BACK FROM SAMOA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11254, 7 December 1914, Page 4

BACK FROM SAMOA.

PRISONERS MID TROOPS. GERMANS GO TO GAOL [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December T. Ono military and eight German prii eoners, seven Now Zealand officers <d the Expeditionary Forc« and wentsr* two men returned to Auckland from Samoa by the steamer N&vua last night. The transfer of the prisoners to the Auckland police station was watched with great interest by a large crowd. The returning officers included Major PinwiJJ, second in command -afc Samoa and General Staff Officer of the Canterbury Military District. Another well-known officer on board was Captain Eastwood, formerly aide-de-camp to tho Governor. Tho complete list of the returningofficers is: Major W. R. Pinwill. General Staff Officer. Major M. Holmes, New Zealand Medical Corps. Captain T. It. Eastwood, aide-de-camp to the Administrator. Captain il. W. Wilkinson. Captain R. N. Evatt, sth Wellington Regiment. Second Lieutenant C. N. Mitchell, D Battery, New Zealand Ai'tiUery. Three of the returned men are medically .unfit, one case of rheumatic fever being stated to be of a serious nature. Some surprise was manifested when a Territorial was marched off tiie steamer .with, the German prisoners. On November 12, Private Morton, of the New Zealand Artillery Field Service Corps> was tried by the Field Court Martiai and sentenced to ninety days' imprisonment, with hard labour, on charges of theft and drunkenness. Seven Germans are all undergoing various terms of imprisonment imposed by the Military Court at Samoa. The. other prisoner, a plantation overseer, will join the German, prisoners of war at Motuihi, his case being very different from that of his comrades, who have committed serious offeiices against military law. The orders of commitment of tho seven German offenders throw considerable light on the completeness of the military control at Samoa. For proceeding to the American port of Pago Pago without having obtained permission from the authorised .officer, Fraz Pfeil was sentenced to three years' imprisonment with hard labour. . Gustav Kohler assaulted the Pro-vost-Sergeant in execution of his duty, and was given a sentence of two years with hard labour. For changing their places of residence without permission, Christian Boyens, Paul Voget, Ernst Studt and Hubert Casselbaum were each sentenced to six months' imprisonment with, hard labour. The remaining offender, Leo Keller, is undergoing a sentence of 120 days' with hard labour. The charge againsti him was that he was out of doors between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., contrary to regulations. The prisoners, who are mostly young, well-educated men, did not appear to relish their positions.. They were not so cheerful as the prisoners who have! arrived before fchem. At the police station they regarded their transfer to Mount Eden Gaol, and the preparations to divest them of their valuables, hats, collars and ties, etc., with many expressions of disgust. The spokesman of the party was plainly told that he would not get a, feather bed at Mount Eden, and when he had handed over his possessions,'he relieved his feelings with an emphatic "Gott in hinmel." - •

Major Pinwill and the officers and men in lus command leave to-day by the first express for Wellington. It is stated by the returning members of the Expeditionary Force that, matters are very quiet at Samoa. The general health of the men is good, though there are o few on the sick list. ._,