THE KNYVETT CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 38

THE KNYVETT CASE.

MEETING OF PROTEST. INQUIRY DEMANDED. (From: Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, January 14. •There was a scene of uproarious enthusiasm at the indignation meeting ialled to protest against the dismissal if 'Captain Knyvett from the Volunteer service. An hour before the meeting was timed to start the crowd had commenced to fill the Federal Hall, and by half-past seven the building was crowded to its utmost holding capacity, and a. big number who were unable to obtain admittance held an overflow meeting outside. Mr W. F. Massey, Reader of the Opposition, was accorded a popular demonstration upon his appearance on the platform, the crowd cheering him to the echo. Many prominent people occupied seats on the platform. Mr C. J. Parr, chairman, remarked on the big attendance, saying that there were over 500 people- outside. No event had eo stirred the Auckland public for a long time as the dismissal of Captain Knyvett.—(Cheers.) There wore two big issues. The one was the unwarranted dismissal of Captain Knyvett, and the second was the state of affairs in the service. It seemed that there was something wrong in Wellington—(applause)— fudging by the facts elicited at_ the alleged trial. He reviewed the history of the affair, and said the Wellington Navals had been told by Colonel Robin — (groans)—that the Auckland men were rot coming. The result was that the Auckland men were not met and were rot welcomed. On the Monday an : rticle, evidently inspired, appeared in the Dominion, suggesting that the Auckland men were a Jot of fools. In consequence of all this, Captain Knyvett, smarting under a sense of indignation, wrote a letter, as he had every right to do, under the Volunteer regulations, and the letter went through the^proper channels. The remarkable Court of Inquiry—(A Voice : “ Beg pardon,” and loud laughter)—he should have said the Court of Comedy—found that the letter was properly sent, and was not couched in malicious terms. The charge made against Colonel Robin remained trJday—(applause),—and no reply had been made by either the Chief of Staff of the department, and he intended to move a resolution calling for a public commission of inquiry.—-(Loud cheers.) Captain Knyvett had been placed under arrest. —(A Voice: ‘‘Who by?” and Voices: “ Colonel Robin.’’) Mr Parr ; That is one of the questions for the inquiry as to who is behind all this.—(A Voice : “ Ward.”) Mr Parr : No, I think you .must go to the officials. As far as he (Mr Parr) was able to understand from reading the shorthand notes of the proceedings, the curious court that sat here had practically acquitted Captain Knyvett, and had shown that there was undoubted necessity for a commission of inquiry into the conduct of Colonel Robin. Tt would be interesting to know who directed the dismissal and what the Minister had before him when he directed the dismissal. Captain Knyvett had served with distinction in South Africa, and was a zealous and enthusastic officer. —(Loud cries of “ Shame.”) The matter went further. The public wanted to know sill about the administration of the Defence Department. Was the Volunteer system being properly conducted ? (Loud cries of “ No.”) Was our new- / born system of military training to be stifled by official interferences and official incompetence?—(Cries of “ No.”) Mr Parr then moved ; “ That this meeting of citizens of Auckland expresses its indignation at the unjust sentence passed upon Captain Knyvett, in spite of the fact, that the Court of Inquiry expressed itself as satisfied, and this meeting is further of opinion that the whole matter should be reopened and a commission set up to inquire into the conduct of the head of the Defence Council and the general administration of his department, and That pending the finding of the commission the notice dko-rissing Captain Knyvett be withdrawn.” —(Prolonged cheers.) Mr Gerald Peacocke seconded the motion, and criticised the court. Ho said* it had been a court that no senw» of British justice could tcisn-atc. Captain Knyvett was not tc prodnee evi-

dence. He was blocked on every point, and was pinned down to some twopennyhalfpenny point, which served as an excuse tor the extreme sentence, the vindictive. unjust sentence —one of- the worst that could be imposed on an officer. — (Applause.) When an inquiry was held somebody else besides Captain Kynvett would be feeling core. —(Prolonged cheers.) Mr 0. H. Poole. M.P., suggested that if the officer in Wellington responsible for that meeting on that hot, stifling night were present he would have a hot tjme.—(Laughter and cheering.) From the evidence taken at the so-called inquiry Captain Knyvett had not received fair play. —(Applause.) Aucklanders were British, and liked to see a man get a chance' before his skin was hung on the fence —(applause), —and they were determined to see that- Captain Knyvett received justice, or someone would suffer. — (Cheering.) For two days Captain Knyvett was fighting for, half a man’s chance. Every time he tried to raise- a- point he was blocked.—(Applause.) Who had been one of the most remarkable enthusiasts in Volunteers in this country. —(Cries of “Knyvett” and cheers.) Yes, every time. The trouble was that Knyvett was a worker, and some of the others were too lax. Captain Knyvett had received more than enough justification, for writing the letter he did, and the public of Auckland would demand an inquiry, and that in the -meantime the sentence of dismissal should be withdrawn.—(Prolonged cheers.) All the people of Auckland asked was a fair trial, not a comedy and a farce such as the so-called court of inquiry.— (Cheers.) Mr Albert Glover, M.P., said the regulations provided for an inquiry 48 hours after arrest, whereas over 14 days had elapsed. He had received telegrams from garrison officers and very many prominent citizens expressing the deepest indignation at the farcical proceedings and the flimsy excuse for dismissal. He (Mr Glover) had waited on Sir Joseph Ward, and had asked who was responsible _ for Captain Knyvett’s arrest, but he received no satisfaction. That peremptory dismissal was a scandal on the name of British justice.—(Cheers and prolonged applause.) He would work tooth and nail to secure an inquiry into the matter.- — (Applause.) He was not afraid of the Prime Minister or any other Minister, and if the inquiry was not held- in the meantime he would bring the matter up in Parliament. Mr Massey was greeted with a storm of cheering, the whole audience waving hate and handkerchiefs and cheering again and again, while there was much hooting and groaning for Sir Joseph Ward. Mr Massey said he was not there as the Leader of the Opposition—{“ Hear, Pear ”) —but- as a citizen to protest against an injustice and to assist in having ’t remedied. Every shade of _ political opinion was represented on that platform. He was. sandwiched in between Government supporters, but the best of a sandwich was in the middle. (Laughter and applause.) When they found both sides standing up together they meant business—(applause),—and it _ was evident from the tone of the meeting that the public of Auckland were united in'their determination. —(Cheers.) Captain Knv - vett had clone splendid service in South Africa, and had lifted his Volunteer company from 19 men to one of the finest and largest in the Dominion, and had been dismissed as a reward. Because he sent a letter to the -viin-ister for Defence, and through the proper channel, a court of inquiry was held. —(Voice: ‘ Question. ) It was not a court that would appeal 1 to the people of New Zealand. That court was favourable to Captain Knyvett, Who passed the sentence? —(Voices: “Robin” and groans.) He was not going to mention names, bat the public had a, right to know who dismissed Captain Knyvett and who ordered his arrest. — (Cheers.) The remedy was to set up a Royal Commission composed of men in whom the people of the Dominion had confidence. If it was not a commission of judges it should be composed of stipendiary magistrates., and one should be Mr North-croft. —(Applause.) He (Mr Massey) regretted what had taken place, for the reason that last session the Universal Training Bill had been passed, and if that act was to be administered efficiently then there would have to be a very different administration than there had been over Captain Knyvett’s case.—(Applause.) Ho would always stand ud for justice, and he would contend all he knew for the appointment of a- commission.—(Cheers.)

The motion was then put and carried with Joud cheers, arritdst a scene of great enthusiasm.

Mr W. Hacketb moved:—“That this meeting is of opinion that it is desirable that a deputation of four citizens should be appointed to proceed to Wellington to lay the whole matter before the Defence Minister, and request him to call the Cabinet together with a view to giving effect to the desires of this meeting, the deputation to consist of Messrs J. S. Dickson, 0. Nicholson, G. Peacocke, and W. B. Leylancl.’ The mover referred to the deep disgrace which the sentence of dismissal implied to a zealous officer who had rendered such distinguished service as Captain Knyvett. Mr F. Lawry, M.P., in a characterictically humorous speech, supported the motion, and paid a tribute to the fair and just mind of the Leader of the Opposition. The intelligent section of the press in New Zealand had called for a proper inquiry. One Wellington paper had insinuated that the agitation was worked up by Captain Knyvett—(Voices; “Rot!”), —but he gave that statement an unqualified denial. The matter was the spontaneous outcome of the feeling of the people of Auckland. —(Applause and cheers,) It had been said that members of Parliament bad no right to appear at such a moating. A member who would not appear was a political coward. —(Applause.) The Rev. Canon M‘ Murray, of St. Mary’s Cathedral, said the matter had a personal and a- national aspect. It was very clear to him, although be was net competent to form a judgment on Captain Knyvett, that there was a very widespread and deep feeling that there had been a miscarriage of justice.—-(Cheers.) ’When there was such a feeling it was the public right that there ishould be a proper inquiry.—(Applause.) He was glad to see the evidence of proper citizenship in the demand for justice.—(Applause.) The Military Training Bill had been carried by one of the largest majorities on record in Parliament, and just at this time this case had happened. There was a decided feeling of - uneasiness in the community that the men now called upon to train might not he dealt with justly.(“Sear, hear.”) One thing was certain, and that was that unless the community could feel the utmost confidence in the administration of the new system, the community would not have that system. —(Cheers.) ' , Dr Stop ford apologised for appearing in rough travelling dress, but- said lie was determined to bo at that meeting if he only came in his pants.—(Laughter.) He had been a member of his Majesty's Forces, and had learnt that dismissal was practically only for one thing, and that was cowardice. Was Captain Knyvett a coward? —(Loud cries of “No.”) If this country bad been under military law possibly the sentence would have been just, but this country was not under military law —it was governed by Parliament, not by Colonel Robin —(cheers). — and the people of Auckland would be cowards if they ever rested until Captain Knyvett was reinstated. —(Cheers.) He honoured those men who threw down their arms, and, in effect, said if they could not obey Captain Knyvett they would not obey Colonel Robin. —(Cheers.) He was not going to talk of Colonel Robin anv more.—(Applause and cheers.) The motion was then put to the meeting. and carried amidst loud cheering. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Knyvett Defence Committee for calling the meeting. A wild outburst, of cheering for Captain Knyvett and his company, cheers for Mr Massey, and groans for Colonsl Robin and the Prime Minister concluded the meeting. (From Oue. Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND. January 16.' Commenting on the indignation meeting in connection with the Knyvett case, the Star says : “For many obvious reasons it lias been hitherto impossible for our southern friends and critics to appreciate correctly the intensely strong feeling generated in Auckland by the outrageous treatment to which Captain Knyvett has been subjected, but after last night’s meeting neither the supporters of arbitrary militarism nor the advocates of blind obediance to those in authority over us can have any excuse for misunderstanding the character of the movement in Captain Knyvett’s favour.” After pointing out

that every class of the community was represented at the meeting, the Star concluded : “We need hardly say that we heartily endorse the resolutions carried, and that the appointment of a deputation to lay the case before the Defence Minister is in our opinion a necesary step to take. Wc cannot believe that Sir Joseph Ward and his colleagues have given sufficient attention to the matter, or that they are correctly informed as to the origin of the difficulty, and while the personal references occasionally interjected last might are perhaps to be regretted, the people of Auckland, and for that matter, we believe, the people of New Zealand, are rightly determined that no suspicion of persecution or tyranny shall be associated with our miliary system. As several of the speakers suggested, the Knyvett episode will do an inconceivable amount of harm to the movement for national military service, unless, and until, wrong is righted, and this argument alone ought to convince the » Prime Minister that it is highly advisable to follow the course indicated by the resolutions carried last night.”