THE SOMME FRONT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 4368, 12 October 1916, Page 5

THE SOMME FRONT.

BRITISH CONSOLIDATING POSITIONS. FRENCH MAKE IMPORTANT PROGRESS. MANY PRISONERS CAPTURED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) • (Received October 11, 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, October 11. Sir Douglas Haig reports :—There is nothing important. The work of improving our new position southward of the Ancre was continued. A French communique savs:— Wo made important gains in the Ablain Court district ori a wide front. Tile biti'k of the Chauln.es Woods’ positions have been captured. One thousand two hundred and fifty prisoners have already been counted.

Attacking on a five kilometre front between Bernyne Santorre and Chan!lios, we carried a oosition and progressed beyond our obj"<:tive, capturing the hamlet of Bovent. the northern and western outskirts of Bovent, and the bulk of Chuulnc.s Wood. The German losses were heavy. THE CHEEK CRISIS. M. LA MB ROS FORM-S CABINET. TURKS SHELL REVOLUTIONARY STEAMER. M. YEN’ I ZEROS AT SALONIKA. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) LO.NwJX, Oct. 10. Mr. Ward Price telegraphs from Salonika that a great crowd received M. Yeni/.elos wi> h flowers and shouts of welcome, while M. Vonizelos received a bic.-sing from the Greek bishop. After speeches from notables. General Snrrai! ad winced and warmly shook him by the hands. M. Lambros has fomuß a Cabinet. The "Daily Chronicle's’’ Athens eorre.qKuident telegraphs that {he members of M. Lambros’s Cabinet have mostly not participated prominently in polities. It is impossible to label them definitely. M. Thebes, MinLter of the interior, is a strong Gournarist Germanophile. News from. Turkish Asia. Minor states that Turkish batteries unsuccessfully attacked the Greek revolutionaries* torpedoer Thetis .escorting the Hesperia, whereon, were members of the Provisional Government. IRELAND'S DUTY. THE C( >XSCR 1 PTiOX OI *KSTI!>X(“The Times.”) (Received Oct. 11. 7.39 n.m.) LON DON fi, Om. It. Lord Wimhourm'. s;.-caking at DmSin. said tbe Unionists and many Xatiortalis*.-- thought conscription in any eommuiiitv wa* jiraeticahle without a majority being favorable hut- he saw no reason to despair of bringing honn to the Irish democracy the overwholming logic of facts.

Lord Wimoorne said 1-57.000 men had enlisted in Ireland up to the nnd- ; 1!-. of .September. To- •• comprised 92.090 Catholics and 02,009 Protestant*. Ulster had cuntrihuted 54,000, of whom 40.000 were Protestants. He estimated that there were 150.000 men of military age available, alter excluding 260,000 unfit for service. 'l’iu. Irish Divisions needed 40.000 recruits before Christmas.

FOR MEN OVER AGE.

PROPOSED NATIONAL GUARD

(Australian and N.Z. Cal le Assn.) LONDON, Oct; 10The “Daily Chronicle” proposes the formation of a National Guard of four hundred thousand men over 41 years of age tor home defence, relieving four hundred thousand under 41 for service abroad. The National Guard might be raised voluntarily if an absolutely firm undertaking was given that . they would be exempted from all future liability to serve abroad. Failing a voluntary response there must be compulsion.

THE EMPIRE’S FIRST BUSINESS. SIR JOSEPH WARD’S VIEWS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable AssiY) LONDON, October 10. Sir Joseph Ward, interviewed, said the first thing necessary was to win the war outright; then to bring in improved conditions, especially in trade organisation against unscrupulous competitors. Our business is to gain a powerful defensive and commercial supremacy, preventing the recurrence or war similar to the present. IMPERIAL MEAT PROBLEM. N.Z. MINISTERS ACTIVE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Tiec-eived Oct. 11. 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 11. Mw Masmy and Sir .Joseph Ward had ;i lengthy onsultation with the Board of Trade concerning New Zealand meat and other products. Sir Thomas Mackenzie arranged a. reception of New Zealand troops m London to meet Mr. Massey ami Sir Joseph War; 1 , at the Onxton Hall t n Saturday. ALLIES’ LOST FR!END= MYSTERY OF AUSTRIAN ARCHDUKE WHOSE TACTICS EEL I’ED THEM. What has become of the .Archduke Frederic, commander in chief of the Austrian armies: (asks Colonel Gablonskv, the Swiss military expert).

Archduke Joseph Ferdinand was dismissed; office generals were retired. Archduke Charles branch Joseph was hurriedly transferred from (lie I talian u> the Russian I rout. Hindenburg was heralded as Generaks-s----mo froin the Baltic-to Galicia. But not a word has hr on said about the Austrian C.-in-C., Archduke Frederic. lias lie been dismissed into oblivion, or has ho automatically subsided, into complete unimportance? Truly (continues the colonel) this rather plump little elderly man has been a pathetic figure since the beginning of tho campaign. He was not destined to play aft heroic part, Nature made him an amiable, easygoing, somewhat, lazy mediocrity, well suited to be a good father of a family in obscure circumstances. It was a} mistake to mak 0 him Command. er-in-Chief. It. was a farce. His own inefficiency has been well reflected in his various armies. He will go down to history as one of the sad failures of the great war. Meanwhile, the Allies have no reason for wishing him ill; they must deplore Hi is disappearance as that of a lost friend.