MOTHER COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17099, 23 February 1916, Page 8

MOTHER COUNTRY.

CONTRABAND. FINED UNDER ANGLO-DANISH AGREEMENT. Bt Telegraph—Pres* Association—Copyright. ", COPENHAGEN, February 21. > The Danisli Merchants' Guild, which is administering the Anglo-Danish agreement, fined three, merchants from 19,168 to 13-1,000 kroner on charges of attempting to sell cocoa and coffee to Germany.

NEW ZEALANDER'S DEATH. OVERDOSE OF MORPHIA. (Received February 22, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, February 21. ,Dr Arthur Noel Houghton, a New Zealander. who was recently in the Army Medical Service, was found dead in a hotel in Waterloo Road. The evidence at the inquest showed, that death was due to an overdose of morphia. A SjffHct of misadventure" was returned.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. MANCHESTER AND FREE TRADE, , (Received February 22, 10.15 p.m.) ■ LONDON. February 21. ' The Manchester Chamber of Commerce, in a Free Trade ballot, by 988 votes to 527, referred the directors' import back for reconsideration. (Previous messages stated that the directors in their .report said that they Jesjred unmistakable proof before sacrificing the Free Trade policy. The annua] meeting by'a large majority, decided to refer the report back ior reconsideration.' and the directors decided 'on a ballot.)

"STOCKTAKING." ARMIES OF THE BELLIGERENTS. COLONEL REPINGTONS ESTIMATES. (Received February 23, 1.10 a.m.) LONDON, February 22.

; Colonel Repington in an interesting article entitled . " Stocktaking " estimates the German field armies at 3,600,006. the Austrian at 1,750.000, and the Turkish and Bulgar at 1.000.000. The Allies' numerical superiority, he says, is not enough for a decisive victory, the superiority being discounted by the uneconomical use of.'the forces in distant theatres. The German reserves he .estimates at 2.000,000, and the Austrian at ■1,350,000. The Allies' reserves are superior. Britain, he states, has ncar-!r-as many men at home as abroad. Apart from the Derbyitcs over 200.,.. v. ringlo men hare enlisted in the Derby groups since the middle, of December. France has not used her .1916-17 classes and Italy has two men at the depots for- ever?' man at the front. Russia ha> as many trained reserves available as Germany directly rifles arc ready for them. Britain ought to further exploit the natives of India and Africa.

RHODES SCHOLARS. MOST OF THE COLONIALS , » FIGHTING. t.'VTimti" tnd Sydney "Sun" Services. LONDON. February 21. The annual statement of the Rhodes Trust, says that most of the colonial scholars have enlisted with permission to resume their. scholarships at the end «f the war.

CALL TO MEN. HINT TO MARRIED MEN. EXEMPTIONS WEAKEN PREMIER'S PLEDGE. (Received February 22,.5:5 p.m.) LONDON.. February 21: The "' Daily Mail " declares that the calling up of youths of nineteen years is a. significant hint to married men that'thev will soon-be drawn in, and mav be taken as n proof of the army's urgent need of men. "The married men will not shirk their responsibility when the promises of Mr Asquith and 'Lord Derby are fulfilled, but the pledges have been weakened by the action of the tribunals in granting exemptions for the flimsiest reasons. It is expected that Lord Derby, who was responsible for the enlistment, will exert pressure in the right quarter to improve things and will remove the impression-that the-married men were unrolled under false pretences."