THE MOTUIHI INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 73, 19 December 1917, Page 5

THE MOTUIHI INQUIRY

The Cuards' Arrangements,

AN IMPORTANT MEMORANDUM

MINISTER OF DEFENCE DISSATISFIED

TOOK ACTION THREE WEEKS AGO

AN UNARMED GUARD

REDUCTION MADE FOR ECONOMY

COLONEL TURNER'S EVIDENCE By Telegraph— Press Association. Auckland, December 18. Tho Court of Inquiry into tho escape of eleven men from Motuihi on Tliurs't day evening was formally opened be-1 for© Colonel O. R, Macdonald (presi- 1 dent), Lieutenant-Colonel Ncave, and Lieutenant-Colonel Cumniing. Commissioner O'Donovan and Superintendent Kioly, of the police, wero also present. The president read a memorandum a 6 follows:— November 27. From the Minister of Defence to the Commandant at Motuihi (LieutenantColonel C. Harcourt Turner) :— Tho Minister of Defence has di- ' rected attention to the fact that • • certain circumstances in connection with the guard at Motuihi Island have caused him some concern. The Minister further states that at tho time of his visit, the. guard was unarmed, and that in his opinion the arms were not kept in a safe place, and that the ammunition, though under lock and key, was not guarded. The Minister has directed attention to the fact that he was not satisfied that there is supervision in other matters. It is desired that you furnish replies to the following questions:— (1) Why was the guard unarmed at the time of the visit of tho Minister P (2) At what time and for what reason are members of the guard ' permitted to leave off their arms? (3) (a) What sentries are posted for duty during the day? (b) What sentries are posted for duty at night? (c) What arms do such sentries carry at night and during the night? . (4) (a) What precaution is taken for the safe custody of ammunition'' , • 'i j (b) What guard is. placed over the ammunition? (6) (a) What supervision is exercised over incoming goods and parcels for prisoners of war? (b) In what manner are such parcels examined? (o) What precaution is taken to guard against prisoners of war receiving dangerous material which may be concealed in Buch parcels? '(7) What supervision is exercised over goods and parcels received by the farming staff at Motuihi? (8) In what manner is the telephone line between Motuihi Island and Auckland guarded at Motuihi IslandP Colonel Turner Cives Evidence. Colonel Turner in evidence stated that he took over the command of the island about May 9, 1917, and received absolutely no.instructions from Captain Winthrop, his predecessor. * The president: Usually the outgoing officer explains the system followed to his successor? Witness: That did not take place. Waen j actually took over the island lie was not there. Before coming to Auckland I went to Headquarters at Wellington and asked to see the files relating to Motuihi. I could find in them nothing relating to the original organisation of the camp, or how it was being- administered. Witness was afterwards told by Colonel Macdonald that fne Coast Defence were managing the camp, and that Major Meikle would give fiie necessary information. Major Meikle referred him to Sergeant-Major Mulffolland, and upon arriving, in Auckland he went down to the island to have a look round. Captain Winthrop was in his quarters, and remained there all the time witness was on the island. He found out nothing about tho island to speak about during this visit, which lasted about'an hour and a half. On officially taking over tho island he found there was no establishment laid down, it being apparently left to the Commandant to employ tho number of men Ee deemed necessary. ~

The average establishment he had until September last was 35 of all ranks. These were divided into four standing guards, each guard consisting of a lance-corporal and four men. Of the four standing guards one _ guard should be on duty, ono guard just off duty, one guard next for duty, and tho fourth guard finding two men on patrol duty and fatigues if necessary. Each guard bad always, one man on leave, The guard was on duty for 24 hours, the patrol remaining- out during tho daytime. This was tho system ' existing. When be officially took over there wero under forty prisoners on tho island. A sentry and guard from 8 a.m. until dark was posted on Tower Hill, from where ho could got a view of the North Beach and wharf, with tho road leading to it. Ho was also in full vie\v of tho guard. His beat extended from th» hill to tho wharf, ten minutes' March. At' night there was one sentry posted in front of the guardroom, nnd his beat extended across tho front of tho barracks. A patrol of two men was sent out about 8 in the morning to patrol the south-eastern end of the island. He did not know definitely what timo they returned, but ho thought about lock-up time, which varied according to the seasons. Tho president:. Was tho guard armed ? Witness: Yes. The sentries, guard, and patrol wero all armed, and carried ammunition. Tho president: AVcre you .satisfied with tho arrangement? Witness: I was satisfied with it, and carried it on with the exception that I reduced the beat of the sentry by day on Tower Hill, confining the beat to the hill itself. "When, however, the launch approached _ the wharf his orders were to leave his bent and go to tho end of tho wliarf, after having hoisted two signal (lags to denote to tho guard that tho boat was 'approaching. There wore no general rides to this effect, but I decided upon tho course. I also altered Hie beat of tho night sentry by arranging that onco in every hour the sentry, in company with the corporal of the guard, was to encircle the barracks, also that tho corporal of the guard should at intervals of not more than two hours patrol down tho avenue. Tho president: Who did you report to respecting tho guard arrangements ? Witness: To the Adjutant-General direct. Tho president: Did you renort on taking over? Witness: No. I had not been instructed to do so. . Witness, continuing, said that the orders to the sentry by day wore that , no launch was to approach within three

hundred yards of tho island unless approaching the wharf, in which case ho waij to hoist a flag when tho boat was twenty minutes away, and a second flag when ton minutes away. Ho was then to proceed to tho wharf, remaining whilo the boat was alongside. In rough weather launches went 1o the North Beach, anchoring ono hundred or two hundred yards from the shore under the sentry's observation. Periodical visits were mado to tho sentries. The orders wero that tho island must bo constantly patrolled to sco tnat no boats approached the island,, and to see that no prisoners remained out aftor hours. The Rides and Ammunition. ' Rifles wero kept in the . soldiers' barracks, and orders wero given that when tho rifles were in the guardroom ono man must he present and awake. Four mon must bo in the men's quarters at the barracks. Six rounds of ammunition were issued to each, man. The quantity in .store was never more than 500 rounds, stored in the scr-crennt-major's room. There were two telephones from the guardroom,' one to Auckland and one to Waiheke, tho connection being Ihe ordinary overhead one. No particular order had been given, about guarding it, though the patrol w6uld have it under observation. A connection later made to tho commandant's house and a farmhouse. It was only possible to communicate with Auckland or Waiheke through the guardroom annunciVisitors to the Island. 'All parcels and letters for tho island were examined, and all letters to and from prisoners were censored by the postal censor, with the exception of a few outward letters in English which witness censored.. Prisoners had no other communication with Auckland. At one time they were allowed to visit their wives in Auckland, .but that was stopped months ago. Visitors to the prisoners had to . obtain passes from the O.C.D. or himself. -Witness had issued vory few passes himself. He had always objected to visitors or, the ground that they might convey letters, messages, or small parcels. had a feelina that they were weakly protected. Witness quoted a spenifio case of a pass granted by a higher authority after Colonel Patterson *nd witness'had refused it. In interviews husbands and wives were allowed to he alone together. In other cases it depended on who the visitor was. Witness-said the launch used hy him was'moored 200 yards from the end of the wharf, or about 500 or 600 yards from Tower Hill, and in full view from there The sentry on tho hill could have fired at the launch at tho moorings.

Cuard Reduced for Economy. In July last witness saw General Robin in Wellington, and was asked whether it would bo possible, to reduce tho guards as economy was necessary. Subsequently witness arrived/ at the conclusion that the only way to Teduce the guards was to reduce the standing guards and institute a system of military police patrols, who usually wero unarmed. Tho reduction was from' 35' to 24 mon, and this s was agreed to by Colonel Patterson,'the change beine made gradually during September. Headquarters wore informed., and tho Director of Personal Service was at Motuihi in August, and knew of tho contemplated change. Under the reduced guard the following arrangements were made, and with two exceptions were in. force when tho escape was effected:—Six men ■ were told off for a tour of 24 hours' duty, divided into three reliefs, each of two men, working for eight hours. One man would be in the guardroom and the other patrolling botween Tower Hill and the cruardroom. The other four men would Be about the barracks. In addition, patrol duty was carried out as before except thai the men wero unarmed. • A"'n extra man was put on wharf duty when a launch came, and remained while the craft was there. He was unarmed. Ono reason for the reduction of the cuard was that, though the numbers of prisoners increased to over 80, they were mostlv civilians, nearlv all from Samoa. Considering the character of the prisoners and what he knew of them lie'considered the prolection afforded by the military police patrols was ample. Tho system was in force when the officers of the See Adler arrived in October 8 last. Tho inquiry was adjourned.