evidence, which ■was:considered by Colonel-.Tuson.-w-ho made., the, recommendation,V■'which'," coming, from a careful, impartial, and ex•perioncedvOihcer(..was adopted.- After a deputatioh.waitod.bh:the Prime' Minister ovidenco .was. sent to /Colonel ■Juson,; and the. question,, arose- whether the proceedings in law, were invalid. •" The point was considered by.-. hiiri.solf (Dr • j;)ndlay),and. : tho 'Solicitor-General, who arrived, at the ,decision that there was nothing to. warrant, the, proceedings nf ■the.Court-of Inquiry;being quashed.. Ho intended, to impress upon Cabinot the feeling m Auckland, and explain' tlio reasons, for ' tho resolutions ■ passed by the indignation meeting. , . ■:• -