ANOTHER DELAY

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 4, 5 January 1920, Page 5

ANOTHER DELAY

IN RATIFYING PEACE.

HOT SIGNED TOR FORTNIGHT. BUMOURS OF A HITCH. jjßy Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 11.30 a.m.) .7 LONDON, January 4. It is understood that the re-assemblin" )f the Peace Conference has been post° boned until January 9. It is not likely Jhat the ratifications will be exchanged before mid-January. It is rumoured in Paris that some Jiitci has occurred.—(A. and N.Z.)

GLOOMY BEEHN.

>TRIAi OP WAR PRISONERS. , DUPLICITY CONTINUES. BERLIN, January 4. is deep gloom in Government lircles because the Allies have not Jielented regarding the delivery of the ex-Kn-iser, officials, and officers Ifor trial. Herr Ebert (President of the Republic), in a Xew Year's message, says: 'TTnder the pressure of ruthless compulsion, -we must conclude a. peace which threatens to place at the mercy of foreigners our honour, welfare, and the fruits of our past and future , " labour." pc calls upon all Germans to close up their Tanks and do their utmost to reconstruct the Fatherland.—(A. and N.Z.) It is authoritatively estimated that She present strength of German armed Jorces is over 1,000,000, composed of an fcrmy of 400,000, a navy of 12,000, temjjorary volunteers or army reservists lumbering between 150,000 and 200.000, Civic guards numbering between 300,000 fend 400,000, and armed constabulary lumbering between 40,000 and 50,000. JThe last three forces are controlled by the Ministry of the Interior. Their existence is regarded as a contravention J>f the Versailles Treaty, and this fact has been notified to Germany by the Eupreme Council. The Reparation Commission has interjfiaaed in connection -with large sales of German lorses and cattle to neutral States, the discovery of which illustrates Germany's continued deception, as jwently she indicated that she was tmable to comply with certain reparation cem&nds owing to the necessities oi Agriculture and of revictuajling her {population.— (A. and X-Z. and Reuter.)