MOTUIHI COURT MARTIAL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11450, 1 February 1918, Page 5

MOTUIHI COURT MARTIAL.

TECHNICAL POINTS RULED OUT (Tor Press Ajsoeißilon.)' ' Auckland, Jan 31. Tlie court urrtinl was resumed today. Captain Mellow, Assistant Director of Supplies and Transport for the Auckland district, said ho was in charge of the troops on the ship which went in pursuit of the escaped prisouors. They sighted the Moa at about H a. in under Curtis Island on December 31st. She was then some Id or ic miles away, •md about noon they signalled to her to heave to. When she was signalled to heave to the Moa hoisted a German hag, produced in Court, winch was composed of a piece of white calico on which various m irkings hud been carefully painted. A shot wis tired across the scow’s quarter, and site immediately hove to. Count von Luckner was taken on board and searched. He had £l7 in droid on him, halt English and half German. A boat was put off, and scow .boarded, and men sent on board and captured the ship.

WIRELESS FROM SOMOA. The Germans had a fairly full kit and a quantity of tools, also a wireless inst illation capable of receiving up to 300 miles. The wireless operator on the capturing ship stated that the plant was complete with the exception of a couple of cryst jls which ono of the men had in a matchbox. The escapees had also in their possession two maps, one of the West Indies, and the other of Europe, and a rough chart on draughtsman’s paper showing the Kremndoos and ono or two other islands. The only explosive tint could bo found w s one round 3.03 ammunition. There was also a camera and a number of photographs. The tools were titters’ tools, including an electrical apparatus. la addition to provisions brought with them they hsd about two-thirds of the stores from Curtis Island. Witness arrived at this estimate because he hud inspected the stores on this island the day prior to the capture. Altogether prisoners had about £l2O in gold distributed among them. To M’ljor Pullen: Witness did not know definitely whether the tins contained benzine but they did not appear to Ime been tampered with. Do you know where these electrical appliances were made?—No. Do you not know that they came from Samoa?—No.

Do yon not know that the}' were part of a big wireless installation there—No. MAJOR LILLY CROSSEXAMINED.

Major Lilly (recalled) produced a tile from Motuihi to Headquarters for the year 1017. There was no application on this form from Turner for an increase of guard. He took it that the responsibility for the guard lay with Turner and District Headquarters. Witness had distinctly impressed upon Turner that the prisoners wore in his keeping, and that it was his “pigeon.” Witness put in a letter from Turner to the •* djutfint-Gonoral, Wellington, following on the visit to the island of the Minister of Defence. In this Turner stated that lie had waited on the G. 0.C., who stated that in his opinion it should bo possible to reduce the strength' of the guard, and direct him to consult the 0.0. District. Auckland. At that time the strength was do of all ranks, which provided the details necessary or tiie armed gu-ml. To Major Pullen : The AdjutantGeneral know witnesss was coming t<3 Auckland when lie visited Motuihi. And yet you claim to have no control over Turner? —That is so.

You came tip a a a staff officer of tlio G. 0.0. ?■ —Yes. Ami you still contend that you have no control over Colonel Turner?—Yes, I do. MAJOR PRICE’S EVIDENCE Major Price, A.A.G., Auckland, was called. The Prosecutor, at the request of counsel for Turner, stated that the procedure was that the Adjutant-General would forward a copy of the correspondence with Turner with a note “for your information. ” The correspondence was really between the A.G. and Turner,

Mr Tole: Why did Colonel Patterson write to Headquarters, Wellington, asking that the guard be increased?—lt wfs only a recommendation made because of the arrival of the See Adler officers. This closed the prosecution. COUNSEL RAISES OBJECTIONS. Major Pullen, for Turner, said ho would raise four points. First, it was unusual for a judge edvocatogeneral to appear, as, though ho was an honourable and upright man, he could not bo absolutely impartial inasmuch as without doubt be had been consulted before the court was constituted. Therefore counsel contended tlie court was not properly constituted. Secondly, the court had not been properly called together. The rider convening the courtmartial was signed by General Robin, one of the four officers mentioned as the result of the Court of Inquiry. Further, the charge sheet was not signed by the AdjutantGeneral, who was Turner’s commanding officer. This Iml not been done. He also contended that Turner had committed no millitary offence. The charge had been brought under Section 20, sub-sec-tion 2, of tbo Army Act, which did not make provision for dealing with a lieutenant-colonel or commandant of an internment'camp. Section £0 applied to no senior officers. After argument tlio court retired to consider tlio points raised, and on resuming announced that it disallowed all the objections.

GENERAL ROBIN OS RECORD. Major Pullen called general Robin, who stated that bo bad ordered ilia court-martial. Ho did not know who cancelled tho order of the Defence Minister that Erdmann woauct to bo sent to Motuihi. When witness visited Motuilii during the “scare” ho did not discuss the “scare” with Turner. Ho did not know of the existence of Turner’s request for ten more men and a subatlorn which had been forwarded to General Headquarters by District Headquarters. Turner’s commanding officer was tho officer commanding tho District. Any detachment in the district was under thc/control of the officer command -

ing the district. Witness remembered meeting Turner ia Wellingtm, end they discussed the question or econom}’. *lurncr was rotorrotl tdtheO.C, District to see what economy could bo effected. At that time witness considered the guard was amply sufficient. Military policemen should have been able to guard the prisoners on the island. Ho did not suggayt to Turner that he should reduce ‘lie guard ; only thatdie shoulld consider the matter. The proper channel for communicating with Colonel Turner was through the officer commanding the diistrict. Ho was not aware of any orders Turner had hid to the. con-'' trsry. Witness knew in November that Turner had had a private launch. Ho suggested to Turner that ho should always take care that the launch’s engines were put out of action when lie was not using the launch

To Mr Tolo: The discussion regarding economy was purely suggestive. Ho directed Turner to consult Colonel Patterson. Turner had never informed him that the guard was insufficient. Witness would have supported Patterson if ho as officer commanding the district had increased the guard. The hearing was adjourned till tomorrow.