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Enclosure No. 1 in No. 6. Charge Sheet. Auckland, Ist December, 1909. Captain F. B. Knyvett, an officer serving in the Volunteer Forces of the Dominion, having forwarded a letter for transmission to higher authority, is charged with insubordination in that he is considered to be guilty of —(1) An act of gross insubordination in having forwarded the letter in question, in which he criticizes the administration of the Defence Department; (2) bringing a charge against his superior officer couched in the most insubordinate language. G. C. B. Wolfe, Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding Auckland District.

Enclosure No. 2 in No. 6. Summary of Evidence taken at Preliminary Inquiry into Charges against Captain Knyvett, held c t Drillhall, Auckland, 2nd December, 1909, at 7.30 p.m. (1.) Ist Charge. —An act of gross insubordination in having forwarded the letter in question, in which he criticizes the administration of the Defence Department. O.C. District : What have you to say ? Captain Knyvett: I submit that I have not forwarded such a letter criticizing the administration of the Defence Department. O.C. District : Do you not consider that the words you used in your letter are a reflection on the Defence Department ? Captain Knyvett: No, Sir ; I consider that the words I forwarded are simply a reflection on the Chief of the General Staff and his personal administration of Department. O.C. District : Re last paragraph asking for an inquiry into the conduct of the head of Defence Department, &c.—what do you mean by that 1 Captain Knyvett : I mean an inquiry into his personal administration inside and outside of the Department. O.C. District: You say that the Chief of the General Staff has private interviews with persons, from privates to colonels, to the undoubted disadvantage of the discipline of the Force ? Captain Knyvett : Yes, I do. (2.) 2nd Charge. —Bringing a charge against a superior officer couched in the most insubordinate language. O.C. District: You speak of " the unwarranted and unexampled officialism of Colonel Robin." Do you consider that a correct way to speak of your superior officer ? Captain Knyvett: Yes, I do, under the circumstances. O.C. District: Could you not have moderated your language ? Captain Knyvett: No ; I think the words are most temperate. O.C. District: You say the article in the Dominion was a most scurrilous and untruthful article, and you have traced it to Colonel Robin. Do you think this is moderate ? Captain Knyvett: Yes, I do, as I consider it was false and scurrilous. Captain Knyvett here called Surgeon-Captain Murray to give evidence. Captain Knyvett : You remember the article in the Dominion, and going with me to the Dominion office in company with Lieutenant Greenhough ? Captain Murray : Yes, I -went with yourself and Lieutenant Greenhough to the office, and was introduced to a Mr. Plimmer. I heard Mr. Plimmer say he had seen Colonel Robin, and that he lived in the same street as Colonel Robin. I heard Mr. Plimmer say that Colonel Robin did not write the article, but he gave me the impression that he was covering up his tracks when he made this statement. (3.) Captain Knyvett stated, on being asked by O.C. District, that he still adhered to his letter, and could not make it more temperate, and that he had provocation. (4.) Captain Knyvett wished it noted that he had asked what is the act of gross insubordination, and in what paragraph he had criticized the administration of the Defence Department. O.C. District: The answer to these questions is sufficiently indicated by the questions I have asked you previously. Captain Knyvett wished to remind Lieut.-Colonel Wolfe that he (Lieut.-Colonel Wolfe) had investigated the matter of Mr. Plimmer's interview before the letter was forwarded, and Lieutenant Greenhough was prepared to swear that what Captain Knyvett stated took place in the presence of Mr. Plimmer was correct. (5.) Lieutenant Greenhough could not be present at inquiry on account of a sudden illness, but did on the previous occasion say he was prepared to swear that what Captain Knyvett stated took place in the presence of Mr. Plimmer was correct. G. C. B. Wolfe, Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding Auckland District.