BRITAIN'S PART.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15776, 18 December 1916, Page 7

BRITAIN'S PART.

ORDERS TO STRIKERS. A>" OFFICIAL ULTIMATUM. (By Cable. —Press Association. —GoprrijrhU) (Auitralinn mid X.Z. CabL© Association.) (Received December 17th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December lti. Mr .1. Hodge. Minister of Labour, in an ultimatum to the Liverpool boilermakers who are out on strike, orders them to resume work on Monday. The War Council has endorsed liis action. THE STRIKERS YIELD. I.Australian and X.Z. C.ib':o Association.) iltcutcr'a Telegrams.) December 17th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON', December 16. It is officially stated that, in response to Mr Hodge's telegram, tho Liverpool boilermakers will resume work on Monday. A TIMELY APPEAL. t (Received December 17th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 10. Mr J. Hodge, Minister of Labour, in a letter to Trades Unions, earnestly and confidently appeals to the workmen's loaders, equally with employers, to consult him before any industrial crisis is reached. He points ouT that it is almost impossible for the Ministry to investigate or conciliate successfully once a cessation of work has occurred. AN' IRISH TROUBLE. RAILWAY SYSTEMS, INVOICED, j (Australian and X.Z. Cable Association.) (Received December 17tli, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Decembbr 10. Apparently a strike on tho Irish Great Southern and Western Railway system is inevitaole. The men refused the offer of two shillings extra per week, and increased their demand to six shillings extra. The notices expire to-night. Tho company has notified tlie discontinuance of goods traffic. GOVERNMENT ACTION. (Received December 17th o.u p.m.) LONDON, December 16. Mr J. H. Thomas, M.P., announces that the Government has decided to take over the Irish railways, and tho men must not stop- work. This will enaolc immediate negotiations to bo opened. A strike would bo fatal to the men's interests. THE FOOD PROBLEM. MEATLESS DAY EXPECTED. (Received December 17th. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December If). An order fixing Thursday as a meatless day is expected to come into operation in January. Other orders aro in preparation for enforcing sugar tickets and iaaugurat>ing the s tip ply of bread consisting of mixed quantities of wheat and maize, oats or pure barley. Wheaton Frcad is forbidden. THfE PRICE OF MILK. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Koutor'e Tel«f*rama.) (Received December 17th 5.5 pjn.) r LONDON, December 16. I*>rd Devonport has fixed tho Tctai! price of milk at twopence a quart above the pre-war rate. THE NEW CABINET. * UNDER-SECRETARIES APPOINTED. LONDON, December 15. The following appointments of Parliamentary Under-Secretarics to the New Cabinet are notified:— To the Minister of Munitions: Mr L. Worthington Evans (Unionist), Mr Frederick George Kellaway (Liberal). Admiralty: Dr. T. J. Macnamara, LL.D. (L.)." Civil Lord to the Admiralty: Mr E. >G. Pretyman (U.). Board of Trade: Mr George Henry Roberts (L.). Board of Agriculture: Sir Richard Winfrcv (L.). Home Affairs: Mr W. Brace (Labour). C-oloniw: Mr Steel Maitland. War Office: Mr James lan Macpherson (L.). Financial Secretary to tho War Office \ Mr H. W. Forster (U.l. Lord Steward to the Household: Lord Farquhar. ! Treasurer to the Household : Captain James Craig (U.). , ~ Comptroller to the Household: Sir Edward Cornwall (L.). Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard: Lord* Suffield. Lords in Waiting: Lord Kenyon, lit. Hon. Viscount Valentia (U.). Parliamentary Secretary to the Air Board : Mr J. L. Baird (U.). Parliamentary .Secretaries to the Treasury*: Lord E. Talbot (U.), ,-vnd Hon. Neil James Archibald Primrose Lords of the Treasury: Mr J. I>. Hope (L.).. Mr S. Walsh (L.), Mr J. W. Pratt (L.i. (iteocived December 17th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. December 16. 31r S. S. Lever (?) has been appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury. MR LLOYD GEORGE'S HEA!^TH. (Received December 16th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 15. Mr Lloyd George's health is improving. RE-ELECTIONS ABOLISHED. LONDON, 15. The Bill relieving Ministers from the statutory requirement of going to their constituents for re-election on accepting office, passed all stages in the House of Commons. COMJfENT ON THE CABINET. LONDON. December 15. j The "Nation" says:—"The now Government is in no intelligible sense a ! Liberal administration. The inner j strength of the Government lies in the war directorate composed of Mr Lloyd ' George, a Tory Protectionist, two Tory 1 Imperialists, and a Labour member. ; Five Secretaryships, and the Stat<? j Secretaryship of the Navy, are alio- I cated to Unionists, with a sprinkling .

of Liberal Under-Ministers. Reallv thf Government is not a Cabinet, hut a col* loot ion of heads of great administrative Departments grouped under tho Prime Minister in what is virtually » committee of Parliament. The inner body is a kind of cabal. How long Parliament will tolerate so irregular and futile a separation of dignity from responsibility, remains to he seen. Wo are surprised to learn that, the Prime Minister, in the gifted person of Mr Lloyd George, was suddenly enabled to confront the double task of running tho war and the Ministry, of which Mr Asquith was considered incapable.'' THE IRISH PROBLEM. A LESSON FliOM TRIO TRENCHES. 'IVkgTinu 1 I.ONI>ON. IVeeniber 15. In tho llou-e of Commons. Major W Redmond, of the Irish Division, in supporting the credit vote, mentioned that n \\a s remarkable that the kindliest relations existed under all circumstances between the troops from Ulster and the re>t of Ireland, who worn in close contact, lie declared that he had come to the conclusion that an understanding between northern and southern Ireland wa> quite possible. There was no talk of reparation in the trenches. There was only such talk in Ireland. Lot them suppress memories and hope for a brighter future. Colonel MeCalmont said that if recruits were not forthcoming from Ireland during the next few weeks, the Irish regiment* would cea.so to exist by tiie springtime. Mr Bonar Law re-echoed Major W. Redmond's sentiments, and declared Uiat the desire for a new Ireland was not confined to Irishmen. It was a great thing that, despite the rebellion, the official Nationalist Party supported tho Empire in tho war. POLICE FOR THE FRONT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Aftftociation.) (Received December 16th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 16. The releasing of 5000 Metropolitan police for military service on January "Ist wil] probably result in an extension of the. hours of duty for the remainder of the force from eight, to twelve and also in an extra day's duty fortnightly.