THE ESCAPED GERMANS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17191, 19 December 1917, Page 4

THE ESCAPED GERMANS.

SCOW SAID TO BE CAPTURED. PROVISIONS ON BOARD.. VALUABLE CARGO OF TIMBER. (Pμ United Pbkss Association.) AUCKLAND, December 18. Tho escaped German prisoners are reported to liavo captured tho ecow Moa, of 127 gross tonnage, owned 1 by tho Lcyland, O'Jlrien Timber Company. It is stated l that another scow has reported that on Sunday night her crew saw the launch Pearl hold tho Moa up, following which, tho Moa. changed her course in tho direction of Alderman Islands. Tho Moa was in charge of Captain Botrrkc, an ox-royal navy man, and had a crew of five. Sho had provisions sufficient for a few days and a cargo of timber valued at £500. CAPTURE NOT CONFIRMED.

PROBABLE EXPLANATION OF REPORT. (Fkom Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 18. Tho information that has reached Defonco Headquarters does not confirm the report from Auckland regarding the capture of the scow Moa by the German prisoners. It is considered likely that tho launch which was seen to run alongside tho Moa was one of tho vessels engaged in the search. There are soveral scows out of Auckland at the present time, but the weather has been bad, and it ts usual for these craft to take shelter until conditions are favourable in tho gulf. Qno scow regarding which some anxiety had been felt has reached. Auckland safely, and a schooner that hud been mentioned freely has also been accounted for. The search is being prosecuted' actively by suitable vessels, and if there is a scow or other craft missing tho fact will be discovered quifitly. In the meantime tho dt?fence authorities discount the premature reports.

THE SCOW MOA. HAS SHE BEEN CAPTURED? CONFLICTING REPORTS AND - SPECULATIONS. (Peb United Pbess" Association.) AUCKLAND, December 18. R has been reported that the Germans who escaped from Motuihi on Thursday evening captured the soow Moa, the property of the Leyland, O'Brien Timber Company, ■ off Mercury Bay, Coromandel Ptminsula. The statement, however, has not yet been verified, and it has not been definitely established that the Germans were 'the party that boarded the launch. So far as information is available, it has been learned that the crew of another scow saw a launch, not actually identified as flhe commandeered craft Pearl, hold up the Moa and board her, the latter immediately putting about, and sailing- in a south-easterly course, apparently in the-direction of the Alderman Islands. The scow ■ left Omakoroa, 10 miles from Tauranga, at noon on Saturday last for Auckland. She had a fair wind as far as Cape Colville, and under ordinary circumstances should have arrived in Auckland on Sunday evening or Monday morning a't the latest. Captain Bourke, an ex-Royal Navy man, was in charge, with a crew of five. _ She did not have a big supply of provisions on board, as the regulations do not compel coastal vessels to carry reserve provisions. Apparently the crew of the Moa remained on board, ( It is presumed the capture was made on Saturday' afternoon', as another vessel is reported to have seen a scow, not actually identified as the Moa, but of .the same build and rig, at 7 o'clock on Sunday evening 18 miles from off Cuvier light, on Cuvier Island, off the Coromandel Peninsula. . •'. • • The captured scow is 94ft in length, of a gross tonnage of 127 and a net tonnage of 99. The Moa was the biggest scow , trading regularly to Auckland with timber from the Tauranga district. At the timo of the presumed capture she had a full cargo ,of timber totalling some 80,000 ft, valued at about £SCO . The Moa is stated to have been in splendid order, with sails in perfect condition, as she had been completely overhauled only about six months ago. Her speed with a good fair wind would be about 10 knots, and she would be quite capable of undertaking a trip to Sydney or to any of the, islands. Though she has on board a donkey engine for handling cargo, she has no auxiliary power, and this fact should tend to make her capture more easy. It is reported from one source that ehe has taken the launch on board, and from another that the launch has been picked up by the scow .that first sighted her after she had been captured. It is confidently anticipated by a number of people that if the Germans did board tho Moa there should now be no difficulty in effecting her recapture, but as against that it has to be borne in mind that not very long ago a vessel that was practically a derelict, and whose general position was. supposed to have been known, drifted about for over 40 days before she was finally picked up. The Alderman Islands are a group of "basaltic islets, with some outlying rocks like stumps of trees, If miles E.S.E. from Mercury Bay and. nine from the nearest mainland, Tairua Head.

OFFICIAL INQUIRY OPENED. COMMANDANT UNDER EXAMINATION. SYSTEM OF PATROL EXPLAINED. CtUARD RECENTLY REDUCED. (Pis Unitito Paras Association.) AUCKLAND, December 18. A Court of Inquiry into the. escape of 11 men from Mot»hi on Thursday evening was formally opened to-day before Colonel C R Mac Donald (president), Lieutenantcolonel Neave, and Lieutenant-oolonel dimming. Tho Commissioner (Mr O*ponovan) and Superintendent Kiely, of the Police Department, were also present. MINISTER OF DEFENCE DISSATISFIED. Tho President read, the' following memorandum, dated November 27, from, the Minister of Defence to the Commandant at Motuihi (lieutenant-colonel C. Harcoxcrt Turner):—; - , " The Minister of Defence/ has directed attention to tho fact that certain circumstances in connection with the guard at Motuihi Island , have caused him some? con-<-rn. The- Minister further states that at tho time of his visit the guard was unarmed, and that in' his opinion the arms were not ke.pt in a safo place, and that the ammunition, though under lock and key, was not guarded. Tho Minister has directed attention to tho fact that he was not satisfied that there is proper supervision in other matters. It is desired that you f<urnish replies to the following , questions:— 1. Why was the guard unarmed at the time of the visit of the Minister? 2. At -what Irime did, and for what reason are, members of the guard permitted to leave off their arms? • 3 (a) What sentries are posted for duty during tho day? (b) What sentries are posted for dmty at night? (c) What arms do such sentries carry at night and during the night? ' 4. (a) What precaution is taken for the safo custody of ammunition ?_ (b) What guard is placed over ' ammunition ? 5. (a) What supervision is exercised over incoming goods and tercels for prisoners of war? (b) In what manner are such par.ceJs examined? (c) What precaution is taken to guard against prisoners of war receivingdangerous material which may be concealed in such parcels? 6. What supervision is exercised over goods and parcels received by tho fanning staff at Motuihi Island? , 7. In what manner is tho telephone line between Motuihi _ Island and Auckland guarded at Motuihi Island? THE COMMANDANT'S EVIDENCE. " Colonel Turner, in his evidence, stated that he took over tho command of tho island about May 9,' 1917, and received absolutely no instructions from Captain Winthrop, his predecessor. ' The President: Usually the outgoing officer explains 'the syetem followed to his successor? Witness: That did not take place When I actually took over tho island he was not ° rG ' FROM PILLAR TO POST. Witness stated that before coming to Auckland ho went to headquarters at Wellington, and asked to see the flies relating to Motuihi. He could find in them'riothing relating to the original organisation of the ertmp, or how it was being administered. He was afterwards told by Colonel MacDonald that the Coast Dffonco were managing tho camp, and that Major, Moiklc would give the necessary information. Major Meiklo referred him to Sorcoant-maaor Mul-

holland. Upon arriving , in Auckland he went down to tbo island to have a look round. Captain Winthrop was in hie quarters, and remained 'there all the time witness was on the island. He found out nothing about the island to speak about during this visit, which lasted about an hour nnd a-haJf. . On officially taking over the island he found that there was no establishment laid down, it being , apparently left to the commandant, lo employ the number of men ho deemed necessary. DIVIDING THE GUARDS. The average- establishment ho had until September last was 35 of all ranks. These were divided into four standing guards, each guard consisting of a lance-corporal and four men. Of the four standing guards, one guard should be on daty, one guard just off duty, one guard next for duty, and the fourth guard finding two men on patrol duty and \f atigues. If necessary each guard had always one man on leave. The guard was on duty for 24 hours, a patrol remaining out during the day time. This was the system existing when lie officially took overthe island. There wore under 40 prisoners on the island. A sentry, on guard from 8 a,m. until dark, was posted on the Tower Hill, from where he could get a view of the North Beach and wharf, with the road leading to it. He was also in full view of the guard. His beat extended from the hill to the wharf—lo minutes' march. At night there was one sentry posted in front of tho guard-room, and his beat extended acress the front of tho barracks. A patrol of two men was sent about 8 in the morning to patrol the south-eastern end of the island. Ho did not know definitely what time they returned, but he thought about lock-up time, which varied according to the seasons. ■■ . '

The President: Was 'the guard armed ? ■ Witness: Yes. Sentries, guard, and patrol were all armed, and carried ammunition.

Were you satisfied with the arrangement? —I was satisfied with it, and carried it on, with the exception that I reduced the beat of the sentry by day on Tower Hill, confining the beat to the hill itself. When, however, the launch approached the wharf his orders were to leave his beat and go to the end of the wharf after having hoisted two signal flags to denote to the guard that the boat Was approaching. There were no general rules to this effect, but I decided upon the course. I also altered the beat of tho night sentry, by arranging that once in every hour the sentry, in company with tho corporal of the guard, was to encircle the barracks; also that the corporal of ihe guard should at intervals of not more than two hours patrol down the avenue. Who did you report to' respecting the guard arrangements?—To the adjutant-, general direct. . Did you report on taking over?— No. I had not been instructed to do so. . PREVENTING BOATS' APPROACH. Witness, continuing, said that orders to the sentry by day were that no launch was to approach within 300 yards of the island unless ipproaching the wharf, in which case he was' to hoist"' l a flag when the boat was 20 minutes away'and a.second flag when 10 minutes away. He then proceeded to the wharf and remained.,., while the boat was alongside.' In rough weather the launches went to\ the north beach, anchoring 100 or 200 yards from shore under the sentry's observation. . Periodical visits were made to the sentries.' Tho orders were that the island must be constantly patrolled to see that no boats approached, the island, and to see that no prisoners remained out after hours. - ARMS AND AMMUNITION. Rifles were kept in the soldiers' barracks, arid orders were given that when the rifles were in the guard room one man should be present and awake. Four men must be in the men's quarters at the barracks. Six rounds of ammunition were issued to each man. The quantity in the store was never more than 500 rounds stored in the sergeantmajor's room. y "" THE TELEPHONE CONNECTION. There were ■ two telephones from the guard room-—one to Auckland and one to Waiheker*-the connection being the ordinary overhead one. There was no particular order about guarding it, though the patrol would have it under observation. Connection was later made to the commandant's house and to the farm house. . It was only possible to communicate with Auckland or Waiheke through the' guardroom communication.

CENSORSHIP AND VISITS.; r All parcels and letters for the island were examined. All letters to and from prisoj tiers were censored by the postal censor, with the exception of a few outward in. English, which, witness censored. The prisoners had no other communication with. •Auckland. At one time they were allowed to visit their wives-in Auckland, but that was stopped months ago. Visitors, to prisoners had to obtain passes from _ .the O.C;D. or himself. Witness had issued very few passes himself. 'He had always objected to visitors, on the ground that they might convey letters, messages, or small parcels. He always had a feeling that they were weakly protected. Witness quoted a specific case of a pass granted by a higher _. authority after Colonel Patterson and witness had 'refused it. In interviews husbands and wives- were allowed to be alone together. In other cases it depended on who the visitor was. THE COMMANDANT'S LAUNCH. Witness said the launch used by hiniiWae moored 200 yards from the end «.'■ the wharf, or about 500 or 600 yards from Tower Hill, and in full view from there. The sentry on the hill vould have fired at the launch- at its moorings. ' REDUCTION OF GUARDS. In July last witness saw General Robin in Wellington, and was asked whether it would be possible to. reduce, the guards, as economy was necessary. Subsequently witness arrived at the conclusion that, the only way to reduce* the guards was to reduce the standing guards and institute a system of military police patrols, who usually were unarmed. The reduction was from 35 to., 24 men, and this was agreed to by Colonel/' Patterson, the change being made gradually/ during September.. Headquarters were informed, and the director of personal service was at Motuihi in August, and knew of the contemplated change. Under the reduced guard tho following arrangements were made, and, with two exceptions, were in force when the escape was effected: — Six men were 'told off for a turn of 24 hours' duty, divided into three reliefs, each iof two men and working for eight noura. One man would be in. the guardroom efod the othe/patrolling -between Tower, Hill ■ and the guardroom. The other four men would be about the barracks.' In .addition, patrol duty was carried out as before, except that the men were unarmed. An extra man was put on wharf daty _ when < the-launch came, and remained while craft was there. " He was unarmed.. One reason for the reduction of the guard .was that though,the number of prisoners had increased • to over 80, they ""were mostly civilhms-nearly all from Samoa. Considering the'eharacter of the prisoners, and what ho knew, of them, he considered the protection afforded by miTitaiy. police patrols was ample It was the system£ fprce. when the officers of the See Adter arrived on October 8 last. , The inquiry was adjourned. ' . .