RUSSIA.

Evening Star, Issue 16514, 28 August 1917, Page 3

RUSSIA.

MOSCOW CONFERENCE. KERENSKY'S SOLEMN WARNING. THE GOVERNMENT MUST RULE. FETROGRAD, August 26 The delegate;) from tho principal bodies at the Moscow Conference received special instructions ensuring common action. j The Cossacks instructed, their delegates I to demand'that the <}oveniment should j civate a temporary committee of the i Hursia :it Moscow, with full |»;ve f and ! independent of all and private or- ! gunisatioiio. " ' _ j The delegates from the provincial and j town councils and other organisations were j instructed to demand a speedy' conclusion of psace and the convocation of the cctfs- J stiintional Assembly on the original date. The Maximalist Central Committee denounce the conference; as*- a counter-blow to the revolution. MOSCOW, August 25. At the conference M. Kerensky declared tliat any attempt to take advantage of the conference to attack the Provisional, Government would be pitilessly repressed, j Me * warned those who thought the ' moment had arrived for the overthrow of the revolutionary power with bayonets that the boundless confidence of the people and millions of soldiers supported the Government, who - believed that there were eneiiiiea within and without the wallsas well as friends. The State was passing* through a period of mortal danger. _ Patriotbm demanded a concentration of "effort

against the enemy and the forgetting of the domestic quarrels and difficulties accentuated by the separatist movement among certain Russian nationalities and the shameful voluntary retreat of the troops. Those who one© trembled before the auto- ' crats now marched armed against the Government. The Government would make those exceeding 'the- limit remember the time of Tsarism. The Government would be implacable, because they wore convinced that a supreme power alone would save the country. He earnestly appealed to the conference to assist in the consolidation of the conquests of the revolution. Reverting to the unfriendly attitude of certain Russian nationalities, M. Kerensky declared that democracy would give what was promised, but where the limit to tolerance was passed it would cry " Hands off." The Government would forcibly prevent the reopening of the dissolved Finnish Diet. THE OLD REGIME. -TRAITOROUS MINISTER TRIED BY JURY. Reuter"s Telegrams. PIJTROGRAD, August 26. The trial of General SukTiomlinoff on various charges, including gross neglect of duties while ho was War Minister, is proceeding before the first jury empanelled in Russia. General Yanouschkivitch (ex-Chief of the General Staff) gave evidence, in which he described tjie terrible plight of the army owing to the ;;Tmost complete lack of projectiles and rifles. On the outbreak of the war the accused disregarded hundreds of army requests for ammunition. The Germans were advancing with a knowledge of the state of affair*, and brought their artillery close to the Russian positions and created a fearful havoc in the ranks. BRITISH FOOD SUPPLIES. LONDON, August 27. There arc now 377,000 acres in England and Wales under cultivation in excess of the area in 1916, apart from the officially estimated decrease of 250.000 acres when the food campaign was launched. The movement has resulted in the equivalent of five weeks' extra foodstuffs for the whole population. The figures do not include gardens and allotments. RAILWAYNIEN AND THE COLORS. [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, August Zl. s From Ist April until November, 1916, the date the Military Service Act came into operation, 1,066 railwaynien, members of the permanent staff, have volunteered for service with the colors. This brought tha total number of members of the permanent staff who had enlisted up to 3,000. Taking cognisance of the enlistment of casual hands who regularly work for the department, the vailwaymen have already released for military service a total of 5,500, representing 30 per cent, of the normal staff. The recent revision and curtailment of train services will enable the release at regular intervals of drafts aggregating 1.000 additional railwaynien, if that number should pass the military tests. THE TAKING OF MESSINES. NEW ZEALANDERS DECORATED. [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON. August 27. It is announced that at least 200 awards have been conferred on New Zealandcrs in connection with the splendid . part they played at the taking of Mossines Ridge. The awards aro for acts of individual braverW

! FALLEN NEW ZEALANDERS. PRIVATE H. HODGE. Born at Waipounamu 22 years ago, Private Harry Hodge, son of Mr and" Mrs E. Hodge, of Ravensbourr.e, Dunedin, was educated at the Waipounamu, Riversdale. and Kaweka Schools. Prior to enlistment with the Wellington Battalion as a Lewis gunner, in May, 1916, he was engaged in farming in the River.-dale district. He was of a bright and cheery disposition, and extremely popular with all who knew him, and the news that he had been killed in action on July 31 cast a gloom over the whole of the district.—' Southland Times.' PRIVATE J. R. M'KENZIE. The InvcrcargiU Middle School's roll of honor takes another name in that of Private Kenneth James M'Kenzie, who is reported to have fallen in action on July 29. A son of Mrs Mary and the. late Farquhar M'Kenzie, of Invercaigill, the late soldier was a native of Myrows Bush. He was an enthusiastic member of the Appleby Cricket Club, and was on the railways prior to going oil' with the 21st Reinforcement. LANCE-CORPORAL G. H. MEUER. Lance-corporal G-eorgo H. Metier, whose death in action in France is reported in tho latest casualty list, was born at Owaka (says 'Balclntha Free Press'). Alter spending his early days in his native township, he left for the North Island, and took up engineering work. He was engaged in this sphere of labor until his eni listment about two years ago with the first I Tunnelling Corps of Engineers. He left ! New Zealand on December 13, 1915, with | his brother David, bound for active service overseas. At the time of his death he was iu his 2Sth vear. .Mrs Janet Meder, the deceased soldier's mother, lives at Auckland, and his father was the late Adam Meder, of Owaka. CAPTAIN JOHN M. MORRISON. Captain John M. Morrison (killed in action) wan t ; he eldest son of Mr Archibald Morrison, farmer, Lakeside, Kaitangata. Tho late Captain Morrison left with the 9Lh reinforcement draft, and prior to enlisting was on the teaching statT of the Stirling School. He was recently promoted to captain on tho field of action. PRIVATE WM. G. BARBER. Private Wm. G. Barber, who was killed in action on August 2. was the second son of Mr F. Barver, of Waimumu. He was born 2B years ago at Charlton, and educated at the school there. Prior to enlisting in tho 15th Reinforcements he wasfarming in tho Waimumu district. In his , 22ud year ho was secretary of the Charlton School Commiltee. He left New Zealand l in July, 1916, and saw 10 months' service in France. j j [The cable news in this issue accredited ! to ' The Times ' has appeared in that jour- J rial, but only where expressly stated is ! such news the editorial opinion of ' The i Times. *]