SPECIAL WAR CABLES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLII, Issue 12823, 15 April 1916, Page 5

SPECIAL WAR CABLES.

(Times, ant'; Sy.iit. y Hun .Services.; [IJV KI.F.CTI'.IC Tr.I,KC.:i.\PU —COI'TRICHT.] s'f.i'. I'i'.kps Association. lIUNGKK IN CMI'.MANY. CIVILIANS AM) SOI.DIKRS TMjTII .SITFLRING. Received April 14, at 0.0 p.m. London, Apru 13. The Times' correspondent at Copenhagen says that German papers state that there is cocoa and cotrce sufficient for six weeks. Scandinavia has prohibited exports, and the German peoplo will get only one-third, of their most necessary victuals. Not only are the German civilians hungry, but also the soldiers in the -trenches, whence there are numerous complaints.

, THE WORLD'S HOPE. Received April 14, at 5.5 p.m. London, April 13. Mr Bonar Law ? interviewed on'behalf of the American press, said that the British Government did not desire to say what action America should take when her citizens were barbarously murdered, but the world's hope lay in making outrages against civilisation impossible.

SHIPPING LOSSES. THE POSITION STATED. Received April 14, at 5.5 p.m. London, April 13. A statement has been-made stating that 43 British, 10 allied, and 13 neutral vessels have been lost since March 1. tonnage of 2,201,823 has been sunk to date, leaving 36,000,000 tons afloat, excluding enemy and American ships. Half the British total of 20,000,000 tons has been requisitioned by the Government.

MARRIED MEN AND- COMPULSORY SERVICE. THE AGITATION DEPLORABLE. Received April 15, at 9 a.m. London, April 14. On receiving a deputation with regard to the attitude of the Married Men's Union, Mr Aso.uith said ho had grave doubts whether ho should re. ccivo the deputation, because the meet, ings of the union had cast unwarranted charges and imputations against himself and Lord Derby. He had every .sympathy with_ the legitimate grievances of the married men, but regarded the agitation as deplorable at a time like this. Ho believed that a vast majority of the married men who had attested had done so from pure patriotism, but he declined to be. lievc that a vast majority of them now claimed release from their obligations. SERVIAS CONDITION.

DUTY OF OCCUPYING POWER. Received April 15, at 9 a.m. London, April 14. Speaking in the House of Commons, Lord Robert Cecil, Foreign UnderSecretary, said that no official information was available as to Servia's condition, but unofficial reports indicated that the Austrian troops were not maltreating the population, though possibly isolated outrages were committed* by Bulgarian irregulars. The British* Government were anxious to do anything possible, consistent with paramount military considerations, to relieve the distress. But he desired to emphatically state that it was the duty of the occupying Power to provide for tjio well-being of the population, and the Government had protested against the callousness which attempted to blackmail Britain and her Allies into replenishing supplies by deliberately starving a population.

GERMANY'S FOOD SUPPLY. ADMITTED TO BE INADEQUATE. Received April 15, at 9 a.m. London, April 14. The Berlin Vorwarts frankly declares that Germany's food supply is so inadequate that the people's standard of nourishment generally has been lowered.. Despite a greatly increased production, Germany increasingly re. lies on foreign supplies, and the weakening of her resources intensifies the situation.