MOTHER COUNTRY

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17274, 15 September 1916, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY

BRITISH RAILWAYMEN"' DEMAND FOR HIGHER PAY; *** STRIKE CONSIDERED UNLIKELY. ~ Australian and NiZ. Cable Association. „". LONDON, September 13. The first railway conference to den] * with the men's demands for a Ips increase of pay assembled to-day, and will continue its deliberations to-mor-, vow. .. ; . The general opinion is thai a stvl.kt■'■■■*» [a unlikely.. Possibly M men |»Pjj|g

isftffercd and will accept 5s as a permanent increase. . ■ ; Tlie disturbing element is the South '' Welsh demand for 15s. These men threatend to strike on Sunday, but have now fallen into line With the other railwaymen. THE BLOCKADE. j I AMERICAN FOREIGN TRADE. ; . LONDON. September 13. i The War Trade Statistical Bureau's returns show that the increased exports from tlio United States to neutrals are wholly due to the cutting off of supplies from belligerent countries, and bear out the official contention chat neutrals have increased imports only to meet legitimate needs. The blockade's efficacy is unimpaired. DOCKERS' CLAIM. , ■. I I .REFUSED BY PREMIER. ' -j'! LONDON. September 13. ! Air Asquith has refused the Clyde u'ockers' claim of 2d per hour war 'ftonus. AIR DEFENCE. STATEMENT BY LORD AIONTAGU OF BEAULIEU... LONDON, September 13. Lord Montagu of Beaulien states ' that tho latest type of British areoplane has already brought down twen-ty-seven Fokkers. For weeks at a time no German aeroplanes have been been over some parts of the British line. Air defence after the war will involve an * encircling cordon of 200.000 aeroplanes and 1000 aircraft. COMMANDEERING BRAINS. INVESTORS MUST HELP NATION. Australian and N.Z. Ciblo Association. (Received September }5, 12.25 a.m.) LONDON, September 14. An Order-in-Council issued to-day establishes tho principle of commandeering brains, with a view to the more iefficiont production of war material. Every inventor, manufacturer and company director is compelled to give the Admiralty, the Army Council and the Aiinjlrtry of Munitions all particulars qnd drawings of any invention or process, of manufacture, to supply tho authorities with models, and to demonstrate the working. The rights of inventors and owners are not prejudiced. SEARCH FOR SHIRKERS. . ■:"■ ;' >THE OFFICIAL RAIDS. SCHEME BEING MODIFIED. LONDON. September 13. Tho authorities arc modifying tho indiscriminate system of roiuiamg up civilians. Instead of_ the joint police .and military raids, directed by an ■ army officer", future raids will be oar- ? ried out exclusively by civil police, : and .detention only bo enforced when .thero is a genuine suspicion of smrk- , ing. If satisfactory evidence of identity is given calls will afterwards be made at addresses, and they will be jjiven exeuiptioia certificates. < (Received September 14, 7.35 p.m.) LONDON, September 14'. The police and military stopped all visitors to tho Newmarket meeting. One hour's inspection netted two men. I ■ ' A ".'. NO MALINGERING. LONDON, September 14. i A " Gazette" notice makes it an 'offence for any member of tho reserve ,' forces not yet liable to military law to malinger as mad, feign disease or take drugs calculated to produce unfitness. - WAR OFFICE EXPLAINS. • LONDON, September ; 12. Tim War Oiiice explains that the round-ups were due to allegations from all the largo ccutras that numbers of young men had escaped rcgis- '.' tration "and "consequently were permitted, through the laxity of the recruiting department, to remain in civil life. Therefore, it was argued, it was grosslv unfair to .summon eider groups . and classes to the colours. Tho result of the tost carried out in a rium- *.', ber of districts had demonstrated that the allegations were untrue. LIABLE FOR SERVICE. " FAMOUS SPRINTER ARRESTED. LONDON, September 12. Donaldson, tho sprinter, charged at Manchester as an absentee, contended that' lie was not liable for servico because he was an Australian, not ordinarily resident in England. He came for running only. Tho Magistrate decided thai, he was liable for service and ho was handed over to a military escort. MERCHANTMAN LAUNCHED. / ______ FIRST SINCE WAR BEGAN. "The Times" Service. LONDON, September 13. . Tho Shire liner Brecknockshire, 12,000 tons, for the South American njeat trade, has been launched at Belfast.; She is tho first merchantman , Uunched since the outbreak of war. "WAR GOING WELL." . MR BONAR LAW'S VIEWS. JIGGER PROBLEMS WHEN PEACE DECLARED. . Australian und N.Z. Cable Association. (Received September 14, 5.45 p.m.) LONDON, September 13.

At a luncheon to the Premier of Newfoundland, Mr Bonar Law said:— " The war is going well. It has taken long to utilise and bring to the striking point, the joint Allied resources, but' they am being used now. If there is no accident the position will be greatly changed. Anxiety a 3 to the position is now a thing of the- past, chiefly because the Allies are working together. Moreover there is no shortage of ammunition." He went on to say that; he did not profess to see the end of the war. It might be a long {struggle, but the end would be the winning of the Allies. The problem bi reconstruction tcould more severely by the people's character and the Government's capacity than the task of -friußing the "war. One of the most important problems was emigration. If would be Britain's duty to keep as Jnany as possible at home. The strength of the centre of the Empire inuatbe sustained. They must give the men fighting the Empire's battles *he test chances and the widest outlook The Government would bo greatly blameablo if there was any emigration outside th e Empire. The 'relations of tho Imperial Government and the dominions must change in -order that there would not bo one set

of men contributing their lives and treasure without having a voice as to how those lives and treasure should bo expended. Ho paid a tribute to tho overseas troops, especially for their work in the Dardanelles. " That glorious failure," ho said. " wa3 more glorious than many successes." .

ABOUT THE ENEMY FIELD CONFERENCE. ENEMY LEADERS GATHER. GERMANY AND. THE BALKANS. Ans*-aliEn and N.Z. Cublo Association. NEW YORK, September 13. Berlin despatches describe a most important iiold conference at General Headquarters on the eastern front, attended by the Kaiser, Dr von Beth-mann-Hollwcg, E:iver Pasna, the King and Crown Princo of j/ulgaria and other high dignitaries. H was tho first iiold conference of tho Central Allies since the wai began. It is understood that a momentous question Doing discussed and indications from neutral sources suggest that Rumania's bsiligerencv and the probability of Greece entering the war caused the Kaiser to call a conleiwnee because oi pressing danger. The Gorman road to Constantinople will shonly be cut, nitd Germany's ambitions to nwho Mesopotamia her principal colonial Empire, with a capital at Uagdad, must be abandoned. The Kaiser therefore believed m bringing the strongest pressure on his Allies to block Russian efforts to cross Bulgaria for Constantinople, even at tlio exnense of peimittins! the Rumanians to completely conquer Transylvania. HOLLAND REPORT. AUSTRIA NOT REPRESENTED. AMSTERDAM. September 13. King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, Enyer Pasha and Dr von Bethinan-Hoilweg have arrived for a conference at German headquarters. Austria is not represented. PURPOSE OF MEETING. Keuter's Telegrams. ZURICH. September 13. A conference of the Kaiser, King Ferdinand, Dr von Betlimnnn-Hollweg. Heir von Jagow, Envoi- Pasha and prominent Austrian military men and politicians is being held at tho German headquarters. It is believed that it is concerned with a proposal that fieldMarshal von Hindenburg should command all tho armies of the Quadruple Alliance. VON PFLANIER. RETIREMENT ANNOUNCED. Australian ar.d N._. Cabl? Association. COPENHAGEN, September 13. General von Pflanzer, the ...ustrian commander, is retiring owing to illhealth. ILL-HEALTH OR FAIM7RE? ATHENS. September 13. With reference to Von rfianzer's retirement, it is pointed out that ho was heavily beaten in liukowina. HUNGARIAN POLITICS PARTY TROUBLES SETTLED. Keuter'a Telegrams. N LONDON, September 13. It is reported from Bucharest that tbo Apponyi and Andrassy groups are joining the coalition Cabinet. Count Karolyi's party is standing out, but is not opposing the Government. The "Reichspost" cattiributes the settlement to the recognition of the necessity for national unity in view of the invasion of Translyvania.