THE MOTUIHI ESCAPE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 46, 22 February 1918, Page 4

THE MOTUIHI ESCAPE.

The announcement of the finding and sentence of the court-martial thnt considered the case of Lieut.-Colonel Turner, late commandant at Motuihi, marks a definite stage in the coinedj-drama of the escape, the last acts of which are being drawn out in defiance of the rules of dramatic construction. The finding and the sentence call for little comment. From the first nothing could blur the astonishing fact that a number of prisoners got away easily in the commandant's own vessel, wider the nose of the commandant and Ihe guard. Whether or not sonic of the blame for the alTnir has to be shared by others—which question is still the subject of inquiry—there was never any doubt in the public mind, after the details of the. escape began to corns out, that Colonel Turner had blundered. The sentence of dismissal from the army that lias been imposed on Colonel Turner may not satisfy .some lire-caters, but we believe most people will recognise that ;t is a heavy and adequate punishment for ? man of Colonel Turner's rank and age. Xew Zealanders will be glad to hear the end of an affair which, while it has contributed something to the gaiety of nations, has been n serious reflection on our reputation and :i wound to our pride, and we hope that the authorities will bear in mind that it is a good many ] weeks since the prisoners escaped, and j therefore time they were thinking about | bringing to an end all the proceedings arising out of the scandal. We assume that the Government has now arrived at this conclusion; our Wellington correspondent telegraphs to-day thnt th«* I Minister of Defence has decided that no I further court-martial is necessary.