SECRET CONFERENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 15892, 26 August 1915, Page 3

SECRET CONFERENCE.

THE FINANCIAL STRAIN. PEACE DESIRABLE. HOLLWEC’S ADVICE FLOUTED. AMSTERDAM, August 25. -The ‘ Telegraaf ’ reports that -a secret conference was ,held at Berlin amongst writers, politicians.. and members of .the. Cabinet prior to tire floating of the new war loan. Dr Karl Helfferich, Imperial Treasurer, explained that the loan would exhaust the nation’s resources, and urged the necessity for an honorable peace. Dr Von Bethmann Hollweg told the conference that financial difficulties were increasing, and urged that the Reichstag should abandon its bellicose declaration and prepare for peace proposals acceptable to the Allies. General Von Moltke (ex-chief of the General Staff) supported this view, and declared that those who expected Russia’s complete defeat were being misled, and misunderstood the situation. Despite the attitude of the Imperial Chancellor, the conference refused to accept a resolution for moderation in the Reichstag, whereupon Dr Von Bethmann Hollweg threatened to resign if bellicose proposals were pressed upon the nation, as he might be held responsible for the disasters that might happen. UNEMPLOYMENT. . ROTTERDAM, August 25. Hunng the first nine months of the war German trade unions paid 20,000 OCX) marks for the relief of unemployed msmBRITISH MUNITIONS. London ‘Times’ and Sydney ‘Sun’ Service* LONDON, August 24. Arrangements are proceeding to send weekly parties of British munition workers "!? gam personal experience of the conditions of modern warfare. The authorities recognise the valuable result of these trips, and endeavor that each area of workers shall be represented. , r . . August 25. .Munition workers from Johannesburg have arrived at Plymouth. . WELSH MINERS. , r , , LONDON, August 24. Hie Miners Executive Council of South aes decided to send a deputation to wait upon Mr Runciman and Mr Lloyd George m the event of the coal owners not yielding to their latest demands. They also ask that the advances of the July^O^ 63 S k° U <1 r€t,ros P e ctive to RAND LABOR RESOLUTION. rp, JOHANNESBURG, August 25. IW tbfn b ?k Congress , carr, ' e d a resolution that when the enemy have been driven out ? £ territory the Allies ought o state the terms of peace acceptable to them, including a reduction in armaments ind international arbitration. PLOTTING IN AMERICA. WASHINGTON, August 25 Ihe ‘Providence Journal’ publishes evidence ifc has secured by means of a secret wireless installation listening to German .wireless messages through HayviUe, to the iffect that the German Embassy was concerned jn the attempt to destroy Canadian bridges, originate strikes in the United states, and otherwise interfere with Amen, lan neutrality. SIR SAM HUGHES. LONDON, August 25. Colonel Hughes, Canadian Minister of Defence, has been created a Knight of the Bath. LGANS TO COTTON GROWERS . . WASHINGTON, August 25. As a result of the declaring of cotton contraband, the United States Treasury has decided ,to lend 30,000,000 dollars to Tenable Southern cotton-growers to carry their stocks.

VICTORIA CROSSES. LONDON, August 24. Captain Lance G. Hawker, Royal Engineers and Flying Corps.—Flying alone, he , attacked three aeroplanes on- July 25. The first escaped; ho drove the second to the i' ground damaged; and attacked the third at a height of 10,000 ft and drove it to earth in our lines, the. pilot and observer , being killed. i Captain Richard R. Willis, Sergeant ( Alfred Richards, and Private - William Keneally, Lancashire Fusiliers.—Were , selected by their comrades as the foremost in signal acts of bravery a.nd devotion to ’duty on April 25, at the landing at Cape Belles. Three companies were harried by hidden machine guns, and the surv'vors, rushing up, cut the wire entanglements under a terrific fire. A Corporal “Issy” Smith is the first Jew to win the Victoria Cross. He is in a hospital at Dublin, and is recovering from gas poisoning ; n Flanders. Local Jews are lavish in their attentions and presentations. ' MORE-MEN SCHEME. FREE POSTAGE DESIRED. ‘ [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 25. A deputation representing the Patriotic Society waited on the Postmaster-General to-day with a request that parcels of advertising matter relating to the more-men scheme should be carried free through the post. The Postmaster-General drew attention to the heavy burden imposed on the Post and Telegraph Department owing to the free postal facilities granted to the various patriotic organisations. Mr Lewis (secretary of the society) explained that abont half a dozen bundles of printed matter a day would be sent to the organiser, in whichever centre he hapnened to bo, and would be distributed by him. Sir Joseph Ward replied that it was quite a different matter if the free postage was to be confined to bundles, and the postmasters in the different centres did not have to distribute hundreds and hundreds of circulars. Ho did not see any objection to allowing parcels to be sent out, but he would like, to make further inquiries. Mr Lewis then asked that the society he granted free registration on letters . connected with the patriotic funds, as it was not. desired to deplete the fund more than was absolutely necessary. Sir Joseph Ward replied that he would make inquiries and see what could he done. VOLUNTEER NURSING. QUESTION Of'oRGANISATION. [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 25. _ At the conference held this afternoon in regard to the organisation of the nursing service of New Zealand, it was agreed that the volunteer sisterhood should consist of the .members at present enrolled and accepted by the Government for the Trentham and Oriental Bay military hospitals ; that the Government should retain these women (30) in their employment, but that for the future preference should be given to women holding St. John Ambulance certificates, these women to be organised by the St. John Ambulance Brigades in the different districts. The Minister of Public Health also stated, _ in reply to Mr Hornsby, that opportunities would be given to up-country women to render patriotic service in hospitals, even though they had not been able to receive St. John Ambulance training. The financial terms under which the Government would accept St. John Ambulance women would be arranged between the St. John Ambulance Commissioner and the Minister of Public Health. The terms on which the members of the volunteer sisterhood were offered to the Government were that the sisterhood should raise £IOO per year for each woman accepted, these terms to he reconsidered on August 7. Owing to the forming of the National Ministry this reconsideration has been delayed, but the financial and other arrangements will be the subject of definite arrangement between the secretary of the-sisterhood and the Director of Military Hospitals this week. HOSPITAL SHIP FUND. STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNOR, WELLINGTON, August 25. ' An announcement regarding the hospital ship fund was made to-night by His Excellency the Governor, who stated that since hie last intimation on the subject, and in accordance with the views expressed at the meeting held at Government House on July 29, he had disbursed the following amounts : For comforts for the sick and wounded in Egypt, £I,COO. To the High Commissioner for New Zealand, to be devoted to the Mount Felix Hospital for New Zealanders at Walton®n;Thamcs, in response to an appeal for £IO,OOO madc by the High Commissioner and Lord Phmket on behalf of the New Zealand Association in Great Britain (it is proposed to send the remaining £5,000 shortly), £5,000. To the High Commissioner and Lord Tjunket, for tobacco and newspapers for the sick and wounded at Malta and the Dardanelles, £l5O. For comforts for the sick and wounded at Trentham, £515 10s 6d. For No. 1 Base Hospital, Egypt. £SOO. fins leaves a credit balance of £27,640 ? r £ 22,640 9s 6d after the second i.5,000 has been sent to the High Commissioner. The total expenditure up to date, including the equipment of the hospital ship, has been £21,065 10s 6d, and, in accordance with the advice tendered to nun at the above-mentioned meeting, His Excellency proposes to keep in hand not htohe^no 11 for rec ° !1 ditiomng the Received from “Busy Bee” 2s 6d seventh monthly subscription to the Beehive fund. • Ashburton Trotting Club have decided to give all the profits of their meetings during the coming year to the Canterbury Patriotic Fund, guaranteeing a minimum of £4OO. ° a The City Council last evening, on the suggestion of the Mayor, decided to send Ho C n b T t AT fl tl i e Hl! l h Commissioner (the „ -to Mackenzie) conveying the sympathy of the council and the in the great misfortune that had befallen Ins son. IUI THE CHINESE MONARCHY London 'Times’ and Sydney ‘Sun’ Services, , correspondent at Pekin statCe that a. Press campaign advocatin'* a a evolution in the monarchy is designed to sound the readiness of China to accent 1 lesident YutUi-shih-kai ias Emperor and io n\ hi ?, asc< : nsion to the throne forthwith. Ihe President, it i s said, is repugnant to the idea, and is believed to have uaid that if such an unrighteous course is forced on him he will seek -ofugq in foreign lands. In spite of this oenial, the monarchial movement is widespread. The army’s support is said to have been secured. , The revolutionary party, through whom tue Republic was created, are bitterly antagonistic, but unable, actively to oppose the movement because of the Government’s military power. Tho present administration in China is exceedingly rotten. Corruption is increasing and the financial position is precarious. Russia’s 30 Grand Dukes cost the country about three millions sterling per annum, own some 5,000 square miles of land, including 325 palaces and castles, and employ some 20,000 domestic servants. The world's longest jump on skis was recently made near Christiania, Norway, by Amble Omundsen, who cleared 177 ft. This is lift more than, the 'former record, which was made by a Chicago professional. Treat a cough or cold by the modem penetrating method of “ NAZOL.” Not a mixJh ro or syrup. Ready for instant use.— [Advfc.j