ITALY'S SIGNIFICANT PREPARATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 69, 22 March 1915, Page 5

ITALY'S SIGNIFICANT PREPARATIONS.

DEMANDS IMMEDIATE CESSION OF THE TRENTINO. AUSTRIA HASTILY PREPARING FOR DEFENCE. LONDON, March 20. The well-known British war correspondent. Dr. Dillon, reports from Rome that the Italian Minister for Education is ascertaining the military status of all professors, teachers, and educational employees in Italy. The Minister is also inquiring as to how many beds the schools and colleges are capable of containing. The correspondent further states that several of the German and Austrian Consuls in Italy arc removing their archives. Austria is hastily strengthening the defences of the Trentino, and is employing Russian prisoners and Galieian refugees to remove the snow in the highlands. Much artillery and ammunition is proceeding to the mountain forts, where new batteries are being erected. Austria appears to be willing to cede the Trentino and the territory from there to the River Isonso to Italy as the price of her continued neutrality, bnt refuses guarantees of political or economic treatment to natives of Italy elsewhere. Italy persists in the immediate aession of the Trentino, and Austria favoun poatponing it until the end ot ths -war. lhe prospect* of a settlement are slight.