THE WEST FRONT.

Evening Star, Issue 16460, 26 June 1917, Page 5

THE WEST FRONT.

DEADLY BRITISH RAIDS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, June 25. (Received June 26, at 9.15 a.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports: We made raids, at a number c/f points, successfully entering the German trenches in the region's of Epeliv, Bullecouvt, Roeux, Loos, and Hooge, killing many of the occupant. We remained two hours in the trenches eastward of Yermelles (north of Loos), blowing up dugouts and inflicting casualties. We carried out successful minor operations south-westward of Lens and north-west-ward of Warnelon, gaining’ ground and taking'prisoners. > v CLOSER TO LENS. LONDON; June 25. (Received June 26. at 11.40 a.m.) The United Press correspondent at Headquarters says that the British made another move towards Lens last night, taking 400 yds of the enemy front line eastward of Riaumont Wood (one mile southwest of Lens, between Lievin and the Sonchez River). The British also established two advanced posts north-west of Warneton’. Tires m the towns of Lens and Coniines are plainly visible. JHE AISNE BATTLE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. I.ONDON, June ■ 25. (Received June 26, at 11,40 a.m.) A French communique states: There Is very lively reciprocal artillery fire in the sector of Royere and FroidmOht Farms, in the ■ direction of Hmtebise, and east of CheVreus. ' ■ ' , V

BERLIN COMMUNIQUE, Australian and -N.Z. Cable’.‘Association and \ , Reuter. V .■ ■ Admiralty , per Wireless Press. ' LONDONpW 25. (Received June 25) at 1.15 p.ml) German official :,v Artillery density increased b§t.weeiv the-.Yser; Lys. lighting activity : is"livelier along the La Jiassa Canal and ob the south Hank of the fccarpe. We ..drove back English attacks northward of , the Souchez River and eastward of -the Lens-Arras .road. We repulsed strong'Engiish attacks at Hulluch. i IT? /. r6 , nch attacks, at Yauxaillon failed, with lugh losses. 'I ' .

THE DUNES SECTOR

ON FLANDERS COAST

TAKEN OVER BY BRITISH.

' LONDON, June 25. (Received June 26, at 8.45 a.m.) ii 'Corning Post's ’ correspondent at the British front states that British troops are now fighting amongst the dunes below Ostend. They have been in lively contact with the enemy recently, parficu- ,? r .Y. r r ps the German raids against the British holding the defence of Lombaertzyde. The country is' sadly changed; the vilJas , summer hotels on the sea front and the cafes and market gardens have been wiped out by the merciless shelling, tbe population live iit concreted collars. The British front is seamed with a network of canals and small waterways. ' TREATMENT OF.PRSSON&RS. CONFERENCE SITTING IN HOLLAND. BRITISH DELEGATES MEET GERMANS. THE HAGUE, June 25. (Received June 26, at 8.45 a.m.) • T Lot'd Newton, ■ General Belfield. and •twi Younger hay.e arrived to discuss w-ith the German delegates questions connected with prisoners of war including prison camps, reprisals, parcels, and exchange of disabled men. The Dutch representatives will be present at the conference, which was to open on June 25. ' WORKING OF CABINET. ■ LONDON, June 25. (Received June 26, at 9.15 a.m.) Tho , *P ail y Chronicle ’ states that General Smuts does not attend the War Cabinet when matters of domestic policy are being discussed, but is a member of the Inner Committee dealing with the' war, consisting of Mr Lloyd George, Lord Curzon, Lord Milner, and General Smuts In order to economise time other Ministers only attend when the matters for discussion concern their own departments. EX-WAR SECRETARY WOUNDED. LONDON, June 25. (Received June 25, at 9.40 a.m.) Brigadier-general Seely has been accidentally wounded in France. [After serving in South Africa with the Imperial Yeomanry, Colonel Seelv. as he then was, became for th» Colonies, Under-Secretary for War, and finally in 1912 Secretary of State tor War.]

OCCUPATION OF THESSALY. c Reuter’s Telegrams. SALONIKA, June 25. (•are OYIT ‘93 paAiaoeji) French cavalry have occupied the town of Lamia. Thus the railwa-y is now open to Livadia, Thebes, and Athens. QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS REFORM, LIQUOR CONTROL. AIR RAID REPRISALS. LONDON, Juno 25. (Received June 26, at 1.15 p.m.) In the House of Commons Mr Bonar Law announced that the Government were summoning a conference concerning the future composition of the House of Lords and relations between the two Houses. Mr Law explained that the appointment of a committee to examine the propo.-ed State control of the liquor trade merely involved an inquiry. Possibly it would be necessary to take some form of control a«er the House had discussed the matter. Replying to questions as to reprisals, Mr Bonar Law said that, after consulting the military authorities here and Sir Douglas Haig, the Government were using our air forces in the wav that was best against the enemy,*' but it was difficult to prevent raids. »

A MASONIC INNOVATION. - 1 ?, presence of nearly 500 members of the Craft, the Grand Secretary of the English Freemasons (Sir Edward Letchworth) consecrated the Roval Navy Antiaircraft Lodge, the membership of‘which will be limited to members of the Antiaircraft sertiee. The Bible used in the ceremony and the warrant of the lodce were bound with hoards cut from a piece of the propeller of one of the Zeppelins brought down in England, and part of the of the ledge officers was made of aluminium from the Zeppelins brought down at Ciiffiey.and jn Essex. Sir Edward Lotchworth was assisted by Admiral Sir Hastings Markham. Rear-admiral K. F. Inplefield (Provincial Grand Master, Buckingham), Inspector-General Belgrave Ninnis, the Bishop of Willesden, and Mr G. Woods Wollaston. M.V.O. Lion/enant D. A. Elliott was installed as the first wor-’ shipful master of the lodge, of which there were 98 founders. » ■ THIS WEEK’S BALLOT. OVER 8,000 NAMES DRAWN. [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, June 26. The ninth military service ballot is pro-, ceeding to-day to complete the 33rd Reinforcements.. The shortage is 1,802, the second largest bn record. The proportion being drawn is 4j to 1. Tims the number of names drawn will be 8,117. Every district is in the ballot. RED CROSS IN* DUNEDIN. The members are getting many parcels away to the; country for making up. . Supplies of goods and comforts from the country branches and members are coming to hand steadily. The Packing Committee are fully occupied this week. 4 About 100 cases are ready to be shipped; The other day a request was telegraphed by Dr Valintine. He asked for a supply of pyjamas for the.Waikato’ Sanatorium at Cambridge. The goods were senfc-. from Dunedin on the day the message was received.

The pupils’ concert'organised by Miss Ray Jackson arid Mr Max Scherek proved a great success, and the executive gratefully acknowledge the receipt of £3O 6sMi llo proceeds....

FALLEN NEW: ZEALANDERS. PRIVATE EDGAR DISRAELI "WHITE. A cablegram' received' yesterday by Mr John White, head-.master of the Musselburgh School, stated that his youngest son, 'Private Edgar Disraeli .White/ had . been lulled in action at Messines. , The school was closed for half a day in-consequence, and the Hag was flown at half-mast. Thelate Private White was born, at Outram, and was in his twenty-first year. He was educated at the Outram and Musselburgh Schools. Some time after leaving school, while he was yet in his teens, he went to the North Island, and was engaged in farming in the Hawke’s Bay Province up to in Hawke’s / Bay, but was turned down on both occasions. He then left his employment, returned to his home at No. 46 Canongate street, Dunedin, again enlisted, and was accepted with the 19th Reinforcements (Otago Infantry). ' He had not been very long in France, and the battle in which he gave his life for his country was the first time he had been‘in action. Mr VVhite has every , reason to be • proud of his sons, who have, all either, joined the colors or are about to do so. The deceased soldier was determined to getaway, and the other four sons have shown an equally' fin© spirit. , Two of the deceased’s; brothers, Sergeant Robert Nicholson White and Corporal Philip Sydney n bite, left New' Zealand with the main body, with the ambulance unit. They were’stationed in Egypt, and after seeing considerable service there went to Franc© with the New Zealand troops. The eldest son, John Phillips White, isat present in camp attached_as a hon-comraisioned oflli. cer to the 35rd Reinforcements. The second eldest son,- Ernest William White *ho recently carried off his-LL.M. degree . With honors, will be going into camp in a tew months’ time. ■/ - CORPORAL W. A. CAMPBELL. .The sorrowful news of the death of Corp°ral W. A. Campbell, who is reported as having been killed in action on June 7, came as a shock to the soldier’s relatives, who had reason to believe that he was on, leave _in London at thereported date of his death (June 7), a cable having been received from London by a brother'in Invercargill on June 4. In these circumstances it was felt that there was a reasonable hope that the message annouheing that Corpora] Campbell had been killed in action on June 7 was an error, but as the lapse of several days has not brought any variation in the sa<l tidings contained in the first message, it seems, now beyond doubt .that the gallant soldier has joined those who have died nobly in their county’s service. Corporal Campbell was residing in Auckland at the time of enlistment, attached to the Hauraki Company', 3rd Reinforcements to New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He was df good physique and a splendid rifle shot, and was Hho winner of a shooting competition Imld in camp Just prior to embarkation. The late soldier’s father. Mr 0 . Campbell, resides in Dunedin, while brothers live at Auckland and Invercargill. PRIVATE Simyßt JAMES ANDREAYS.

. Private Sydney James Andrews, killed in action in France on June 9, was the yonpgest, son of the late Thomas Andrews, and grandson of Mrs E. Goble, No. 503 George .street, Dunedin. ITe was born at North-east Valley, and was in his 23rd year. He was educated at the Northeast Valley School, and after leaving school was apprenticed' to the pictureframing trade. He subsequently left his trade to follow up the saw-milling industry in Southland. The deceased enlisted wjth the 15th Reinforcements while in Southland. He was a very keen sportsman, both in the football and cricket field, and in all outdoor sports generally. He was a most popular voung man. His brother left New Zealand with the same draft, and is still “ somewhere in France.” The deceased soldier’s mother still resides at 503 George street. WORK AT MO RN I*JGTOM. Tlie sum of £1.489 2s lOd has been contributed during the past 26 months bv the residents of Mon ington in aid of the distressed Belgians. It is intended to continue the house-to-house oanvasa* during the next six months in aid of the soldiers' and their dependents. The following have been appointed a committee:—Mesdamcs James Logan, Saul Solomon. It It. Stock, P. Cameron, Lousier, H. D. Brewer, TV. Henderson. Misses Pavne. Power. Tennct, Mackisack, Low, Craiigie, TVhitrombe, RattrayWhite (2). Joachim and Rattray and Gecnn (captains). The first monthly (June) collection in aid of this fund amonnlmcr to £23 2s was received at the Council Chambers on Monday. There are still a few district® to ho canvassed. It is honed that the residents will give this collection their usual cenernns support.