IN FRANCE.

Evening Star, Issue 15931, 11 October 1915, Page 6

IN FRANCE.

HEAVY FIGHTING SOUTH OF LA BASSEE. AMSTERDAM, October 9. (Received October 11, at 10.20 a.m.) A German, communique states: A strong. British attack north-eastward of Vermelles (south-west of La Bassee) failed, with great enemy ' losses. The ■ German attack southward of Loos made progress. .. The. French eastward of Navarin farm ( Champagne) entered our trenches at some points, but were ejected with considerable and sanguinary losses. The enemy hare lost the much-contested heights southward of Lennetrey (?Leintrey, Alsace), and wo captured 70 men, a machine gun, and four bomb mortars. THE LOOS BATTLE. ENEMY SUFFER SEVERELY. PARIS, October 9. (Received October 11, at 9.10 a.m.) A communique states : The German assaults at Loos were delivered in three successive heavy waves, followed by elements in column. All were mowed down by our combined infantry, machine-gun, and artillery fire. Only a few elements succeeded in gaining a footing in a single trench recently captured between Loos and the Lens-Bethune road. Other violent local attacks sopth-cast of Neuville were completely repulsed. The only German reply to our progress on Friday south-east of Tahure (Champagne) was a violent bombardment with asphyxiating and tear (lachrymatory) shells. FRENCH ASSISTING BRITISH. PARIS, October 9. .(Received October 11, at 10.10 a.m.) Marcel Hutin states that British and French troops are engaged in repelling counter-attacks at Loos, "which had been fully expected after the terrible bombardment. Sir Douglas Haig’s troops again displayed marvellous tenacity in resisting heavy enemy masses north and south of Loos. The enemy were broken against the British lines, and their losses were enormous. THE CENSOR SLATED. LONDON, October 9. (Received October 11, at 10.10 a.m.) Lord Selborne, speaking at York, said ; “We are confronted with a crisis, but arenotdismayed.” It would, he added, require a supreme effort on the part of the Empire to meet it. When the Censor excised a passage from a newspaper correspondent’s report of the Loos battle, describing how tenaciously and bravely the Germans fought, it was only mischievous stupidity. If' some people did not yet realise the" greatness of the crisis and the demand for self-sacrifice, it Was largely due to those who committed the crime of slurring over bad news. TOLL OF OFFICERS. LONDON, October 9. (Received October 11, at 9.10 a.m.) •Six days’ British casualty lists show 190 officers killed. 335 wounded, and 51 missing as a result of the recent offensive in the west. JOFFRE’S PURPOSE. PARIS, October 10. (Received October 11, at 11.10 a.m.) General Joffre, addressing the union of railwaymen, congratulated them on their zeal, and concluded thus.- “United by the same sentiment and calm, strong purpose, we will proceed to the end—namely, a victory which will permit us to dictate the conditions of peace.” PLOUGHMEN’S FURLOUGH. LONDON, October 9. Lord Kitchener is releasing ploughmen from the army for a month to assist in the autumn ploughing. ‘ EXCHANGED PRISONERS. BRITISH COMPLAINTS. London ‘Times’ and Sydney ‘Sun’ Service*. LONDON, October 10. A party of wounded British exchanged prisoners who have arrived complain of the vilenees of the food. They allege that the British prisoners were singled out for insults and harsh treatment. One man said he was treated worse than a dog, and the life was a hell upon earth. ANOTHER WINTER CAMPAIGN QUEEN’S APPEAL TO WOMEN. London ‘Time*’ and Sydney Sun’ Service*. LONDON, October 10. The Queen has issued an appeal to the women of the Empire for winter comforts for our soldiers and sailors. FRENCH FOREIGN OFFICE. PARIS, October 9. (Received Octoljer 11, at 9.30 a.m.) M. Delcasse is ill, and 31. Viviani (the Premier) has temporarily taken over the Foreign Office. SUBMARINES’ VICTIMS. LONDON, October 9. (Received October 11, at 10-20 a.m.) There were 1,566 arrivals and sailings from British ports during the week. Eight vesjels were sunk, aggregating 25,027 tons. AUSTRALIAN AVIATOR’S REWARD. LONDON, October 9. (Received October 11, at 9.30 a.m.) A‘Gazette’ announces the award of the Distinguished Conduct medal to Staff-ser-geant Heath, of the Australian Flying Corps, for conspicuous pluck and determination in Mesopotamia on August 1. He assisted to pole a flat-bottomed boat for 28 miles in 12 hours of most intense heat, in order to rescue British aviators who had been forced to descend in the enemy’s country. AUSTRALIAN ITEMS. SYDNEY, October 11. (Received October 11, at 8.55 a.m.) Two Germans—Thomas Daniel Weir and Francis Edward Stablhut—were sentenced to three years’ gaol for an attempt to wreck a mail train at Marra by placing an iron fishplate on the rails. The week’s recruiting in New South Wales resulted in 581 men enlisting, including 445 city enlistments. Thirty volunteers have started a 300miles march from Gilgandra to Sydney,

recruiting en route. ’ Other route marches have been projected as part of the new recruiting campaign. A man was fined £lO at Liverpool for attempting to dissuade a recruit from going to the war.

. _ _ PERTH, October 11. Recruiting is declining, the week’s total being only 108. ' Two cases of meningitis are reported, one being in a military camp. MELBOURNE, October 11. The Navy Department has decided to undertake the reflotation of the Emden, and is despatching a gunboat equipped for ,the purpose. NINTH REINFORCEMENTS FAREWELLED. The Otago Women’s Association entertained in the Early Settlers’ Hall on Saturday night the Otago quota of the Ninth Reinforcements, who leave for Trentham to-morrow. There was an attendance of some 3CO, and a very pleasant evening was spent in card-playing and dancing, with interludes of music by an excellent orchestra, of which the members were Messrs G.-Beath, Naumann, N. Shepherd, P. Woods, H. Campbell, L. B. Worrow, and T. Dallas. The social concluded at about 11 o’clock, when Mr Wood thanked the ladies on behalf of the men, and three hearty cheers showed the latter’s appreciation. The Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark) presided, and after announcing apologies from the Prime Minister and others, introduced Mrs S. M. Park, the sole speaker of the evening. Mrs Park said that the men of Otago and New Zealand were going forward to take part in Gei-many’s punishment. She had been tried, and found guilty of every crime in the criminal calendar, and a criminal ration, like a criminal individual, must be punished. The speaker had noticed in the evening paper a letter pleading that wo. should love our enemies. We would think of loving Germany when she mended her manners, and in any case we had to lick her first. She bad to be beaten not only in a military sense, but also financially and ethically. Character was going to win in the end, and that was where the women of the Empire could do their part. There was a league of 'honor in view, a league for the registration of the women ami girls of the Empire for national service on the moral plane. In conclusion, Mrs Park said : “If your colors are not hanging in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, they are woven in the hearts of those you leave behind. Our thoughts are continually with you, and we pray daily that we may welcome you back. (Applause, ) ■ A NURSE’S LETTER Nurse E. Owen, writing from “ The Gate House,” No. 17 General British Hospital, Alexandria, says ; I think you would be vastly amused if you could hear the New Zealand sisters sticking up for our own Dominion. We realise here more, I think, than we could have done anywhere else, what a truly beautiful little country we have the good luck to have hailed from. Truly, to us there is uo place like New Zealand, and wo say it over and over again, and in a thousand ways wo realise it. Our Government arrangements' alone are good, and we are much better looked after and provided for than any of the other sisters. For instance, the English sisters never know when they will receive any allowances at all. They have had to run huge hills at the different hotels or homes, where they have had to board ever since they came out here, and the Home Government have not yet allowed them any payments for all this, not to mention that what little salary they do get has not -been paid to them yet. For us our arrangements arc so complete. We have a head office from which to draw any allowance we want. That is only one instance of how we should be glad* we’re New Zealanders. And then, again, the matron of No. 21 flatly refuses to part uowwith any of her New Zealand sisters, she thinks so much of them. They say we are not afraid of work and are much quicker in every way. I don’t know if this is really so, but they say it. You know, we are moved about all over the place, and do not stay in any one hospital for long at a time, - although there is a rumor that we are to be a permanent staff here, unless sent for by the No. 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital people. They are at Port Said now, and are only just established. Five of our sisters have already been sent for, and have gone to start the hospital. 1. heard from one of the sergeants the other day, and his description of the way they Lad to set about things was very funny; but they really had very hard" work. The only place that could be procured at all frir the hospital buildings was a very old school. This place had been disused for years, was fearfully battered about and old. bad, of course, .no bathrooms or sanitation of any kind, and was situated in quite a little desert of its own, not a blade of grass near it. Also the ground nearby on two sides of these buildings had been used by the Arabs as a dumping ground for their rubbish. All this, and a great deal more, I could tell you. was a. correct' description of the place that is now made into a splendid little hospital, in perfect working order, with about 400 beds, and we feel so proud o! it, as it is the first hospital of its kind to be established here by New Zealand. I believe there is a second stationary hospital on its way over here now. Toil see, we travelled over with the first lot on our boat; they were the men w© bad to-give lectures to on the way over, and in due course of time, or as the hospital is enlarged we shall be sent on from her© •to staff it further. I myself do not want to leave here. • T am still so far quite happy and satisfied. We have heaps and heaps of hard work to do all the time, but we are thankful we were able to come. Every nurse who possibly can, should be here; many more are yet wanted. T hear there are more coming. Our little number of 31 are quite lost in the crowd now, as it were, but we are all doing our share, and I’m perfectly happy, only just a little homesick now and again, and I can’t help that, can One would think from reading this that everything here is sad. Well, of course, there is certainly a big side of the life that way. but we can always see the funny side "of things as well. We joke away about the most' worrying situations, because really it is often the only way to overcome them. Sometimes we are not able to find so much as a piece of soap. It sounds absurd, I’m sure, hut it is a fart. I came over here from Sydney with a good supply of uiee soap for myself, but since I’ve been working here I’ve given it all away practically to the men. There is a certain amount of soap given out each week for your wards, but it is so inadequate that it soon runs out. and we get quite used to doing witboht these things, and heaps else, too. It is very funny how the boys like .to get a nice cake of soap—you’d think it was gold you were giving them. HOW PRIVATE C. HOOPER WAS KILLED. Sergeant W. H. Farley, of the 14th R outh Otago Company of the Otago Infantry Battalion, writes from the Dardanelles with reference to the death of Private G. Hooper, -whom the writer regarded as one of his best friends. He was alongside the deceased soldier when he met h7s death. A shell had killed one of their comrades as the party were marching along a road. Sergeant Farley was in charge of a party of four detailed to bury the man who had been killed, and Private Hooper was one of the number so engaged. A shell exploded close to where the grave was being dug. and a bullet entered Private Hooper’s back. He lived for about five minutes after being struck, but was unconscious the whole of the time, and apparently suffered no pain. An Anglican chaplain performed the last sad rites. His mates made a wooden cross, and w© erected it over his grave. He rests under a hedge right away from all traffic.

MORNINCTON WOMEN WORKERS. Four thousand leather, waistcoats are to ho sent away from here in a fortnight, and there are several hundreds still to be made. Every woman of the .Movuington district who possibly can help in this ur-

gent necessity is, requested to altend at the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening, at 7.30 o’clock, when the waistcoats will be distributed. They are all -ready cut out, and can be easily sewn with an ordinary machine. Any woman who by working helps to equip a man for fighting does a national war service. The help' of every woman is urgently needed, DRINKING AMONG WOMEN. ALLOWANCES SPENT IN PUBLICHOUSES. The prevalence of excessive drinking among the wives ■of soldiers and sailors (says the London ‘ Times ’) is forcing itself with increasing insistence upon social workers in the poorer districts of London. A typical complaint is that of a clergyman in the East End, who writes that drunkenness, shameless and open, is greatly on the increase in Canning Town and Victoria Docks among the wives of soldiers and sailors. This is borne out by unofficial conversation with the police of the district, who say that drunken-, ness is worse than ever they have known it. Monday, when allowances are paid, is the worst day. In a post office near the Victoria Docks yesterday sums of money were being paid out to a crowd of women, larger, it is safe to say, than they ever bandied when their husbands were at home. Not all of them, or nearly all, by any' means squander or misuse this money. Wives of civilian ■ working men in the district testify that in many cases the homes of the absent soldiers are better furnished and the children better clothed and fed than when the busband and father was at home; but instances in which the money is squandered are deplorably numerous. There is a feeling that the great leniency which is shown by the police, under instructions from Scotland Yard, while kindly meant, is a mistake. The special consideration which is shown to them is taken advantage of by many women, with the result that the children suffer. The gen-, eral question of the evil is now receiving the careful consideration of the Home Office and the police. The condition of things in the neighborhood of the Victoria Docks might very well engage the attention of the Central Control Board, whose liquor regulations have already achieved the striking results in the Newcastle and Liverpool areas. 'The employees of Messrs James Wren and Co. held a. social evening on Saturday night to bid farewell to two members of the staff (A. Sneddon and C. Russell) who are about to leave on active, service. Mr 8. H. Osborn, on behalf of the. firm, mentioned that tbeir action in enlisting at this critical period deserved commendation. and he hoped that their enlistment would serve as a stimulant to those reluctant to do their duty to the Empire. -Mr P. Wren expressed his regret at losing them from Hie staff, but trusted that they would be spared to again enter the firm. Mr C. Wren endorsed this remark, and said that he was very proud that they belonged to the firm of James Wren and Co., and, knowing the men as he did, was sure that they would enjoy the same esteem at the front as that in which they were held by tbeir employers. The recipients suitably responded, and Mr S. H. Osborn presented each with a wristlet watch and pipe. During the. evening vocal items wore contributed by Messrs C. Wren. W. Harrison, J. Haig, .'lames, and ft. IL Osborn. Mr Janies acted as accompanist. The pleasant evening terminated by wishing .Messrs Alex. .Sneddon and Charles Russell “God-speed.” A Sydney cable slates that Private Dunham, reported killed in action, was bom in Christchurch. ■ r , Tbe_ friends and relatives of Mr A. J, Ihornicroft gathered at his residence, at Ravensbourne, to tender a farewell social to his son, George, who leaves for the front, via Trcntham, on the 19th inst. During the evening, he was presented with a bullet-proof writing outfit as a slight token of the esteem in which lie was held by his many friends. Mr rhornicroft suitably acknowledged the gift, and a pleasant evening was spent. Tho employees of the Caxton Printing Company assembled on Saturday to fare" velt Mr A. A t In tyre, "\vlio is for the training camp on Tuesday. Mr W. >i. Button, on behalf of the employees, in presenting the embryo soldier'with .a Gillette razor and silver-mounted pendant cigarette-hold-er, congratulated him on his manly action in volunteering immediately on attaining the eligible age. Mr P. L. Ritchie, on behalf of the firm, also handed him a luminous faced wristlet watch, accompanied by the wish that when his business as a soldier is finished he would return salely and finish Ills apprenticeshin. The recipient suitably responded. Received from Bachelor Girls’ Club (fiist instalment) £1 10s for tbs wounded soldiers’ fund.

Received from Mr W. Breen 20s. Mrs IV. Breen 10s, and Mr W. Breen’s employees £3. all for the waistcoat fund.