THE KNYVETT CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 82, 15 July 1910, Page 5

THE KNYVETT CASE.

AGITATION DENOUNCED BY THE PUEMIEK. EXPLANATION L\ THE HOUSE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the House of Representatives on Thursdday afternoon, the Premier made a statement regarding tJie Knyvett case. At no time since the agitation started, he said, had he publicly taken part in the matter. All sorts of statements had been made, including some by members of the House, which were entirely contrary to fact. He proposed to lay before the House a report of the evidence taken before tiie Board of Enquiry; also the report taken on behalf of Captain Knyvett, and to : read portions of the same necessary to clear up the matter. Sir Joseph then read lengthy correspondence and evi-, dence relating to the case, beginning with the letter from Captain Knyvett; to the 0.C.D., leading to the former's: arrest. Captain Knyvett had been treated with every consideration, but he had refused to withdraw his insubordinate letter. The Premier went on to characterise the attitude of Captain Knyvett's friends as most unfair in attacking Colonel Robin on the public platform. No volunteer system in the! world could allow such insubordination; to go unpunished. U the Minister of : Defence were to yield to the agitation! in favor of Knyvett. what would be the effect on all other volunteer officers who were doing their duty at the present time? Ho read the opinion of the Solicitor-General, which was that Cap- 1 tain Knyvett was j PROPERLY DISMISSED

for the offence against military discipline, and that the evidence justified the. decision of the Court. He had asked Colonel Tuson, in view of further evidence placed before him by the Knvvett representative, to go into the caste again, with the result that the Adjutant-Gen-eral gave it as his opinion that there was no reason for re-opening the case. In view of this report, Cabinet eame to the decision that the case should not be re-opened. Colonel Robin, wuo had been aspersed, was one of the most honorable men he (the Premier) had ever met, but he had been treated with THE FOULEST INJUSTICE. It had been suggested that an Appeal Board should be set up in connection with such cases, and he (Sir Joseph Ward) was prepared to agree to this, so as to avoid a repetition of such an agitation in future. He s?.id he liad never changed his attitude in the matter. Captain Knvvett had actually put in his writing his refusal to withdraw his insubordinate letter. Even allowing that Knyvctt's action in leaving Auckland was not irregular, it was a fact that he had asked for free passes for himself and his men, which could not be. provided unless application were made by the Defence Department. He (the Premier) had been asked by several Auckland members to grant these free passes, but he had refused. He had reason to believe that the AGITATION WAS LARGELY POLITICAL.

which was regrettable, as defence administration ought, above all others, to be kept free from party influences. He meed that the papers lie on the table and be printed. MR. MASSEY'S REPLY. llr. Massey said it was unfair to ask meubers to discuss papers that they had not perused. He gave the statement that he had used the Knyvett case for party purposes AN UNQUALIFIED DENIAL.

He had taken part in the Auckland meeting at the request of the citizens, who assured him it was not a party one. The meeting was the most enthusiastic and successful he had ever attended. He had no personal acquuimtanae with Captain Knyvett prior to the case. Knyvett had' been subjected, not to ordinary military discipline, but to persecution. Sir Joseph Ward: Who by? Mr. Massey: That's what I want to know. i Mr. Massey quoted the letter from. Captain Knyvett to the Minister of De-| fence, setting forth the facts connected with his company's visit to Petone. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.

Mr. Massey, resuming his speech, dealt' with the various enquiries made into the charges against Captain Knyvett, which were eventually narrowed down to two, comprising reflections made on Colonel Eobin. The President of the Court ruled the statements were not made maliciously, though they were wild statements. The evidence heard in Court was not taken down in shorthand, except by a stenographer engaged by the friends of Captain Knyvett. Sir Joseph Ward had said the Court had a full report of Rnyvett's evidence. Mr. Massey denied that there had been any full report taken of the evidence of the final Court. Knyvett may have committed an indiscretion, but the punishment was o'it of all proportion to the offence.! Knyvett had been PUNISHED AND DEGRADED

! in the eyes of the Dominion and his I native country, after serving the Empire. ! He (Mr. Mnssey) had never used Capi tnin Knvvett's ease for political purposes. All he contended was that Knyvett should have a fair trial, which had lieen denied him. If the Defence Department could not lie improved in its administration, then Heaven help the country. Mr. "C. H. Poole admitted that Knyvett was not blameless, but contended that he had been badly treated. The agitation had served a useful purpose in being the means of creating appeal boards in such cases. I Mr. Fisher said the lovaltv and fidel-j ity of the people of Auckland had forced the Government to take action in thej direction of setting up military appeal boards. The Court sitting at Auckland was not a free court. It had to adjourn! every five minutes to telegraph to Wellington to find out where it was. j Mr. Taylor (Christchurch) considered the Premier had made a complete dofence, but at the same time Knyvett did not have a fair trial.

After a long discussion. Sir Joseph Ward, in replying, rend a letter, dated November 12, from Colonel Wolfe to Colonel Paterson, pointing out that the tone and the contents of the letter of Cnntain Knyvett were contrary to the defence regulations. Knyvett, notwithstanding this, refused to alter his letter. Tn the pamphlet issued by the Knyvett Committee this letter did not appear, thought it was one of the most important documents before Colonel Tuson while making the enquiry. Mr. Masses had suggested that there was somebody behind the alleged persecution of

'Knyvett. but lie had not said who it i was. Colonel Tuson, without consulting the Defence Minister, had arrested Knjrvctt It was his duty to do so. No attojii])t had been made by the Ministers to influence the officers engaged in the enquiries. He denied that the Go(vernineut's decision to create appeal boards had been influenced by the Knyvett case. Tlie motion was carried. A PASSAGE AT ARMS. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. During Mr. Massey's speech there wag a brief passage of arms between him and Mr. Roderick McKenzie. The latter had made some interjections, and Mr. Massey said the lion, member was displaying his ignorance of the subject by his interjections. This brought Mr. Roderick McKenzie abruptly to his feet with a point of order, and a demand for the withdrawal of the words uttered. The Speaker ruled that Mr. Massey had not transgressed the laws of debate, and Mr. McKenzie resumed- his seat, muttering that others could use the words on other occasions, and there would be plenty ot opportunities.