THE ESCAPED GERMANS.

Taihape Daily Times, 17 December 1917, Page 4

THE ESCAPED GERMANS.

OAving to somebody’s want of caution, or downright blundering, the real, live German prisoners of Avar, captured by New Zealanders, have been let loose, and, provided with a Ncav Zealand Military Commander’s motor launch that may enable them to avoid recapture. Such a chance does not look extra bright for the escapees, but their undoubted? clevefness is a quantity and quality which has enabled them to make that of our Military Commander look very small and may, with fortune in their favour, be all-sufficient to render them capable of avoiding Our Military authorities are slow to realise what to do in such a case; they are

flabbergasted. Telegraph wires flash the mesasge to all newspapers that the full force of the law will be brought down upon them if they mention a word about the incident. Most newspapers loyally observe the order, only to find that they are left in the lurch, when other newspapers come to

hand with a flaming account" ui iue escape in big, hold type. We rather admire the Censor’s caution in taking a course that gives time tion, but we think the censorship removal should be simultaneous, givingall newspapers equal privileges, otherwise residents in one part of the country are given news which is denied to others. Count von Luckner and his crew were captured in a launch in the Pacific, now they have escaped in a launch from the Island of Motuihl, ) where they were imprisoned. They cannot go far without provisions, but, unfortunately, the censorship of the news of their escape -would go a long way towards helping them to seize or purchase supplies before the } general public were put on their guard. The runaway launch lias on board two German naval officers, who are doubtlessly well-schooled in all pertaining to sea strategy, and with the start of four hours and a misguided censorship to help them, there is a possibility they may get away, EuT it seems to be a very slender one. We may expect soon to hear of clever exploits. The news of the escapreTs very meagre, it informs us that von Luckner and his associates got away in the Military Commander’s launch; there is no mention about the launch being armed. It is very likely the launch had some armament, indeed, one can scarcely think otherwise. , With • a machine-gun, a rifle or two, plenty of petrol, and an abundance of ammunition, these Germahs who were clever enough to be trusted with the command of a German raider in the Pacific, may put up one or two very lensational little naval episodes. Of course this is pure conjecture, and anything of the kind must largely depend upon how the motor launch was armed, or upon what armament and supplies the escapees were able to acquire before the fact of their escape and identity "Dcame generally known. The wily Hun "has beaten their guards, let us hope it will prove only temporary.