MOTHER COUNTRY

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17097, 21 February 1916, Page 7

MOTHER COUNTRY

HOUSE OF COMMONS. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY PASSED. Be TelegTanh—Press Association— Copyright LONDON, February 18. The House of Commons passed the • Address'-in-Reply.

QUESTION ABOUT A SPY.

LONDON. February 18. The Right Hon H. L. Samuel, Hom»Secretary, replying to a question ugtbgg House of Commons, said that no Irtish woman spy had recent y been sentenced to death at the Old Bailey and the sentence commuted to penal servi--tude for life. THE DERBY SCHEME. TOO MANY EXEMPTIONS. T APPEALS HEARD IN PUBLIC. _ LONDON, Febjraary 18. ' The undue number of trades which, have been treated as reserved trades and the over-great leniency by local tribunals in exempting single men is threatening to destroy the success ot the Derby scheme. Wholesale! postponements have reduced the yield of the early Derby groups to below the War., Office's smallest estimates. Tho tribunals are now sitting as public courtsand reports of interesting cases are now being published in' the newspapers. It j is hoped' that this will bring a change, for the better, as it will tend to dis- j courage unnecessary appeals. Out of ■ eight hundred appeals at Wandsworth, 650 were allowed. Many married men are writing to the newspapers complain- ] ing that single men arej evading their | responsibilities in violation of Mr As-; quith's pledge. There were fourteen' thousand appeals in the city. In most v cases employers state: "If you take, these men, I must close my business." ''

A VAST VOTE. TO CARRY ON TILL JUNE. PRIME MINISTER TO ASK FOR. £420,000,000. (Received February 20. 5.5 p.m.) - LONDON. February IS. . The "Daily Telegraph" states thai j Mr Asouith on- Monday will ask for a ] record war credit of £420.000,050 to i meet requirements until the ciiu or*! May. bringing the total war vote to ( ■

TONNAGE PROBLEM. FRUIT TRADES PROPOSAL. (Received February 20, 5.3 p.m.) LONDON, February IS. j Mr Runciman received -a fruit depu-*, tation, who said that, recognising the>\ Government's need of tonnage, they \ ware anxious to assist the national interests, so suggested that a certain) number of steamers should be licensed j to import fruit. v-.;

APPEAL TO IRELAND.

REINFORCEMENTS FOR IRISH

REGIMENTS

MR REDMOND'S MANIFESTO-

(Received February 20, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. February IS. Mr Redmond, in a manifesto to the Irish people, declared: "The achievements of the huge Irish army have covsred Ireland, with glory before the world. The North and the South have vied with each other in springing to arms, and, please- God, the sacrifices msdQ on the- battlefield will form the surest bond of a united Irish nation. One duty remains to be fulfilled. We must stand by and maintain the Irish army at the front. "Wo will not tolerate the idea that Irish regiments will be reinforced except by Irish soldiers. Irishmen in the trenches appeal to the farmers, labourers and artisans of lieland not to desert them."

TREASURY BONDS. TAKEN BY AMERICAN STEEL CORPORATION. (Received February 20, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK. February IS. Mr J. P. Morgan announces that tho British Treasury has sold to the United States Steel Corporation 22.500.000 dollars' worth"of its 5 per cent stock.

THE FILM IMPORTS. PROPOSAL TO AMERICAN FIRMS. INVEST PROCEEDS OF SALES IN EXCHEQUER BONDS. i.-(R«ceived February 20, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Fobruary IS. .American film agents havci cabled to America urging manufacturers' to confirm an offer to invest British proceeds of the sale of films in Exchequer bonds, with an undertaking that they will not be- sold until six months after the end ■►f the war. ASSISTED TURKS. DALLAS GETS THREE YEARS, LONDON, February IS. Dallas, who had been concerned in frauds in connection with repatriating Turks, was sentenced to three years' penal servitude, and Allmani to one ye,ar. with recommendation for deporta. tion. Mr Justice Low said: "Dallas has enabled Ottomans to return to their homeland and say that the incorruptibility of English public servants is a myth,"and that the only difference between them and Turkish officials is that the English are more grasping."