The Dominion. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20,1910; THE KNYVETT CASE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 720, 20 January 1910, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20,1910; THE KNYVETT CASE.

The public' may be excused if it begins to fed that it has heard quite enough of the case of Captain KnyTett. We can believe that! a great many people are wondering; what there is in the circumstances of that officer's conflict with the Defence authorities to warrant such.furious excitement as has been, displayed by pur Auckland friends. The deputation- which waited on the Minister for Defence,yesterday doubtless said all that could be said in explanation and .justification of the uproar., in Auckland,; but we do not think that they-succeeded,-in-making -clear, exactly what great wrong they wish to; have submitted to "investigation by a Royal Commission.;. The Auck-, land public,:or that'part of it which is,carrying on'the agitation, is act-. ing, we feel sure, with-.the best .of motives.;;' But .their : discontent ."has no clear and solid basis; they feel in a -vague -way.' that; hero- r and; there and in a third,place: there,has:been' 1 Bome; wrong, done,, and the accumulation of these;separate resentments, has.' persuaded -them that .something terrible: has .happened.', ■;. If.

they -will only -apply'.;.themselvescoolly,, to the task: of. clearing their: vision ; and';telling'"us: plainly: and concisely what it'is that-they object to, they will discover 'that. .'their grievances are all/separately foundationless.': ■;-;'■ ': ;; -- :; - ■-'■• ■''■-;

■■"-. The facta'laro■plain;enoughi:.; What is not plain is our Auckland.friends , understanding, : of the '■■ facts; ... Tho .Court that-inquired into the charges against Captain ■ Enyvett ' certainly acted-in an'extraordinary manner. It' did-not'profess":to,'have tho legal knowledge that.it ought to have had, and it was quite unable to meet- : tho. acute objections, raised against ■ its What':'; concerns -■ the public, ;however^-is ithV •■faot;;-.that, GAWAiN;:-]^^.yEiT';.^rqte':a.'.most.:iiii- : .- properly-worded .',letter ..,of ~"attack'" upon 'his superior officer- .To allow his' action .to go unpunished would have been to :,put .an end to' all discipline .in, the'.' Whether CAPTArN , .;. IpreyEir 'should have .been.-|dismissed'irbm .the forces ■ U of, course'.'; a : '{ separato ,question.' The.pfferice/waa a reprehensible one,. but-if. it had 'b'eeri'possible itv would have -'been.;best., if, ; - authorities : had . marked., \i;heir, v'• sense : of ■ Vthe; grayi|iy--.. : .6.f^.:'thev; s capteih'B v '' , bfea.cli of tho natural laws, of military, ser-. vice .'without depriying\the : Auckland, forces;,of;'the .services. of • a kepn : and; energetic -.officer." .Yet ivhai j.ver"- mistake 'may:;, have •' been' nia.dej 'it: would ;be; most injurious -to' ' seek; to .rectify sit bj, ■committing the. greater misfeke'of allowing; the 'prin-i ciple that civil agitation :can thwart : the,', disciplinary -policy" 'of the -. miliiary:.autKorities.',.;.The"PE;iME. Min-. ist?k did not: proinise;ithe tion; very niuchj ; : but he -promised that .-".he ;-.-,would; seek a, report. from the;AdjufanfeGeneral with.a,view, to giying; the •matter: : iurther :consider-; ation.;;;Hpj-hasTactedf:unwisely "in" making even'this cdncessionr.unlDss the'report, which, ha will. ask. for' will have, .reforenoe; only: to the question,,' .cpncernirig: ; .whicn;.;--tnere seems to 'be spme.doubt,:::whe;theV.GoLom;TusoN hadall-the,evidenoe'";before : him''when:" he: recormßende'd v :OAPTAiNv ; KNTTErT's i-;;-,;:":-.• ■I^■■■■v';:> .::'-• r;\;i

-There: are a few points' aside from; the--.main.i question: -at> issued which call.'for, notice/ here.:;;'ln. the: ; srst place, glad';tp::;see" ; that:the members //of/yesterday^; deputation seemed-to be- : a' : little .ashamed: of the reckless •'haste- ..with' ■whichithe^ Auck-i land public levelled qf/al-r' legations against . Colonel, The Minister for Defencei'lhaa'stlited' that Colonel Robin had nothing 1 to? do,with-the'-Eettihg' up of/the Court .of -Inquiry, ;- We ;have,'■ .'■ to/'.'repeat': since The Dominion 'has':frequently •been/.mentioned/-in-.: the-case, ; that: Colonel Robin has'never had any'thing/more' to >dp- than 'Sir Joseph Ward; : himself with' what appears;inour; columns; eithe'r^iiv'the'present' case 6r/at: ; any'othe;r : ';time'/':it Is s'i '$%'■s*■?' P«r;'.'. Auckland;.' friends. did ■•■ not,}/before.'; assailing Oolonel 7 EoßiN.rconsider: the 'possibility -that they might have -to say,, as' they - are now,.saying,:that if they- did him-'Mi /injustice/they'would-be-; rectify it; The- Prime ;MiNiSTEE vsuggested yesterday; that the'trbuble is the'outcome ..of .a : grievance against Colonel Robin/ which Oaptain Kny:yEiT has;entertained'for:some time:. We. know-nothing:;as .to- thati'.and w/are ;bourid'td;BayV:thlt 'it ; /was :: highly improper, on- the Peime MiniSTEß's'part to: say/any;such-things He .does not \ appear;:to /understarid .militaryethics much better than anybody .concerned in the affair.. - There .is littlp/doubt that the episode': has ; been; rather. shocking 'to serious > p'eo•plo," It is a/story of.'bungling■' .farce,.-.: muddlement 'and ...levity—a story that almost makes one wonder whether, there is'in the defence forces' generally: aV clear/and '. simple ' un-'! derstanding of the vital; importance': of dignity and discipline in the military world.-;/ ■'■•■■ "/ ■■r.:i,/-- , ;/ /-.I