MOTHER COUNTRY

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17249, 17 August 1916, Page 7

MOTHER COUNTRY

MUNITIONS.

BRITAIN’S BIG INCREASE.

ASSISTANCE TO ALLIES

Reuter’s Telegram*.

LONDON, August 15.

In the House of Commons, Mr E. S. Montagu, Minister of Munitions, stated that Britain was manufacturing monthly twioe as many heavy guns as sho possessed at the outbreak of the war.' The output of machine guns had increased sixteenfold, and tho weekly output of high explosives sixtyfold. The output of field howitzers was oighteenfold greater than at the beginning of 1915.

Tho output of shells bad so increased that comparison with that of 1914 was useless. Besides a large amount of munitions and guns, wo wore supplying the Allies with metals for munitions to the value of £6,000,000 monthly, and were sending to France onethird of our production of steel for shells. , • . He urged tho importance of further dilution of labour. Some 45,000 soldiers had been released for munition work. About 1335,000 persons were employed making munitions a year ago and now there were 2,250,000, of whom 400,000 were women. Mr Montagu added that our equipment of eighteen-plunders was practioally complete. Vi e should shortly have satisfied our own requirements m ma-chine-guns and would be able to devote attention entirely to the requirements of the Allies. The weekly output of munitions covered the expenditure thereof, so if workmen and. employers continued to play their parts as nobly as heretofore there was no fear of the offensive breaking down owing to a shortage of ammunition. . , Mr Montagu weut on to say, that tho output Of shells at the beginning of the war was so negligible that the percentage increases gave fantastic results For example, the eighteenpounder and heavy shells had increased 0650 time 3, and the output for the fast week in June, 1916, was sixteen nncl a half times the average weekly output for 1914-15, with corresponding increases in other classes of artillery munitions. “Altogether we are now manufacturing every week the equivar lent of the entire pre-war stock of ammunition. ' We can now turn out in three or, four weeks machine-guns equivalent to the total stock existing when the Ministry of Munitions was established. Our method of purchasing and tho-limitation of the prices of metals has saved us £41,000,000. I am not divulging any secret when I say that, the artillery has acquitted itself entirely satisfactorily in the recent fighting, snd that the difficulties in replacing damaged or worn cut guns have Wn satisfactorily surmounted.

The conditions of modern warfare eaufl phasise the value of long-range v and an ever-increasing range -fo-jfrjM mandecL Our unpreparedness for *Mjjl had an advantage in giving us entirely* modern weapons.” 1 Reports from the front showed steady improvement in the quality of 9 tho ammunition. There had been ill distinct measure of success, but against I an enemy like Germany the progress I must be continuous. The Ministry;! had been aiming at independence of-> ; j foreign supply. When the Ministry)! was established the American factories/] supplied 70 per cent of the light shells,4! but Britain was now independent. | Britain found the American heavy | shells invaluable during the develop-1 mont of the British factories, /fait it | was expected that the Home and ? Cafaadian output would ultimately make her independent. The cost of factories was decreasing. The cost'i.n| some cases had been completely covered in six or twelve months by the differ-/ efice in tho cost of home and foreign munitions. . He paid a tribute to the* women and asked where was now the:; man who would deny woman the civil,t' rights which they had earned. Theff Ministry's programme would not be | completed until the number of guns; had increased many times and the ; ammunition was sufficient to maintain ," an indefinite offensive on the whole front. - . -

MR LLOYD GEORGE SPEAKS.

FAULTY SHELLS AT LOOS. .>

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received August 16, 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, August 16.

Mr Lloyd George, commenting on the improvement in munitions, said that it was revealed that premature &hells were so had at the battle of Loos that firing with high explosive shells had to abandoned. Now the number was negligible.

UNDER NINETEEN.

CALLED TO THE COLOURS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received August 16, 7.10 p.m.) LONDON, August 15. Notices have been posted calling tft the colours all men attaining the age of eighteen years and eight months. They are not liable to service abroad. 1 until they are nineteen years old.

AIR INQUIRY.

COMMITTEE’S INTERIM REPORT. - D MR BILLING’S CHARGES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Aasociation. (Received August 16, 7.10 p.m.) * LONDON, August 15. The interim report of the Air Com* mittee says that no one could complain if Mr Pemberton Billing had demand/, ed au inquiry into his cases in ordof to determino if the deaths were preventable, but to base charges . o criminal negligence or murder thereupon was abuse, and tho language was entirely unjustifiable. Some of Mr Billing’s and other criticisms and suggestions were of a different characteff and will be caret-ally considered. ,

DARDANELLES INQUIRY.

COMMISSION SITTING. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, August 15. „ The sittings of the Dardanelles Com«mission have begum ARMY TRIBUNAL. THE PERSONNEL. LONDON, August 15. In the House of Commons, Mr Lloyd. George announced that Field-Marshal Nicholson, Mr Justice Atkin and Mr D. Mac Lean, M.P., will constitute the Army tribunal. ( A 'message from Loudon on AnguSu 7 said:— ln the House of Commons the Armv Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. It provides for the calling of civilian witnesses and civilian membership of the Army Tribunal.. Mr Lloyd George agreed not to restrict the membership of the tribunals to peers, and members of the House- of Commons as at first proposed.)

RISE IN BREAD.

NEW YORK RESPONSIBLE.

Reut*r’« Talegram*.

LONDON, August 15

Mr Harcourt, in the House of Commons, attributed the rise in the price of bread to tho rise in the price ot wheat in New York. He did not think that speculators in Britain had held up wheat.