GERMAN ESCAPEES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17665, 18 December 1917, Page 4

GERMAN ESCAPEES.

NO FURTHER NEWS. [Pek Press Assocution.l AUCKLAND, December 17. At midnight there was no news of the recapture of the eleven Germans who escaped from Motuihi on Thursday night.

THE COURT OF INQUIRY

ORDER OF REFERENCE.

[Per Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, December 17

The following is the order of reference to the court, inquiring into the escape of Germans from Motuihi Island :

(1) To investigate and report upon the circumstances under which certain prisoners of war and interned civilians escaped from the internment camp on Motuihi Island on or about December 13, 1917. (2) To report whether in the opinion of the court such escape is attributable to any neglect of duty on the part of any officer, non-commis-sioned officer or soldier of the New Zealand defence forces. (3) To report on the steps, if any, taken to remedy matters brought to the notice of the commandant at Motuihi Island in a letter from General Headquarters, dated November 27 1917, a copy of which is attached. (4) To investigate and report upon any other matter appurtenant to this inquiry.

The Minister of Defence states that ho assumes that the court itself will decide who should be present at the inquiry, but ho understood that it was the intention that representatives of the Press should he present, though not the general public, as matters might be disclosed which it would not be politic to publish, and the Press would be asked to omit theso from accounts of the proceedings.