GENERAL WAR NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16098, 11 December 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

TWICE WOUNDED EXEMPT. As Army Order has been issued at Petrograd exempting from further service, except service of a voluntary nature, officers and men who have been twice temporarily incapacitated by wounds, contusions, or gas.

TWO THOUSAND DEVILS. So heavy and so steady has been the enlistment into the " Devil's Own" that there is talk of making a second battalion. Already there are close upon two thousand men training for commissions at Berkhamsted, besides four or five hundred recruits at Lincoln's Inn. IGNORANT Of* THE WAR. Stefansson, the Canadian Arctic explorer, had no knowledge that a European war was in progress until he returned to ' civilisation a tew days ago. There are still places that have not yet heard a syllable about the war—Tristan da Cunha, for instance, the lonely South Atlantic Island, which has not received a mail since the war broke out. THE " FIGHTING IRISHMAN." A fighting Irishman, who had been in several bayonet charges, regretted his inability to deal with more than one Hun at. a time. This is how he put it : "I was afther wan of 'em. sorr, and, faith, I cud not see a wan but him! I rimim bered afterwards that I'd passed by two others whom I cud 'ave shtuck wid the greatest aise !'' TRENCH COOKERY. Cookery lessons in a trench dug in the grounds of the new King's College for Women are the features of a special course on camp cookery open to non-students. This course, and one on " Economic Housekeeping in War Time," will, it is thought, be specially useful to women war workers, in view of the fact that the emplovment of women as cooks, porters, orderlies, etc., is now permitted in military hospitals. 5000 IRON CROSSES FOR BULGARS. Striking proof that Bulgaria has intended for some time to join the Central Towers is provided by the Tribune de Geneve, which states that the Bulgarian War Minister received from Germany on Sept-ember 15 last an iron box containing many high decorations and 5000 Iron Crosses. The number of German officers m Bulgaria was 185 on September 1. 700 on September 12 2015 on October 1, and now is over 3000. THE PARSON STOOD FIRM. There is a fine little story hidden in a soldier's letter which is printed in a coun- | try paper. A Norfolk parson, the Rev. PierpOnt Edwards, was conducting a funeral service in Gallipoli when a storm of shrapnel burst over the mourners. The party scattered, all save Mr. Edwards. He went on with the service with the shells dropping all around him. After quietly pronouncing the Benediction he proceeded to bandage a wounded man who cad fallen at the graveside. JEWELLERS BUSY. One of the first trades to feel the effect of war time economy, one would think, would be the jewellers; but, apparently, it is not so. One firm, in answer to "a recent inquiry regarding cameo brooches, had to write back that it had not a single one left in stock. The daily orders were Buchthat they kept all the firm's few remaining workmen so fully employed that there was no chance of making "up stock. As a consequence wages have gone up. Skilled men are earning 45s to 60s a week, as compared with 35? to 40s before the war. THE TALE OF A TROPHY. A number of wounded who took part in the recent big battle in France are now at Bangor Hospital When a visitor was leaving the grounds of that institution a few days ago he encountered a grotesque figure. It was that of a small, sturdilyset man in the blue suit, hobbling along on crutches, and with one foot copiously swathed in bandages. On his head was the helmet of an officer of the Prussian Guards. He said that before the war he worked at a Lanarkshire mine. He was asked how he came by his trophy. " I killed him." he said simply; " ha widna surrender." HERB FOR GERMAN GASES. It is reported thai a Johannesburg doctor is conducting experiments in the perfecting of a respirator for combating the effects of the poisonous gases used by the Germans. The substance used is said to be obtained from a South African plant which is obtainable in unlimited quantities, and which has the power of absorbing both chlorine and bromine gases in large quantities. At a demonstration given before a representative of a local paper, the demonstrator allowed bu face to be enveloped in such fatal gases as those arising from nitric oxide without any disegreeable result. HOW A MOTORIST DOSS HIS BIT. The following is the cheering story of how an elderly London motorist does his bit. He was impressed, like the rest cf us, by the sight of so many beautiful motors in the streets whose owners seemed to be doing nothing in particular for the war. His plan, worked out entirely on his own initiative, is on these lines. As he drives about the streets he marks down some fine motor with plenty of room in it. and follows it unobtrusively home. After the owner has gone in. the patriotic motorist rings the bell and requests an interview, explaining that he is arranging motor trips for wounded soldiers, and will he lend his car? He has never met a refusal, and now has about a hundred motorists on his list. THE CRUELTY OF "RAGGING." A verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned at an inquest at Parkhurst Barracks on Private John Coleman, of the Warwickshire Regiment, who was found dead in his room with a rifle bullet wound through his head. Deceased was former!-,' a jeweller of Birmingham, **who only joined last August. He left desponding letters to his sweetheart, to whom, it was stated, he has previously written saying that because he did not smoke, drink, or play cards he got a good deal of buffeting, and he feared it would finish in his death. The military authorities said there had been no complaint of " ragging" or ill-treatment. The coroner observed deceased apparently found uie change from home to barrack life uncongenial. £500 BET ON THE WAR. Now, here is a fact for which deponent can positively vouch, and if all the names could be given it would intensify its importance. At a small deer-stalking gathering in Scotland recently a highly-import-ant person hailing from the Balkans—it is impossible to particularise in print— stated that Roumania had not come in earlier because Russia had stood out against her demands, but that tuissia had now conceded them, and that, therefore, Roumania would now come in when armed and when wanted. This person, for reasons which he declined to disclose, gave it as his opinion that the war must be over in the spring, and when another guest, an Irishman, expressed his belief it would last for another year, he replied : " I am prepared to bet an even '£500 against that, though I am not a s betting man," and the wager was accepted. It ought to be added that the proposer | / of this bet was not a Bulga- : in nor a | Minister at the Court of St. Ja.nes', but. I nevertheless, a man whose opinion and ?> knowledge are quite exceptional. He was M fdso highly pleased with his bet*.

HO OILCAKE FOR SWEDEN. de^dedt%?ohrbit R thet^ *» haS oilcake to Sweden Th furth< * eSp ° rt of "ported to »W The^ uant 'ty a„eady 100,000 to 150 om exceeds by thorised ' W Punds the fi S ure auQERMAN HATE STAMPS thfVlS'VclV f edis | h Government the «1 6 of G2^ burg LaVe with the moSo * Go??* ♦'T»SPPrinted, rinted JrihaTß confiscated a stock found in' a FIFTY AMBULANCES LOST noun'ceSaTS, £ Hef K Fl J nd reret to anSSSLSH n * "Ranees which were SKI 7> en Alexandra, and aftermeat fcl ° Ver to the.French Govern- £££ 'Jl? v £ Sen ent «-elv lost, the vessel upon which they were being conveyed hav SfrimT tOrpedoCd by » German subPRINCE DANILO. «S riDC D .t nil0 ' of Montenegro will it is Joff™ Sb °A rtly Jin the st *e «f General Joffre, A member of Prince Danilo's entourage states that Montenegro"s army still counts more than 30,000° men, well armed, and equipped. He' expects operations in the mountains to be practically suspended , during the winter. P He ™& W p ed Sciuri. MOntenegro had W-* GREEK PRINCE INJURED. Kin? 0 ? pV eX&nde L' second son of the King of Greece, who is an officer in an Artillery regiment, was riding out to manoeuvres at the head of hit battery! S 6 ! 1 h 5 u ad , a m hom his h °rse and &- IUB J eg -- J The Q ue ™ the Crown Prince hurried to the Piraeus, where the accident OCCUrred - and brought His Royal Highness to Athens in a motorambulance. . w TO PURCHASE MACHINE-GUNS. The Dominion police of Canada have set aside 1 per cent, per month of their salary for five months, from August to Decern. oer. the proceeds will amount to about hZIQ, and will be devoted to the purchase of a machine-gun for the 77th Canadian Battalion. The balance will be given to the Tobacco Fund, or will be used for the benefit ot Canadian prisoners of war. NEW USE FOR A DOCK. The old disused dock on the River Nene at button Bridge, Lincolnshire, which collapsed on the eve of opening many years ago, has been converted into a golf" course and is now being used for plav. Upon the old dock and outlying portions an excellent nine-hole course has been made lhe ground has not vet been completely laid out, but the work is sufficiently advanced for the local matches to* take place. SANGFROID IN 2EPPELIN RAID. An old lady was hurriedly roused from her bed during the Zeppelin raid, and hustled downstairs to a place of safety without stopping to put anything on her feet. "Here's a pair of stockings." said her daughter. The old ladv took the articles in her hands, and holding them up in the dim light, while the bombs were dropping and the shots were bursting overhead, she calmly remarked: " Mary, I don't think this is" a pair.'' "HAPPY RELEASE" OF FIGHTING. The Gasper, a soldiers' journal, published from a camp at Salisbury, has this to say about waiting to go to "the front : The base is a place where troops are kspt till they are so fed up that they do not mind getting killed. It is so called because the language spoken there mostly begins with the same letter. When the process, which consists largely of Swedish drill, has reached such an advanced stage that death is unanimously regarded merely as a happy relese, the unit is ready to be moved to the reserve trenches. HOLLAND BD2D SLAUGHTER. Notwithstanding the horrors of war at her very doors, and the burden of caring for 300,000 helpless Belgian refugees, Holland, we learn from the Animals' Frend, has pone to the rescue of the bird species of her East Indian possessions that were bein • killed and sold for millinery purposes. It appears that throughout the whole of her vast island empire in the Malay Archipelago, 3000 miles long by 1000 miles wide, all bird species save three are now absolutely protected against the feather trade, with a probability that eventually no exceptions will be made. i " LINK BOYS" AGAIN. The darkening of the London streets has brought grist to the mill of the enterprising suburban youth. Investing sixpence in the purchase of an electric torch, says the Daily Mail, he has blossomed out as a " link boy." Soon after nightfall he takes up his position at the suburb station and carefully scans the faces of arriving passengers. Espying a stranger, he advances and, flashing the little electric torch, offers to conduct the fresh arrival to the desired quarter of the district. The police aui horities are raising no objection to the use of hand torches providing they are used with discretion, but the use of a large lamp which throws beams I in all directions is strictly prohibited. "CARRY YOUR PARCELS." With the darkened streets and the greater difficulties of delivery, women can render real assistance by taking home their lighter purchases themselves. The Patriotic Shoppers' League has brought out a strong khaki-coloured paper bag bearing the Union Jack and the flags of the allies, which can be bought for a penny and used over and over again. All profits will be handed over to the British Red Cross Society, which is officially recognising the scheme. Women who give their support to the effort are not only helping the shops to reduce their staff of men. allowing of more recruits, but they' are also assisting in the great work of caring for the wounded. The bags will probably be very popular when the Christmas purchases are being made. SASKATCHEWAN'S LATEST GIFT. No less than 5000 acres have been contributed to the Saskatchewan fafmers' patriotic acre scheme, which should represent approximately 100,000 bushels of I wheat, or 5,000,000 pounds of flour. The wheat' contributed, when turned into flour, is to be a gift from the grain-growers of Saskatchewan to the Imperial Government. In order that an absolutely uniform grade of flour may be included in the shipment, it has been decided to have the grain ground by one of the largest millers in Saskatchewan, who is assisting the fund by grinding the flour at a nominal charge. The flour will be carried in bags showing the emblem of the association, in order that purchasers may know that it is a loyal gift from Canada. j HYGIENIC SUSPENDERS. A surgeon lecturing to a class of hospital nurses in an English training school recently advised his hearers to persuade their fathers, brothers, husbands, or sweethearts to wear hygienic suspenders. It seems that the customary braces, which are dual in front but single behind, bring the strain in the wrong place and cause stooping and narrow-chestedness. These misguided suspenders are even the regulation pattern in the British army. This is one of the things they do bettac in Germany. German army braces are double at the back as well as the front. A separate strap goes straight up and straight down over each shoulder, bringing the strain fair and square on the top of the shoulder. These are the kind that, acI cording to this medical authority, we all ought to wear.