FROM OTHER SOURCES.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 April 1918, Page 2

FROM OTHER SOURCES.

NO CHANGE. A HEADQUARTERS’ REPORT. [AUSTRALIAN" it N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION’} <fc REUTER.] LONDON, April 8. A high military authority writes that there Is no material change in the effensive.

W e somewhat, improved our positions whilst the whole-front from Arras to fho Oise has reached a position of stability after the recent series of gigantic battles. Wo still have the 1918 season in front of us. and it is futile to suppose that operations have ended because the enemy for a time is being chocked. The two main masses of the enemy arc divided by the river Somme, and are greatly congested, necessitating the enemy having to reduce the situation to some, sort- of order. This congestion is particularly severe in the northern area, where the splendid work of the Third Army has enabled our more deliberate withdrawal, thus enabling ns to inflict great punishment on the enemy, as instanced how we retarded his advance. "Wfl l)lcw no two enormous, mines, and as we fell hack we mined the road between the craters, made by the explosions, and the whole is now one enormous crater, wheninto our artillery is firing day and night, preventing the Germans from bringing up divisions with iron rations and replacing the exhausted divisions which have now reached r point whefe th® proofs, is jnappKc-

able, and the enemy must divide,, as it means he will have to bring up Liis supplies, food, and munitions a greater distance.

Although we have checked the enemy definitely, wo must remember ho has employed, so far, about only half of his army'on the Western front. The enemy is probably sending up fresh divisions and sending down the tired ones. .He may claim to havo broken through the British prepared positions, and ho thinks he can now repeat the performance against improvised ones, but a readjustment of the battlefield is only a matter of time. The German losses are certainly heavier than ours.

In our withdrawal many of oiu aerodromes have been destroyed, hut wo had improvised new ones further back. It might still he said that we are a long way from having command of the air.

FRENCH REPORT. ' LONDON April 4. A French communique states : .There was no infantry action to-day, hut the artillery duel continued somewhat violently, in the region north of Mont Didier, and especially between Demuin and Hangarden-Santenre.

THE GERMAN LOSSES. I"AUSTRALIAN S' N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & REUTER. 1 LONDON, April 4. Calculations based on the captured data respecting fifteen divisions, suggest that the total German infantry casualties are probably between a quarter of a million and 300,000. The “ Morning Posts’s’ ’ correspondent states the German prisoners taken are mostly young. Their morale is good. They complained of the lack of food, owing to the ammunition having preference to transport. They confirm the losses. These were slight during the first two days, but tremendous subsequently. Frecli captured documents , and prisoners’ statements endorse the. great enemy losses. They averaged from 40 to 6q per cent of the effectives. In fifteen divisions the regiments were reduced by from 50 to 60 per cent. The enemy lost eight hundred at Arras. There were also others annihilated.

NO FEAR. LONDON, April 4. The French military authorities anticipate further fluctuations in the south, between Lassigny and Mont Didier, hut they do not entertain tlhe possibility of t-ht Germans . breaking through the line.

DARING GERMAN ADVANCE-. LONDON, April 4. The “ Morning Post’s” correspondent on the French front states that the Germans have made a daring advance. They brought up reserves, mainly by forced night marches, one division undertaking eight night marches consecutively.

THE VICTOR OF MESSINES. V LONDON, April 3. General Plumer haa returned to the Western Eront. All ranks welcomed the victor of the Messines Battle, which is regarded as th 6 most finished piece of British Staff work during the present war. /

CAREY’S CORPS. LONDON, April 3. Carey’s Corps is under the command of Major-General Sandiman Carey. It is composed of labourmen, mechanics, and signallers. They fought, not for hours, but days, on the left of the British Fifth Army. Under General Carey’s wonderful leadership and pluck, the men rendered invaluable services. MEETING POSTPONED; (Reuter’s Telegram A

(Received This Day at 1.20 a.m.j LONDON, April 4. Iff view of tlie situation at the front, the Labour Party have postponed the meeting at London on 9th April, which should have inaugurated their war aims.

THE GERMAN LOSSES. fßoceived this day at 1.20 a.m.,) LONDON. April 4. Reuter’s correspondent on the French front, gives an idea of the German ]ossse, which arealready disquieting the Fatherland. Ho says the statements of prisoners, wliich have Been carefully checked, show that the losses in sevoral German divisions, which the correspondent names, chiefly Guards and Bavarians, ranged from 25 to 45 and even 75 per cent of their strength.

GAS ATTACK FAILS. (Received This Dav at. 9.50 a.mj PARIS April 4. Americans repulsed an extraordinarily heavy gas attack on their new sector. REASON OF LULL. (Reuter’s Telegrams.)

(Received This D n v at 11.25. a.m.) PARIS, April 4. A 1 semi-official statement says the present lull is duo to the fact, that the Germans lost three hundred thousand killed and wounded, and* also the difficulties of bringing up their artillery, owing to the badness of the roads. As soon as the Germans have regrouped their divisions and brought up material, they will launch a new formidable attack, hut the Allies ore reinforcing, and are able to meet the blow.

WELLINGTON, April 4. The Prime Minister has received the .folowing cablegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies through the Governor-General with reference to the telegram of March 30:—“His Majesty’s Government, have received with ftho greatest satisfaction New Zealand’s assurances of support in the present crisis. The staunchness of the Dominion in the common cause, and the gallantry of her soldiers have already abundantly proved, but we welcome most cordially this fresh evidence of her determination.”