ITALY ORGANISING FOR VICTORY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 85, 3 January 1918, Page 5

ITALY ORGANISING FOR VICTORY

POPULATION MOBILISED FOR WAR WORK ENEMY PREPARATIONS FOR OFFENSIVE (Rec. January 3, 0.65 a.m.) Washington, January 2. An official cable message from Rome says that all tillable land has been requisitioned, and will be distributed among the people. The Government will defray tne cost of cultivation, and •will utilise the produce for war pur* poses. The civil population will !;c mobilised for war .industries. The continued concentration of tha Austro-Germans and tlio massing of artillery .behind the Brenta and the Piave. presages a great offensive.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. London, January 1. . A German official report states: "There is violent artillery firing in the Tomba region."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE AIR RAIDS ON PADUA ENEMY SEEKING TO WRECK RELIGIOUS ART TREASCRES. London, January 1. An Italian semi-official dispatch states:—"ln the air raids on Padua the enemy is deliberately seeking _ to wreck precious treasures of religious art.. Last evening ■ bombs were dropped on the cathedral, the Church of St. Anthony, and the Church of tha Hermits. Bomb splinters struck the Archbishop's palace and the Monte _ di Pietas.' In numbers of cases explosions damaged old bronze doors and priceless paintings. The statues in the Chapel of St. George and the celebrated Titian frescoes were damaged, and parts of paintings were torn down by the ex-plosions."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.