THE CASE OF CAPT. KNYVETT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 271, 22 December 1909, Page 2

THE CASE OF CAPT. KNYVETT

OPENING OF THE ENQUIEI'

By Telegraph.-Press Association. Auckland, Ust Night. rw ■ Captain F. B. Knyvett. of No. 1 Company, Auckland Garrison Artillery, m connection with the letter he forward--1 rii of Defence criticismColonel fiQbm, was opened to-dav, till > + ~ of Licut.-ColonclCh.iy- , tor (Wellington), Major Sandtman, and . Captain Boeworth. The president an- , nounced that the court would be open and not held in camera, as at first in\Z ™i ""1 """ U woul<l ,ol,0 «- >*>« the rules of a court martial than those ot a court of enquiry. Captain Knyvett contended that under section 178 of the Defence Regulations any member of the defence force* JtaAk'wJ 0 "P I "''"' and he claime « that the letter he had addressed to the Minister of Defence and which led to the present enquiry, came within its to ni", and as such was privileged. The court ruled against him. .Captain Knyvett asked for an exnr.ssinn of 0 p„ lioll from th( , coun as t ' h . s "glit to send the letter in question. The president: Wo admit you had a riffht to send a letter, and to make a complaint. You did not break the -C----jmlations by sending the letter, but the charge » that in that letter von sent you made certain statements which were a breach of the regulations. Captain Knyvett reviewed the charts brought against him, characterising them as absurd and meaningless. Re e \rl that hB W ace"*ed Colonel KoTan of "unwarranted ..in about an officer who was dtiing his dulv was in reality a flattering one. He ~ ' tanated Je_had 40 witnesses to ,Jl ne enquiry was adjourned till to-mor-