45

H.—l9b

Captain Knyvett: I refuse. Many of the officers concerned are in Government billets, and if 1 give their names they might suffer. The President: Are you prepared to give the names of any officers'/ Captain Knyvett: I refuse to give the names of the officers, but 1 am prepared to call evidence. The President: Are you prepared to give the name of any officer who so approached you ? Captain Knyvett: No, sir, I will not answer that question. I submit that it is not a failquestion. No; I will not give them. I will bring them out in evidence. . The President: The question is, Are you prepared to give the names of the officers who so approached you 1 Captain Knyvett: Certainly not. I think it is most unfair to ask me. I refuse to answer the question, but desire to call evidence in support of what I say. The President: Tour evidence can only be who were the officers who so approached you. Captain Knyvett: If I gave you the names, each officer might be regarded as having a personal spite against Colonel Eobin, which would be manifestly unfair. I have given you the list of witnesses : you may take it that those are the witnesses. The President: You refuse to answer this question? The Court will be cleared to decide whether you can answer it. The Court was cleared accordingly, and, upon resumption, the President said : The Court considers that you are bound to answer the last question. The question is, Are you prepared to give the names of the officers who so approached you ? Captain Knyvett: I have given my answer. I refuse to The President: lam asking you "Yes" or " No." Are you or are you not prepared to give the names of the officers who so approached you ? Captain Knyvett: I have already answered it, and I want my answer noted as it was given. The President: Are you prepared to give the names of the officers who so approached you ? Captain Knyvett: No, but 1 desire to call evidence. The President: Ido not want an answer any more than " Yes "or " No." 1 want to know whether you are prepared to give the names of the officers who so approached you, on oath. I am not asking you now to give these names. lam asking you, Are you prepared to give these names ? Captain Knyvett: 1 gave the answer. The President: Are you prepared to give the names of the officers who so approached you ? Captain Knyvett: I have already given an answer to your question, and the Court has decided that I must. I cannot give an answer a second time, sir. The President: The Court is not asking you for the names. The question is, Are you prepared to give the names of the officers who so approached you? The answer must be "Yes" or "No." Captain Knyvett: Yes, sir, I am; but not of all, sir. The President: Are you prepared to call evidence to show that officers have approached you "who have had similar experiences of the unwarranted interference and unexampled officialism of Colonel Robin." Captain Knyvett: Yes, sir, I am, and now. Captain Sandtmann: You are going too fast. lam not taking shorthand. Captain Knyvett: And I beg to suggest that you are not writing longhand either. The President: Now, I ask you for the names of the officers who so approached you, officers having these experiences. Captain Knyvett: As the question is put it is practically a, repetition of the first question. The President: I ask you for the names of the officers. Captain Knyvett: Some or all? The President: It may not be necessary to give all of them. Captain Knyvett: I will give you the first of them, and you can ask for others as you want them. The first officer is Captain Dawson. The President: The Court will consider. The President (after the Court had deliberated) ; Another 1 Captain Knyvett: The first is Captain Dawson, Officer Commanding the College Rifles and Signalling Staff Officer for the Auckland District. The second is Captain Shera, Officer Commanding the Auckland company of the New Zealand Engineers. Now, sir, I will give the name of Colour-Sergeant Mackerras, just to see if the Court considers these officers are sufficient. Colour-Sergeant Mackerras, of the Newton Rifles. The President: Any more names? The Court must give you an opportunity of giving more names. Captain Knyvett: Does the Court wish to trip me, sir? The President: No, the Court does not wish to trip you. We do not wish to hark back. Two witnesses are necessary to establish the fact. Now, the Court has ruled that you must give them, and you must give them; but the Court has not asked you to give all the names. You are satisfied with the three names ? - Captain Knyvett: Yes. The President: Those are all the names you wish to give at present? .Captain Knyvett: Yes, at present. The President: Those are all the names you wish to give. Captain Knyvett: Yes, at present. May I ask the Court what it intends to do if Ido not give any more names ? The President: The Court may recall you after you have given evidence. Captain Knyvett: I do not wish the Court to have the opportunity of blocking me from calling further witnesses.