NEWS SUMMARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15684, 11 August 1914, Page 6

NEWS SUMMARY.

Auckland: The civil sessions of the Supreme Court were opened yesterday.

v • Thirty Auckland nurses have volunteered for service with tlio Now Zealand expeditionary force.

The camp at Alexandra Park for tno Auckland members of the expeditionary force commences to-day.

The Swiss Consul has issued an appeal to the Swiss in New Zealand for funds to purchase an airship for their country.

The chairman of the Pnkekohe West Road Board was awarded £50 damages in a claim for defamation at the Supreme Court yesterday.

Amidst scenes of great enthusiasm the first portion of Auckland's section of the expeditionary force left by special train for Wellington yesterday afternoon.

At a meeting of citizens in the Town Hall yesterday, over £5000 was subscribed towards the Patriotic Fund, and £3500 was at once despatched to the Minister for Defence.

Sixteen members of the crew of the ill iated barque Joseph Craig, which was riven ashore on the North Head Spit at Hokianga on Friday afternoon, arrived in Auckland yesterday morning.

At a meeting of yachtsmen held last evening it was decided to form an Auckland Vaihtstnen Volunteer Naval Defence corps, and to offer its services to tho Government for harbour and coastal defence work.

The investigation of a petition from a number of residents in a portion of the Epsom district, joining the eastern boundary <>f Mount. Fden. that their portion of the di>tnet should be included in the Mount Eden Borough was commenced by a commission yesterday. The proceedings were adjourned. New Zealand: Unsettled and cloudy weather is predicted, rain being probable. A proclamation has been issued prohibiting tlio export from New Zealand of flour, oatmeal, and cereals. German reservists have been arrested in a number of centres. Some of them are well-known citizens. A boy, 14 years of age, fell from the platform of a train near the Dunedin railway station and broke his neck.

Colonel Logan, of Auckland, is to command the first section of the expeditionary force to leave New Zealand.

Some six German reservists have been arrested in Canterbury, including the secretary to the German Consul.

It was stated in Parliament yesterday that the scheme of war risks, instituted at Home, would probably be extended to New. Zealand.

Referring to the men who were volunteering lor the expeditionary force, General Godley states that they are the type of men that- is Vanted.

The authorities have decided to send the German reservists who have' been made prisoners of war, to Somes Island, in Wellington Harbour.

Those, competent ,to judge believe that come difficulty will be experienced -by the "Government 'in getting the 3000 horses necessary for the expeditionary force.

I'ho New Zealand expeditionary force will be commanded by General Sir A. J. Godley, Commandant of tho New Zealand Forces. • . •' ' 1

Details of the provision that, will be made for the widows and children of any members of the expeditionary force 1 who are killed or maimed have been stated by the Government.

A proclamation has been issued by the King stating that all deserters from the Imperial Army- will bo pardoned provided they return to the colours or enlist in colonial forces.

Thirty mining students at the Otago University ,have offered to form a corps for the"' expeditionary force. ' They possess a -knowledge of highjv technical subjects.

The rush for flour by the public is stated by a Southern miller to- have caused the rise of £1 per ton. He declares that the large stocks being acquired by the.uubjTc have made it impossible for the mills to cope with orders.

The Prime Minister announced in the House of' Representatives yesterday that he was in a position to say that the expeditionary force would go to Europe, and that it'would probably rpach the firing line, within a few weeks.'

The allegation that undue preference has been shown to Imperial officers in selecting the leaders of the expeditionary force is contradicted by General Sir A. J. Godley, who has made a statement showing*' that the majority of the officers are' Now Zealanders.- •> 1. . I

Australia,

The Federal Defence Minister, Senator Millen, has been completely inundated with applications for enrolment in the ex- . peditionary force.

British Empire:' Large numbers of men have been enlisted at Capetown for a South African contingent.

trade is once more assuming normal proportion in Britain, and financial panic does not exist.

Lord Kitchener states that Britain needs 100,000 men immediately for her second army, and is calling upon territorials to enlist.

The British Government intends to endeavour to effect a settlement of the Home Rule question during the fortnight's adjournment of Parliament.

Mr. Winston Churchill, First Lord of tho Admiralty, emphatically denied on Sunday that thero had been a naval battle in the North Sea, or that Britain had lost any warship other than the Amphion. Foreign: A wave of patriotism is sweeping over Russia. Several arrests of spies and suspected spies havo been made by tho combatant nations. The loss of the British cruiser, Amphion, was caused by the vessel striking the cable connecting two mines, Russia contemplates giving Poland municipal self-government in recognition of the splendid behaviour of tho Poles since the outbreak of the war. A semi-official statement from Vienna announces that the war between Britain and Germany does not constitute a state of war between Britain and Austria,

Germany and Austria arc reported to be threatening Italy that if she does not break her neutrality they will consider themselves free to declare war upon her.

A French cavalry brigade advanced into Alsace on Sunday, and is reported to have captured Altkirch and Mulhansen, though a German account states that the French were driven back from the firstnamed town.

Graphic accounts of fierce encounters between German invaders and heroic Belgian defenders are published. A tremendous attack upon Liege was made on Saturday night by the Prussians, but the Belgians manfully held their positions.