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THE MOTUIHI INCIDENT.

■ COURT OF INQUIRY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Pel). 12. The Court of Inquiry into the responsibility of Colonel Patterson and Major Osborne Lilly in the escape of the German prisoners from Motuihi Bat in Wellington to-day. Colonel Tate, Adjutant-General, said he took over from Colonel Pilkington on May 11, l!ll(i, but had no conversation with him regarding prisoiiers-of-war. The president: Can you give us the general chain of responsibility if Witness: The Minister is responsible to Parliament and the general is responsible to the Minister. As far as my branch is concerned, 1 am responsible to the general, then my directors are responsible to me.—We are responsible to do that work which 1 the general entrusts to us. The Officer Commanding the District is responsible to the General. The O.C.D. commands the district and all those within it and everyone within the district is responsible to him. Since the escape he had seen the letter from Colonel Pilkington to Colonel Turner, appointing him commandant at Motuihi. Until then he had no reason to suppose that the normal chain of responsibility had in any way been disturbed. When witness was appointed, Captain Skelley was Assistant AdjutantGeneral, and had charge of the prisoners of war. Major Lilly never made reports to him on the subject of the prisoners. Colonel Tate, continuing his evidence, said that ho regarded Major Lilly as responsible for the branch relating to prisoners. Regarding the letter he had written to Colonel Patterson, he said that the position was that Parliament was just about to sit or w.s sitting, and several awkward questions came down from the Minister which he had answered promptly. Previously there had been a great deal of correspondence and discussion as to the drinking facilities to prisoners of war at Motuihi, and for going ashore to hotels and the consequent disturbance of the ptvblie mind. He believed that had been checked, but fully expected that during Parliament the Minister might be bombarded with questions. /' It occurred to his mind one day to write to C&lonel Patterson personally, so that witness might be sure when the question came up. Colonel Patterson would be already apprised, and witness would be able to give an answer to Parliament promptly and correctly. He still took up the position that he was responsible to the General for everything in connection with the prisoners, though he might not handle them. The escape of the prisoners was a slur on his department. It would never have occurred to him to write to Colonel Turner. Ifo wanted the O.C.D. to be alive to the position, so that when he sent a frantic telegram lie should be able to reply. No report was made to him that the launch was there. It came to his knowledge at the time of the escape. He had never been on the island. He had never had time. No authority was asked for or obtained to keep the launch. j Major-General Robin said he did n6t see the letter from Colonel Pilkington appointing Colonel Turner commandant at Motuihi until the present enquiry. He still was of opinion that the normal chain of responsibility was not upset in any way. Colonel Gibbon said he could not remember Colonel Pilkington showing him the letter. As he remembered it, Colonel Pilkington's idea was that the commandant of Motuihi dealt direct with headquarters on matters affecting the prisoners personally. Everything else would be dealt with through the district. On resuming, after the mid-day adjournment, Colonel Hume, commanding Wellington' military district, gave evidence. He said he had been in command of the Auckland district from November. 1014, until May, 1910. Before Colonel Turner took over command at the island, and afterwards, he had always considered the island was under his command as officer commanding the district. He had never had any orders to this effect, but had always taken this to be the position. He did not think at the time that the letter of instructions to Colonel Turner disturbed the chain of communication in any way. He considered that he was in charge of the island, and he held Colonel Turner to be responsible to him for the discipline of the camp and for safeguarding the prisoners of war. He was quite s&tistied with the conduct of affairs there, and if there were occasions when he was not satisfied on particular points he was quite sure that he would tell Col Turner so. When he handed over the district command to Colonel Paterson he did not remember that he made any remarks about Motuihi. He considered it was simply a branch of the district on which there was nothing calling for special mention. The President: If you were in direct control of the island, can you account .for the fact that a lot of correspondence concerning buildings and other matters were sent direct to general headquarters by Colonel Turner, and thai some of the correspondence in reply went direct to him, and some of it to district headquarters? That may have been done, but I should say that Colonel Turner would have informed me with regard to that correspondence, and that if there was anything in it I would be bound to know of it. I havo 'every reason to believe that he did tell me what he was do'ng in regard to correspondence with gen" cral headquarters. Colonel Paterson: Did yon not think that the letter appointing Colonel Turner was a bit ambiguous?— Well, it might have been. It would not be quite possible for another officer to take a view different from that taken by you?—Oh, yes; quite possible. ' Does Somes Island come under the jurisdiction of the Wellington military district?— No. Can you explain, then, why Motuihi should come under the Auckland military district?—l have never raised the question of Somes Island. It has never heen the subject of a word discussion or correspondence between Wellington and headquarters. When I came here I considered it was a self-supporting unit like Trentham or Featherston camps. If certain prisoners got away from Somes Island to-night would you consider yourself responsible ?—I 'certainly should notAre yon aware how internment camps are conducted in England?—No; I havo never looked the matter up. Colonel Paterson: They are conducted by the War Office. I suppose you are not aware how they are' conducted in Australia ?—No.

The President: Somes Island is in the Wellington military district?— Yes. Tf Somes Island does not come under the ntlicor commanding tlic district, \»-)iv slioukl Motuihl?—lt seems to me that is a matter for heaclrfinrters to answer. If you ask my opinion, I presume the

reason is that Somes Island is immediately in sight o!' headquarters here and c:in be communicated with readily by headquarters, while Motuihi cannot Von left n district whore there wu an internnieiit eainp for which you considered yourself responsible, and you "anie to a district .in which there was another internnieiit camp- Did you not consider that tin's internment camp should also come npder your jurisdiction as ofliccr commanding the district?—. i have given the matter some thought. ! had no instruction* on that matter, ■u:i\ 1 take it that if Somes Island had heen in my care I would have liad some correspondence on it. This concluded the evidence of the inquiry. It may he that some witness or witnesses will have to lie recalled, but (hat is not the present intention of the Court.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19180213.2.20

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1918, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,244

THE MOTUIHI INCIDENT. Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1918, Page 4

THE MOTUIHI INCIDENT. Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1918, Page 4

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