THE ESCAPED GERMANS

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15387, 19 December 1917, Page 4

THE ESCAPED GERMANS

THE INQUIRY OPENED! (Per United, Press Association.) AUCKLAND, December 18 The Court of Inquiry into the escape of eleven men from Motuihi on Thursday evening, was formally opened before Colonel C. R. Macdonald (president), Lieut.-Colonel Neave, and Lieut.-Colonel Gumming Commissioner O'Donovan and Supt. Kiely, of the police, were also present. President read a memorandum dated November 27th, from the Minister of Defence to the Commandant at Motuihi (Lieut.-Colonel C. Harcourt Turner). -The Minister of Defence was directing attention to the fact that certain circumstances in connection with the guard at Motuihi Island have caused him some concern. The .Minister further states that at the time of his visit the guard was unarmed, and that in his opinion the arms were not kept in a safe place, and that ammunition, though under lock and key,,.was not guarded. The Minister had directed attention to the fact that he was not satisfied that there was supervision in. other matters. It was desired that you furnish replies to the following questions:— (1) Why was the guard unarmed at the time of the visit of the Minister? (2) At what date and for what reason are members of the guard permitted to leave off their arms? (3) What sentries are posted for duty during the day? (B) What sentries are posted for dutv at night? (C) What arms do such Gentries carry at night, and during the night? (4) What guard is placed over ammunition? f (6A) What supervision is exercised over incoming rroods and parecls for prisoners of war ? (E) In what manner are such parcels examined? <”> What precaution is taken to guard against prisoners of war receiving dangerous material which may he in such parcels? (7) What supervision is exercised over goods and parcels received hv the farming staff at Motuihi? (8) In what manneJ? is the telephone line between Motuihi Island and Auckland guarded at Motuihi Island? THE COMMANDANT’S EVIDENCE. Colonel Turner, in giving evidence, Stated that he took over the command of the island about May 9th, 1917, and received absolutely no instructions from Captain Winthrop, his predecessor. The President: Usually the out-go-ing officer explains the system followed to his successor. Witness; That did npt take placeWhen I actually took over the island he was not there. Before corning to Auckland I went to headquarters at Wellington, and asked to sec files relating to Motuihi. I could find in them nothing relating to the original organisation of the camp, or how it was being administered. Witness was afterwards told by Colonel Mac Donald that the Coast Defence were managing the camp, and that Major Meiklo would give the necessary information. Major Meikle- referred him to Sergt.Major Mulholland. Upon arriving in Auckland he went down to the island to have a look round. Capt. Winthrop was in his quarters, and remained there all the time witness was on the island. He found out nothing about the island to speak about during this visit, which lasted about an hour and n half. On officially taking over the island, he found that there was no establishment laid down, it being apparently left to tho Commandant to employ the number of men he deemed necessary. The average establishment he had until September last was 33 of all ranks. These were divided into ■four standing guards, each guard consisting of a lance-corporal and four men. X)f the four .standing guards, one guard should be on duty, one guard just off duty, one -guard next for duty, and the fourth guard finding two men on patrol duty and fatigues, if necessary. Each guard had always one man on leave. The guard was on

y duty for 24 hours’ paired, remaining cut during the daytime. This was tbo system existing when he officially took over. There were pnder forty prison-* ers on the island- A sentry and guard from 8 a.m. until dark was posted on Tower Hill, from where he could have a view of the North Beach and wharf, with the road leading to it. He was also in full view of the guard. Hin beat extended from the hill to the wharf—ten minutes’ march. At night there was one sentry posted in front of the guard room, and his beat extended across the front of the barracks. A patrol of two men was sent out about 8 o’clock in the morning to patrol the south-eastern end of the island. He did not know definitely wat time they returned, but he thought about lock-up time, which veried according to the seasons. The President: Was the guard armed?— Yes. Sauries,, guard, and patrol were all armed, and carried ammunition.

“Were you satisfied with the ar-rangement?’’-—“I was satisfied with it, and carried .it on, with the exception that 1 reduced the beat of the sentry by day on the Tower Hill, confining the beat to the hill itself. 11 When, however, a launch approached the wharf his orders were'to leave his beat and go to the end of the wharf after hav-j mg hoisted two signal flags, to denote to the guard that a boat was approaching. There were general rules to this effect, hut I decided upon the course. I also altered the heat of the night sentry by arranging that once in every hour the sentry, m company with the corporal of the guard, was to enqirclo the barracks, also that the corporal of the guard should at intervals of not more than two hours na.trol down the avenue.’ * , “Whom do you report to respecting the guard arrangements ?”—“To the Adjutant-General.” M "Did you report on taking over? “No. I had not been instructed to do so.”Witness, continuing', said that the orders to the sentry by day were that no launch was to approach within 300 yards of the island unless approaching the wharf, in which case he was to hoist a flag when the boat was 20 minutes away, and a second flag when 10 minutes away. He was then to proceed to the wharf, remaining while the boat was alongside. In rough weather the launches went to the nojjjli beach, anchoring 100 or 200 yards from . the shore, under the sentry’s observation. Periodical visits were made to the sentries. Orders were that the island must be constantly patrolled to see that no boats approached the island, and to see that no prisoners remained out after hours. Rifles were kept in the soldiers’ barracks, and orders were given that when the rifles were in the gnard-room one man must be present, and awake. Four men must be in the men’s quarters at the barracks. Six rounds of ammunition were issued to each man. The quantity in store was never more than 500 rounds, stored in the sergeantmajor’s room. There were two telephones from the guard-room —one to Auckland and on© to Waihek©, the connection being the ordinary overhead one. There was no particular order about guarding it, though the patrol would have it: under observation. A connection was later made to th© commandant's house and the was only possible to communicate' with Auckland or Waiheke through t}xe guard-room. All parcels and letters for the island .were examined. All letters to and from prisoners were censored by the postal censor, with the exception of a few outward in English, which witness censored. Th© prisoners had no other communication with Auckland.. At one time they were allowed to visit fheir wives in Auckland, but that was stopped months ago. Visitors to prisoners had to obtain passes from the O.C.D. or himself. Witness had issued very few passes himself. He had always objected to visitors, on the ground that they might convey letters, messages, or small parcels. H© always had a feeling that they were weakly protected. Witness quoted a specific case of a pass being granted by a high authority after Colonel Patterson and witness had refused it. In interviews, husbands and wives were allowed to be alone together; in other cases it depended on who the visitor was. Witness said the 1 arm oh used by him was moored two hundred yards from the end of the wharf, or about five or six hundred yards from Tower Hill, apd in full view from there. ,The sentry on the hill could have fired at the launch at the mooring. In July last witness saw General Robin in Wellington, and was asked whether it would be possible to reduce the guards, as economy was necessary. Subsequently witness arrived at the conclusion that the only way to reduce the guards was to reduce the standing guards and institute a system of military police patrols, who usually were unarmed. The reduction was from 35 to 24 men, and this was agreed to by Colonel Patterson, th® change being' made gradually during September. Under the reduced guard the following arrangement was made, and, with two exceptions, was in force when the escape was effected. Six men were told off for a tour of 24 hours’ duty, divided into three reliefs, each of two men, and working for eight hours. On© man would be in the guardroom, and the other two patrolling -between Tower Hill and the guard-room. The other four men would be about the barracks. In addition, patrol duty was carried out, as before, except that th© men were unarmed. An extra pian was put on wharf duty when a launch came, and remained while the craft was there. He was unarmed. One reason for the reduction of the guard was that though the number of prisoners had increased to over 80, they were mostly civilians—nearly all from Samoa. Considering the character of the prisoners, and what he knew of them, he considered th© protection afforded by the military police patrols was ample. The system was in force when the officers of the Seeadler arrived on October 8 last. The inquiry was adjourned.