THE ESCAPE FROM MOTUIHI.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 303, 20 December 1917, Page 5

THE ESCAPE FROM MOTUIHI.

COURT OF INQUIRY. LIEUT.-COL. TURNER'S EVIDENCE. TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. J. iie Court of Inquiry set up to inquire into the escape of the German prisoners from Motuihi Island on Thursday evening last continued its sitting at the Garrison Officers' Club to-day. Lieut.-Col. C. H. Turner, continuing his evidence, stated that the whole of the island was within bounds for the prisoners with the exception of certain beaches and a portion of the interior, ims was during the day from 8.15 a.m. till ten minutes before dark in the winter and 6 p.m. in the summer. First-class prisoners of war were confined to their barrack buildings between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Second-class prisoners were confined to their barrack buildings between 6 p.m. and C a.m. in the winter and 7.30 p.m. and 6 a.m. in the summer. A roll was called of the second-class prisoners by the orderly corporal or sergeant at 5.30 p.m., after which they were not allowed out. When' he first took over the island there were about 17 first-class prisoners. The soldier orderly would see these prisoners three times a day at their meals, and he could tell the guard if any 6i their number were missing. Although the first-class prisoners gradually increased in numbers, the same system prevailed, and a system of roll-call was not introduced. Prisfcncrs could obtain special permission from witness to visit another barrack-room, the names of such prisoners being entered in a book in the guardroom. At the closing hours for the barracks the back doors were locked, j. lie front doors were not locked, as they j were in view of the guard. With the exiception of the men on duty, as already explained, no other measures were taken I to ensure these rules being observed. (There was a roll-call of second-class prisoners at 8.45 each morning, 'mere was a canteen on the island, where food could be obtained on payment. The man selling the food was a German prisoner named Paulson. The canteen was actually in charge of the sergeant-maior, and could only be entered through the office. All orders sent to town for supplies for the canteen were placed before witness and initialled by him if approved. Very little actual food was purchased from tne canteen, the principal sales beinp , tobacco and cigars. The amount of food kept in the canteen was very limited, and if a prisoner desired, sar, a ham or a tin of fish, it had to be specially ordered from town. Except in the case of special fatigues, the prisoners' occupations and actions were not under supervision, except in so far as they were seen by the sentries. A FRESH ELEMENT. On the island, in addition to the guard, I there was a farm manager and a ploughman, both' British subjects, and the farm manager's cook already referred to. ' These were the only residents on the' island outeide the detachment and the : prisoners. The farm manager's quarters : were out of bounds, but the prisoners •were allowed free intercourse with the manager-and his" servants. At times a considerable number of prisoners were employed on the farm for the Agricultural Department. Three were permanently so employed, of whom one was named Mellert. Witness never received any orders or instructions regarding, the of leaving : the island himself. Under ordinary circumstances he would cross over to town- once in ten days, an I would stay there one or two "nights. Apart from thie witness. had -frequently jbeen over to "Auckland on duty, such as i attending courts-martial and inquiries. i l-aet September he was doing duty in Auckland on twenty separate days. On 'the other hand, there were periods when he would be three weeks on the island •without leaving it. Since the scare witness thought he was right in saying that there had always been an officer on the island at night. if witness were. called away. Witness had only been »way from' the island on duty since the scare. On December 1, 1917, Major Oeborne Lilly, Directo.r of Personal Services, visited the jlsland. Witness had received' on Novemj'ber 30 a memorandum from the latter : dated' November 27. The memorandum was the one referred to in paragraph 3 of the order of reference. That night he drafted his reply. Major Lilly said he ' wae particularly concerned about hie I memorandum of November 27, and that jhe had made a special trip to Auckland 'in consequence.. Witness.read to him the J draft of hie (witness , ) reply. At Major 'Lilly's suggestion witness added a note : to his memorandum to the effect that the ' system of police* controls was sufficient ). until the introduction of a fresh element in the officers of the Seeadler. [ STRONGER GUARD REQUESTED. • In reply to tne' loiter irom Aiajor ; Ueborne xaily, read at tne opening oi tne • inquiry, ana reierred to m paragraph . uiree-ot tne order of reference, wuuess • wrote as follows:— "In duly last when in Wellington I ' called upon tne G.O.O.,'and he said tnat • ue was oi opinion that 1 should be able i to reduce the strengen of tne guard nere, I and'directed mc to consider tne matter - and consult with the O.uD,, AucKland. ' At tnat time tne 'strength was 3d of all i ranks, wnicn provided tue details necessary for an armed guard of 1 .N.CO. and 3 men, and a patrol at the back of the island, on a<!4-iiour tour of duty. After considering how the strength could be reduced, and arriving at a conclusion tliat the only method was to introduce a. system of police patrols in place of the armed guard, and after consultation with tiie a reduction to a strength of ' 24 was made during September, but as 1 the men then went, on duty in pairs''for eight hours at a time they could not carry rifles, and from the experience of ' the conduct of the prisoners of war it 9 was considered that the rifles could be ' r dispensed with. This system has been carried out satisfactorily for the last " three months until last week, when, 1 owing to certain information given to mc ' by the O.C.D. I increased the men -from \ 2 to 4 on duty from 11 p.m. to daylight, \ and have armed those 4. The guard was not carrying arms when the Minister was here because the duty has been done \ without arms for the last three months. ' The reduction of the strength from 35 to ' 24 represented a daily reduction in ex--1 penditirre of (pay and rations) £3 15/-, \ or'l'Od. a prisoner." [ ■ The letter, after detailing the guards |. placed on the island and the steps taken '■ to censor parce», as Already published, 1 went on to state: —'""The system of police patrols was. adequate until the I introduction of a. fresh element into the camp of the officers of the Seeadler. I ' understand that Auckland District Headquarters has applied for an increase of ' 10 men for the guard. Had the application been referred to mc I should have applied for an addition of 1 subaltern officer and 10 men. If this addition is : granted the system of a standing guard J will be resumed. I am of opinion thai • the ammunition should not be stored hi the guardroom; that it is much safei

wnere it is; but to find a sentry for the soldiers' barracks would mean a standing guard of 1 N.C.O. and 6 men, and a very considerable further increase - in the strength of the detachment." "A DESPERATE CHARACTER." Continuing his evidence, witness stated - that during Major Lilly's inspection, he • (witness) remarked to him that the. instructions were that the Seeadler prisoners were to he kept under close surveillance. Witness drew attention to the difficulty of carrying out these instructions under' the existing conditions. Continuing, witness said: "You have also written to mc about a German whom you have detailed from Somes Island. He is evidently a desperate character, and will require even closer surveillance . than the Seeadler men." Major I/illy replied: ''Ikknotw t but you must do the best you can." The question was brought; up about detailing a subaltern officer to assist witness. When witness was originally appointed he had been, told by the adjutant-general that he should have a subaltern officer, but though he had frequently referred to the matter nothing had been done. Major Lilly was decidedly of the opinion that such an appointment should be made. They went into the question of communication between the island and the mainland, which depended solely on the telephone. When • he learnt that witness had no signalling lamps he said that he would see that 'some were procured and that he would get Colonel Patterson to have the sentries on the forts warned to keep a lookout'for signals. There were one or two converted Begbie lamps for signalling, but they were in very poor condition, and, had become • uselese. He had not made any report about the lamps being useless, nor did he apply for an issue,,ae he did not think the lamps were necessary.' HAMPERING CONDITIONS. Uader the existing conditions on the island, and the buildings available, it yip* impossible to place the two Seeadler's officers in separate confinement on the island without incurring extra exoense. ,For instance, even if tents had been provided and pitched by themselves in a separate area, it would have necessitated a. separate guard, and in his opinion would not have been in accordance with the regulations laid down in the Manual : of * Military Law. With the exception of a few instructions, from Wellington, received at various times, he had had to work on Chapter 14 of the Manual of Military Law, 1914. When he took over the island a copy of the Royal Warrant . for treatment of prisoners ofy war was . sent to him at his request; but .he was only permitted to keep it for a couple of days as it was the only copy available iii the country. Subsequently he received it a second time for a short period. Hβ took a few notes from it, but it wae too lengthy to make a complete copy, VISITS TO AUCKLAND. From November 23, 1917, the day on; which he resumed-normal conditions, the two officers of the Seeadler were treated 'in exactly the came manner as the rejmainder of the first-class, prisoners, witfc :!the exception that the'detachment wae ■ reminded that it must particularly .keep , : these two men under observation. He i' placed them under the same conditions i'as other first-class prisoners about the . ;end of October, having obtained-from ! them their words of honour as Ueraian - J officers every regulation as far :as the . " j island was concerned would be complied 3 with. They had.not\glven their parole. • He could not*- remeaiDer whether any- ' visitors were -allowed on the island be- ■ t ween . November 23 and December 13, • the day on* which the prisoners escaped. This information could be obtained front "the guard reports. No prisoners were ', allowed to leave the island betweeu those dates, -with the exception of the [. two men. employed on witness' launch. . ( These. two men had no access to anyL : body in Auckland, the instructions being [that they- remain in: the cabin. The . escort was there to see that these in.-- ---• structions were carried out. If the ; launch had to for any length o£ [ time at the mainland it would drop ■witi' ness and then proceed to • the torpedo i yards at Devonport, which were under , guard. During the above-inentione4 : period he was in town for two courts- . -! martial, and on each occasion he wan ■' relieved by an officer from district 'head-' i quarters. In addition, witness' , wan ' away for portions of tne : day' OBffouE--5 separate occasions. He was not relieved, 5 J -on these instances. . ' The President: Could any prisoners;be , taken to Auckland and back durißg your absence?—lt would be impossible, withI out my knowledge. c (Continued on page 2.) c . ■' •' ' J