MISCELLANEOUS.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 2856, 29 January 1916, Page 2

MISCELLANEOUS.

FEARS FOR A LINER. (Received January 29. 8.5 a.m.) London, January 26. The West African liner Appam, with IGO passengers, is believed'to be lost. A battered lifeboat from tho Jiner was picked up off tlie. island of Madeira, in the Atlantic. BULGARIAN .MALCONTENTS. Milan, January '28. The Magrini says the defences of Salonika aro extraordinarily strong. The Bulgarian army is pervaded with malcontents, who are wearied of | strife, and always see tJic spectre of j another Balkan war. VALUE OF SAISBATH REST. London, January 2s. The Hon. 1). Lloyd George has issued a circular to munitions manufacturers urging that Sunday labour be abolished in controlled establishments, pointing out that it/ is better to work overtime on weekdays than to work on Sundays. The decision is the outcome of an investigation upon .production by continuous labour, which showed that Sunday labour tended to diminish rather than increase the output. ROUMANIAN GRAIN. London, January L'H. Lord Robert Cecil, in reply to a question in the House, said the Government had concluded contracts for the purchase tof Roumanian griain. which would bo held at the Government's disposal for export after tbe war. (It was recently reported that the British Government had purchased Roumanian wheat to the value of ten millions sterling.) PAPER PULP PROHIBITION. London. January '27. Mr Essex, in the House of Commons, expressed the hope that the prohibition of tho importation of paper pulp would not operate adversely against newspapers, which had not their own means of supply. The Hon. Mr Runeiman replied that all arrangements would be equitable and on a line which would not give an unfair privilege to anyone. THE AUSTRIAN EMPEHOR. Rome, January 27.

The Emperor Francis Joseph has nulfered two paralytic strokes, and is in a critical condition. CANNOT MAKE A STATEMENT." , London, January 27. Mr Lloyd George stated that Air As(|uith would bo unable to make a statement on the progress of the war before the prorogation of Parliament. AT KUT-EL-AMARA. London. January 27.

General Townshcnd reports that the Turks have evacuated the trenches on the land side of the defences id' Ktit-el-Amara, aud have retired about a mile from the British entrenchments. LABOUR CONFERENCE VOTING. London, January 27. The Labour Conference, by • 1,700,----000 votes to 219,000 votes, adopted the Leicester Labour Party's resolution, emphatically protesting against conscription in any form, as contrary to the spirit of democracy and full of danger to the liberties of the people. A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE.

Amsterdam, January 28. A German communique says: The enemy is bombarding our positions. Monitors bombarded Westende ineffectually. The enemy subjected Lens to heavy fire. There were vigorous ar tiller v duels in the Argon no. KING NICHOLAS. AN OPTIMIST. Paris. January 28. ' King Nicholas, interviewed at ; Lyons, said he had unbounded con- ; fideiico in France lo save .Montenegro. AN APPEAL TO LABOUR. (Received January 29, 8.0 a.m.) London, January 28. Mr Henderson appealed to the Labour Conference in this crisis not to incite men to take a course of action which would bring about the most lamentable defeat this country and its Allies ever experienced. Mr Roberts said they could not tyke the responsibility of refusina: assistance to those charged with the country's cause, if .Premier Asquitli bad repudiated his pledge to the married men the conference would have justly denounced him. The conference, while declaring against military service, rejected a motion by a majority of 3-j,OOO, to agitate for its repeal if tbe Bill becomes law. LABOURITES IN CABINET.

(Received January _"9, 8.30 a.m.) London, January 28. Tbe Labour Conference, by 1,67-1.----000 to 209,000, approved of the executive's action in allowing Labourites to enter the .Coalition Government. "THE SCOURGE OF GOD." Paris. January 28. M. Barfhou, i;x-Premier, addressing the Sorboune. said the Kaiser invoked God, of whom he proclaims himself tbe apostle Attila. He would be more sincere if be called himself the Scourge of God. History will couple in obloquy their abhorred and accursed names. A WARNING FROM U.S.A. (Received January 29. 9.55 a.m.) Washington. January 28. The United States Government has notified all European Governments that merchantmen in future must not carry any armaments. If guns are carried, merchantmen will be denied entrance to American ports. SOME OTHER ITEMS. (Received January 29, 11.10 a.m.) London. January 28. A record sesison has ended, being tho longest in modern times. In included three budgets, passed credits for £1,502,000, added 3,000,000. men to tho Army, and closed with a. sensation. The Hon. Walter Ruucimah's announcement concerning tobacco was i a- cample-to surprise. It i.s estimated that there are 2-1.0.000,0001bs of tobacco in bond, sufficient for two years, most of which has already been paid for. Tbe stoppage of imports will mean a loss in revenue of £24,000.000. The estimated subic toii.ina.ge of all imported tobacco is 160.000 tons annually. This is about one-twelfth the space takeln up by paper and wood pulp. The stoppage of paper aud wood pulp i.s expected to be likely to necessitate a discontinuance of many minor periodicals and the production of fewer books, particularly sevenponny novels. Petrograd. January 'JH. . A little girl, 11 years of age. has been awarded the St. George's Cross. Twenty Germans inarched up to her father's farm in Courhuid. and the lieutenant threatened that she would be violated and the farm burnt unless she produced wine. The girl recalled the fact that there were tw» barrels of old liquer in the cellar-, but before bringing if un she dropped into the liquor a powder made from bluebells which brings on drowsiness. The barrels were soon emptied and the Germans rolling on the floor, one after another. Tbe girl filled a bowl and gave it to the sentries, saying if was by the lieutenant's order. Then, returning, she disarmed tbe Germans.

| biding their weapons in the collar, ; while her father roped the limbs of I the insensible men. Finally, tho girl , traversed the swamps and brought in ] a Siberian outpost. A few pails of 1 ice-cold'water woke up the Germans, 1 who wore horrified to find themselves prisoners.