WITH THE NEUTRALS.

North Otago Times, 20 July 1917, Page 6

WITH THE NEUTRALS.

GRAVE DISORDERS IN SPAIN. MANI ARRESTS MADE REPUBLICANS CONVOKE SEP A RATE PARLIAMENT. (Australian and N.&.Cablo Association) Rceencd July Id, 8. JO p.m. , MADRID, Jul) l 1) , Thcie have been niimeious nirests, including Socialists, and editois The Agiainu Club has been dosed A layje liumbei ol Deputies belong my to the Republican and lUtomust Parties have gone to Barcelona, where a separate Parliament lias been convoked, • The Premier, Senor Don Dato, lias hurriedly gone to Lagranja, where King Alfonso is spending a h'oliffiiv. • ■ ■:,.. '/ .'i : ■ ■

. DISORDERS SPREADING. ' . PROVINCES DEMANDING AUTO- . NOMOUS GOVERNMENT. ..;.., GRAVEST CRISIS SPAIN EVER ."' .... FACED. ■„ {Australian and N.Z.Cable Association). Received duly IH," 11.35 LONDON, July IS. The Madrid correspondent of Lib Daily Chronicle has transmitted a message indirectly which declares that Spain has never had a crisis so great orso menacing. Obscure official' assurances that nothing alarming was occuviug are contradicted by the most rigid and implacablest censorship that has ever been imposed in. Spain. There is much existing lfneasiness due to the newspapers' forced silence, Fifty per . cent, of the population is determined that Spain must, remain*outside the war; yet ninety per cent, of the citizens are suffering all the privations of combatant countries, The situation has been extremely delicate since the Ist June. The Army's fair demands for the moment have been satisfied, The Government has at last listened to the demands of the railwaymcn .and civil servants, and these will doubtless be settled when the Government has the necessary millions in its possession. Tho : real evil will continue if the present methods are not altered. The desire of the provinces of Vizeaya, Aragon, and Alusia for home rule is becoming the' dominant question. The deputies 'of these provinces met at Victoria and proclaimed the necessity for autonomous government. The problem is much graver at Catalonia, where a violent outbreak threatens, A collision occurred between the Madrid Government and the Catalonlan deputies. The,,, first .result -of the miraculous fiisi'oiy,-o'f.'. the. ] opposing parties at the Catriloiiiatt meeting Was backed by the whole public opinion. I The Catalonia provinces have 'invited all''the members of Parliament to hold a-consultative sitting at Barcelona on Thursday. The Government has announced that it is prepared'to prevent such a meet- •' ing, even by force. The entire country-awaits to-morrow with intense interest: Rapid developments are.expected, and every moment is full of gravity.