THE MOTUIHI ESCAPE.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14643, 22 February 1918, Page 7

THE MOTUIHI ESCAPE.

(SENTENCE ON. COLONEL TURNER.

TO BE DISMISSED FROM DEFENCE

FORCES,

[United Press Absocutioh . 1

. Auckland, Feb. 21. " The sentence of the Court-martial which • tried Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Hareourt Turner on charges connected . with the escape of German prisoners of 'war from Motuihi Island has been proJinulgated. . He was found not guilty ;on the second and third charges. He jwas sentenced on the first charge to be dismissed from,the Defence forces, under section 23 of the Defence Act - Amendment, 1912. The sentence has | been confirmed by General iiobm. ; The charge upon which LieutenantColonel Turner was tried was laid under section 20 (2) of.the Army Act, and was sex. out iv xhe following cnarge sheet:— a ue accused, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Harcourt Turner, sth (Wellington) itegnnent, being a member of the J)eience I'orccd of Aiaaland, is cliarged v» itn : — iMr.sii cijajge: Without reasonable excuse allowing the escape of pej-.sons t-oin-

mitted to hio chargo, m .tfiat he, at iviotuihi Island, on or .i^.xit io-cn i>v.i:e-ixibt>r, f iyx/., coninuaiuuao or cno saiu' island, and bnvuig utia care, charge, and custody upon thu" said island or certain prisoners oi war and ahen enemies, to iwit, one Ldeiitenaut-vJommander.- Count ; yon: Lu(;kner, Lieutenant :;;K.irscheiss, Wireless Operator Grun, VVlreless.. Engineer Freund,: Naval-; Cadets yon Zalorsia, P'aulsen, Schmidt, -Mellert, and Klohm, Seaman Erdmann, and one yon Jiigitly. a samoaii Government oliicial, allowed the said Commander Count yon Luckner and the others'mentioned, being prisoners of war and interned alien enehies, to obtain possession of a lar.,nch and make other preparatipas for their ; escape without taKing reasonable means |to prevent it, and tnu\s.permitting the i escape of the said Lieutenaht-Comman- : der Count yon Luckner and the other persons mentioned. Second charge: Without reasonable excuse allowing the escape of persons ; whom it was his duty to keep, in having done the act alleged in the particulars of the first charge. Third charge: Without reasonable ex- ! cuse allowing the escape of persons it I was his duty to guard, in having done the acts alleged in tie particulars of ; the first charge.