THE MOTUIHI INCIDENT

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 45

THE MOTUIHI INCIDENT

CONTINUATION OF THE INQUIRY. WELLINGTON, February 12. p The Court of Inquiry into the responsibility of Colonel Patterson and Major Os-burne-Lilley in regard to the escape of the. German prisoners at Motuihi sat at Wellington to-day. Colonel Tate, adjutant-general, said betook over charge from Colonel Pilkington on May 11, 1916. Ho' bad _ no conversation with him regarding the prisoners of war. The President: Can you give us a general chain of responsibility? - Witness: The Minister is responsible to Parliament, and the general is responsible to the Minister. So far as my branch is concerned, I am responsible to the general; then my directors are responsible to me. We are responsible in regard to that work whih the general entrusts to use. Tire officer commanding the district is responsible to the general. The 0.0. D. commands the district, and all those within it, and everyone within the district is responsible to him. Since the escape witness had seen a letter from Colonel Pilkington to Lieutenant-colonel Turner, appointing him commandant at Motuihi. Until then there was no reason to suppose that the normal chain of responsibility had been in any way disturbed. When witness was appointed, Captain Skelly was assistant adjutantgeneral. He had charge of the prisoners of war. Witness had no conversation with Captain Skelly regarding the prisoners. Major Lilly took over from Captain Skelly. Major Lilly never made reports to him on the subject of the prisoners. Colonel Tate, continuing bis evidence, said that-he regarded Major Lilly as responsible for the branch relating to prisoners. Regarding the lett?r he had written to Colonel Patterson, he said the position was that Parliament was just about to sit, or was sitting. Several awkward questions came from the Minister, which had to be answered promptly. Previously there had been a great deal of correspondence. There .was a discussion as to drinking facilities given to prisoners of war at Motuihi and for ashore to hotels, and the consequent disturbance of the public mind. He believed that that had been checked. He fully expected during the sitting of Parliament that the Minister might be bombarded with questions. It occurred to his mind one day to write to Colonel Patterson personally, so that witness might be sure when the questions came up that Crlonel Patterson had been already apprised, and that witness would be able to give an answer to Parliament promptly and correctly. He still took up the position that he vyas responsible to the general for everything in connection with tho prisoners, although he might not handle them. The escape of tho prisoners was a slur on his department. It would never have occurred to him to write to Lieutenant-colonel Turner. He wanted the O.C.D. to be alive to the position, and when he sent an urgent telegram he should be able to reply. No report was made to him that the launch was there. It came to his knowledge at the time of the escape. Ho had never been on the island. He never had time. No

authority was r.sked for or obtained to keep the launch. Major-general Robin said ho did not see the letter from Colonel Pilkington appointing Lieutenant-colonel Turner to be commandant at Motuihi until (;he present inquiry. Ho was still of opinion that the normal chain of responsibility was not upset in any way. —" Colonel Gibbon, C.M.G.. said he could not remember Colonel Pillcington showing him a letter. As ho remembered it, Colonel Pilkington's idea was that the commandant at Motuihi should deal direct with headquarters on affecting the prisoners personally. Everything else would be dealt with through the district. Colonel Humo (commanding the Wellington Military District) said that ho had been In command of the Auckland district from November, 1914-, until May, 1916—* before Colonel Turner took over the command at the fsland and afterwards. He had always considered that the island was under his command as officer commanding the district. He had never had any orders to this effect, but had always taken this position. Ho did not think at the time that tho letter of instructions to Colonel Turner disturbed the chain of communication in any way. He considered that he was in charge of tho island, and he held Colonel Turner to be responsible to him for the discipline of tho camp and for the safeguarding of tho prisoners of war. He was quite satisfied with tho conduct o! affairs there, and if there were occasions when he was Hot satisfied on particular points ho was quite sure that he would tell Colonel Turner so. When he handed over tho district command to Colonel Patterson, he did not remember that he made any remarks about Motuihi. He considered that was simply a branch- of the district, oil which there was nothing calling for special mention. Tho President: If you were in direct control of tho island--~can you account for the fact that a lot of correspondence concerning buildings and other matters was sent direct to General Headquarters by Colonel Turner and that some of the correspondence in reply went direct to him, and some of it to District Headquarters?— That may have been done, but I should say that Colonel Turner would have informed me with regard to*'that correspondence and that if there was anything in it I would be bound to know of it. I have every reason to believe that he did tell me what he wa3 doing in regard to correspondence with General Headquarters. _ Colonel Patterson: Did you not think that tho letter appointing Colonel Turner was a bit ambiguous?—Well, it might have been. It would bo quite possible for another officer to talce a view different from that taken by you?—Oh, yes. Does Somes Island come under the jurisdiction of the Wellington. Military District ?—No. Can you explain why Motuihi should then come under the Auckland Military District?—l have never raised the question. Somes Island has never been the subject of ono word of discussion or correspondence between the Wellington district and headquarters. When I came hero I considered it was a self-supporting unit like the Trentham or Feathersion camps. If certain prisoners got away from Somes Island to-night would you consider yourself lospoiwible?—l certainly should not. Are you aware how internment camps are conducted in England?—No, I have not. looked tho matter up.' Colonel Patterson: s They are conducted by the War Office. I suppose you are not aware how they are conducted in Australia? —No. The President: And Somes Island is in the Wellington Military District?—Yes. If Somes Island does not eomc under the officer commanding the district, whyshould Motuihi?—lt seems to me that this is a matter for headquarters to answer. If you ask my opinion I presume the reason Is that Somes Island is immediately insight of headquarters hero, and can be communicated with readily by headquarters, while Motuihi cannot. You left a district whore there was an internment camp for which you considered yourself responsible, and you cainc tea district in which there was another internment camp. Did you not consider that this internment camp should also come under your jurisdiction as officer commanding the district? —I have given that matter some thought. I had no instructions on tho point, and I- take it that if Somes Island had been in my caro I would have had some correspondence on it. This concluded the evidence of the inquiry. It may bo that some witnesses or witness will have to he recalled, but that is not the present intention of tho court.