COURT OF ENQUIRY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 7 February 1918, Page 5

COURT OF ENQUIRY

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Last Night.

Major Osborcie-Lilly, Director of Personal Services, said he received weekly reports from the Commandants of internment camps. The chief of the dental staff generally decided where the prisoners of Avar should be located in New Zealand. Up to the time of the first Court of Inquiry witness considered District Headquarters were responsible for supplying the guard at Motuihi. During a visit to Motuihi ou December Ist, made as a result of inquiries by the Minister of Defence, witness was much worried about Moutihi matters, especially about the guard not being armed. He was quite definite "he told Lieut-Colonel Turner that the responsibility of safely guarding the men was Turner's "pigeon." He empha- } sieed the necessity of visual signalling apparatus on the island in case the telephones were cut. TT - told Lieut.-Colonel Turner that the guard should be armed. That was merely a suggestion, not an order. Witness considered that, in spite of all said, it was the duty of the District Headquarters to find £Be extra ten men if they had been demanded by tlie lOommandant. Witness did not make a report on his visit to Motuihi, liecause General Robin had already been to the island and reported to /the Minister. Witness kjiaw that Lieutenant-Colonel Turner was detailed for court-martial duty in Auckland, and did not question him because he considered Turner was under control of the District Headquarters. In reply to the President, Major Lilly stated that ho did not know who was responsible for transferring Luckner to Motuihi. Any transfers should have gone through witness. He did not receive a complaint regarding Erdmann's transfer on November 18. A verbal application was made by Captain Hall-Thomp-son for Erdmann to be sent to Motuihi as orderly to Luckner. •Witness referred the matter to Colonel Gibbon, who approved. The court adjourned.