SOMES ISLAND ESCAPEES.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 September 1918, Page 3

SOMES ISLAND ESCAPEES.

REPORT OF COMMISSION OF j ENQUIRY. j OFFICIALS NOT TO BLAME. j The report of to Commission of Inquiry with regard to tlie escape of lour interned Germans from Somes Island at the end of July has been forwarded to Sir Jams Allen (Acting-Prime Minister and Minister for Defence). The Court- found, said Sir James Allen on Saturday, that the escape was not attributable to any neglect on the part of n hv officer, non-commissioned officer, or soldier in tbe New Zealand Defence Forces. He had asked for a report as to how the njon could: construct n: sextant on the island, and also as to the reported failure of the telephone _ service. With regard to the latter, the Commission reported that there was an arrangement between the Commandant of tbe Island and the officer commanding tbe R.N.Z.A. to ring up the island every hour of tbe night to test- the communication. This was done on the night of the escape, and the calls wore answered regularly and promptly. Apparently the arrangement was not communicated to the. A.P.M., the civil police. or the Naval Intelligence Officer. A hook was kept at the Telephone Exchange recording as far as possible every call made between midnight and I) a.m. From an examination of that book, together with other evidence, it appeared that two calls on the night in question—one within half an hour ol the other—had not been answered That might have been due to some ten i porary defect in the telephone system \ As to the sextant, the Court- was o: j opinion that it was made on the Islam S and was not brought from outside. I j was like pieces of cigar boxes, am j might easily have been construct*] without being detected by vigilant su ■ pervision. It could have been asseni • bind hastily with ease. The only part that might have aroused suspicion wer the hrass-platcs, btit these were smal articles, and could have been eoneealeanywhere. The report- added that th

Court in the course of the proceedings had been impressed with the great care and thoroughness shown, by the | commandant, who discharged his dutie: without any rogsird to health or person al comfort. Tho Court, said the Minister, made certain recommendations with regard to accomodation and other matters, and these were under consideration. Perj sonally he was afraid that the accommodation was overtaxed, and the question j of the accommodation, both at Somes Island and at Motuihi ‘ would bo face # d at once. The matter was being investigated.