HOLDSWORTHY INTERNMENT CAMP.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 87, 9 May 1916, Page 6

HOLDSWORTHY INTERNMENT CAMP.

SEN SAT 10 NA L REV EI ,AT lONS, 'SYDNEY, May 5. A German interned in Holdsworthy ! Camp made his third attempt to escape, j and was shot and killed. Jle had boasted that he would escape or die. The inquiry elicited the fact that the deceased was a desperate character, and had previously escaped from cant]) twice. The sentry saw a dark object between the compound fences, and fired. He wounded the prisoner, who was taken to the hospital, and succumbed there. Further interesting developments have occurred at the inquiry into the death of Hans Portm'ann, another prisoner. One witness, who is suspected to be a member of the Black Hand gang, and was assaulted by a mob of prisoners, stated in evidence that he had previously served a sentence of six months for receiving DO stolen revolvers in Brisbane, which he sold in Sydney shortly after the war broke out. He admitted ! th'af he had received money from other prisoners for the construction ox a tunnel. .lulius Biau stated that he had given small sums to various prisoners. He knew of a secret society, composed of ex-burglars, who had killed a person for 2s fid. He could point them out, but it would be dangerous to do so. Another witness declared that plenty of rich men in the camp were blackmailed and beaten, but ho was ashamed to admit that, a Lutheran minister was included among the victims. The coroner's attempts to discover the actual participants in Portmann's death proved unavailing. The witnesses appeared afraid, anil gave evidence only under pressure, one 'having to be imprisoned for refusing to answer ques- j tions.

PEACE CLAMOUR. GERMAN WOMEN' ARRESTED. AMSTERDAM, May :i. A nioi), mostly composed of working women from Potsdam, demonstrated iu the Merplatz, Berlin, on 'May Day, and clamoured for peace. Fifty of them were arrested. Similar demonstrations occurred at Munich, 'Chemnitz and Kiel. EXPLOSION AT LA ROCHELLE. JOO PEOPLE KILLED. PARIS, May 4. An explosion in the Government works at La Rochelle set lire to live neighbouring factories. The explosion was heard -iO miles away. One hundred people were killed. The explosion is believed to have been accidental. COMPULSION BILL. PASSES SECOND R FADING. LONDON, May 4. The Military Service 8.1 l was read a second time by MI'S votes to :i(i. MEN WANTED URGENTLY. VII,TOM' OR DEFEAT. LLOYD GEORG'F'S 'SPEECH. LONDON, May I. During the debate in the House of Commons on the motion for the rejection of the Military Service Bill, '.Mr Lloyd George said that tffe position was that Germany was in possession of Belgiunj, i Serbia, Montenegro ami an important part of France, and luid huge forces in Poland and the Balkans. It was a fundamental axiom of military science Iliat. we could only drive out ait entrenched foe by superior numbers. It was true that the Allies had an overwhelming superiority in men; therefore lie was confident of the issue. But tlieri' must be ;i superiority of equipped men. The Russians' comparative failure iast year was due to lack of equipment, and although there had s>nce been an improvement in that respect, until Russia was able fully to equip her men it was essential that France and Britain should put every able man in the Held forthwith —and the enemy knew it. '.Mr Lloyd George continued that lie doubled whether those asking for the rejection of the Bill realised the seriousness of their action. The military authorities said that it would make the j difference between defeat anil victorv that they should secure men immediately. He would rather be driven out of public life than have the responsibility of refusing them the men. It, was not true that any men would be taken if they were essential to national occupations. He had it on the best linan- '■ ial authority that we could outstay for years anything that .Germany could do. The Government, after prolonged examination, had decided that it was absolutely essential to call up every available man and prepare him for the field.