THE KNYVETT CASE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 833, 3 June 1910, Page 6

THE KNYVETT CASE.

NEW DEVELOPMENT. COLONEL ROBIN ASKS FOR AN INQUIRY, SPEECH BY HON. G. FOWLDS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.! Auckland, June 2. The Hon. Geo. Fowlds, Minister for Lducation, addressed a largeJy attended meeting of his constituents at Grey Lynn this evening. He defended his action in regard to the proposed handing over of the Government House site to the University College, and also the attitude adopted by the Government in regard fco the Kiiyvett ease. He re-iorxed to the advice given by Lord Kitchener not to allow political or social influence to interfere with the administration of the Defence Department, and said that the Government had all along resisted those influences. The Government could not afford to break the Jaw in response to a popular demand, nor could it allow the administration of the Defence Department to be dictated by mass meetings, ?7 en they were fed by tho Loader of i he Opposition. The agitation over the affair was directed, either against the nead of the Government or against Colonel Robin. (No! No!) It was a most unwarranted and unworthy political rrr[ {J Oll, US 6 &nd CHCS of "No!") lae Government had nothing to fear by a rehearing of the Knyvett case. Captain lynyvetfc's attention had been dravin' i ti. commanding officer before his to the Prime Minister was sent, -hat it was an improper one. Ho wondered whether the Knyvett committees * * / * n *he pamphlet of facts of the case. (A voice:. "No!" Another voice: "They did. All the facte are there. ) There was no provision in the present law for a rehearing of the C ra?" I. had been suggested that this difficulty could bo got over by Colonei o. 11 demanding an inquiry into the serious charges made against him. (A voice: pi . to , have done so at once.") Colonel Robm had had nothing whatever to do with the Knyvett case from before the time that the inquiry was ordered. He (Colonel Robin) had never objected to an inquiry being held into the charges against him, and he had asked tuat an inquiry should be held at once. It was, however, not so easy to provide lor such an inquiry as military custom demanded that a court of inquiry could oe composed only of officers of equal or superior rank to the officer whoso conduct: was the subject of the inquiry. They had no officers in New Zealand of equal or superior rank to the . ,9* t'he staff. All efforts to overcome this difficulty had been unsuccessful, but the proposed nppointment of an Imperial ?i vr higher rank as commandant of the New Zealand Forces would probably overcome the difficulty. When the new commandant arrived ho would appoint a board to inquire into the charges against Colonel Robin in due time. Captain Knyvett and his friends would thus have an opportunity of the fullest inquiry that they could desire. Sucli inquiry would be held only after Parliament had made the rehearing legal, and the Government would give Parliament an opportunity of making this provision during the coming As to the demand for a royal commission to inquire into the administration of the Defence Department he said that to set up an inquiry on a Department the Government had just decided to remodel from top to bottom would be the height of political absurdity, He paid a tribute to the fairness of Colonel Robin, and said that the Government had all along declined to assist in dragging tht; question into the arena as party politics. After speaking on various questions of general politics Mr. Fowlds was accorded an almost unanimous vote of thanks and continued confidence.

The Hon., Br. Findlay also spoke a few words in appreciation of Mr. Fowlds.