THE KNYVETT CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 85

THE KNYVETT CASE.

SPEECH BY THE HON. G. FOWLDS. AUTHORITIES' ACTION DEFENDED AUCKLAND, June 2. The Hon. George Fowlds (Minister of Education) addressed a largely attended meeting of his constituents at Grey Lynn this evening'. He defended his action in regard to the proposed handing over of the Government House site to the University College and also the attitude adopted by the Government in regard to the Knyvett. case. He referred to the advice given by Lord Kitchener not to allow political 'or social. influence to interfere with -the administration of the Defence Department, and said that the Government had all along resisted those influences. The Government could not afford to break the law in response to a popular demand, nor could it allow the" administration of the Defence Department to be dictated by mass meetings, even if they were led by the Leader of the r Opposition on his way to the throne. :i The . agitation over the affair was directed either against the head of the Government or against Colonel Robin—(",No, no.") It was a most unwarranted and unworthy agitation.—(Applause and cries of " N 0.".) The Government had nothing to fear by a rehearing of the Knyvett case. Captain Knyvett's attention had been drawn by his commanding officer before his : letter to the Prime Minister was sent that it was an improper one. He wondered whether the Knyvett Committee had included the.' fact in the pamphlet of the facts.of the case.—(A Voice : " No," and Another Voice: "They did;-airthe facts are there.") ■■■. There was no-pro-vision in the present Maw for. a rehearing of the case/' It had been suggested that this difficulty could be got over by Colonel Kobin demanding an inquiry into the serious charges made against him.— (A Voice : " He "ought to have ' done so at once.") Robin' had had nothing whatever to do' with the Knyvett. case from before the' time that the inquiry was ordered. He (Colonel Robin) had never objected to an inquiry being held into the charges against him, and he had asked . that' an inquiry should be held at once. It was, however, not so easy to provide for such an inquiry, as military custom demanded that a court of inquiry could be composed of only officers of equal or superior rank to_ the officer whose conduct was the subject _ of the inquiry. They had no officers in New Zealand of equal or superior rank to the Chief of Staff, and all efforts to overcome this difficulty had been unsuccessful, but the proposed appointment of a Imperial officer of higher rank as Com" mandant of the New Zealand Forces' would probably overcome the difficulty. When the new commandant arrived he would approve of a board to inquire into the charges.. against Colonel Robin in due time. Captain Kynvett and his friends would thus have an opportunity of the fullest inquiry that .they could desire.

Such inquiry could be held only after Parliament had made the rehearing legal, and the Government weald give Parlia ment an opportunity of making this provision during the coming session. As to the demand for a Royal Commission to inquire into the administration of the Defence Department, he said that to set up an inquiry would be the height of political absurdity. He paid a tribute to the fairness of Colonel Robin, and said that the Government had all along declined to assist in dragging the question into the arena of party politics. After speaking on various questions of general politics, Mr Fowlds was accorded an almost unanimous vote of thanks and continued confidence. The Hon. Dr Findlay also spoke a few words in appreciation of Mr Fowlds,