GENERAL ITEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16259, 17 December 1914, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS

CONFERENCE OF MONAECHS. DENMARK, NORWAY, AND SWEDEN. CI-IRISTIANIA, December 15. The chief object of the conference between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, to be held at Malmo, is to discuss neutrality, tlio repression of contraband, and possibly Germany's confiscation of neutral ships and the sowing of mines in the Baltic. MINES IN SWEDISH WATERS. RUSSIA AND GERMANY DISCLAIM OWNERSHIP. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, December 15. An investigation is being held into the sowing of mines in Swedish waters. Both Germans and Russians deny the ownership of the mines. These are laid in three layers, and when a mine in the top layer is exploded one from the lower layer automatically replaces it. VICTIM OF THE DRESDEN. NEW YOEK, December 15. The German steamer Rhakotis has landed the crew of the British collier North Wales at Callao. The collier was sunk by the Dresden, the cruiser first seizing her coal. BLOWN TO SEA. AVIATORS SAVED. LONDON, December 15. Of the three aviators who lost their way in a mist and were blown out to sea, one reached Holland and the others were picked up at sea. A destroyer has since salved the aeroplane. THE NEED FOR MEN. MR A. BONAR LAW CONFIDENT. LONDON, December 15. Speaking at a Unionist meeting in London, Mr A. Bonar Law said that never in the world's history had an army such as they required and enlisted voluntarily failed them, nor had it failed America in her great civil war. He was quite sure that they would get all the men they needed. KING EDWARD'S HORSE. THREE HUNDRED VACANCIES. LONDON, December 15. There are vacancies for 300 good riders and shots in the second King Edward's Horse, owing to the large number who have received commissions in the regular army, of which 100 were granted in the last three weeks. Australian candidates can cable* their applications through Sir T. Coghlan, Agent-general for New South Wales. INTERNED IN HOLLAND. BELGIANS AND BRITISH. ANTI-GERMAN FEELING. FREMANTLE, December 16. Three Dutch priests, members of the St. Joseph Missionary Society, arrived by the Maloja, and are proceeding to New Zealand. They state that 20,000 Belgian soldiers are interned in Holland, 6000 British soldiers, and one and a-half million Belgian refugees. Their upkeep is costing the Dutch Government £50,000 daily. Dutch feeling is strongly anti-German on account of the atrocities in Belgium. GERMAN HATRED. VENTS ITSELF ON BRITISH PRISONERS. (Times and Sydney. Sun Services.) LONDON, December 15. An escapee from the German concentration camp at Wesel (on the lower Rhine) reports that special favours are granted to French and Belgian prisoners, while the British are given the most menial duties to perform. They are also ill-treated. The Germans make signs of cutting throats, and endeavour to teach the French and Belgians to say: " God will punish England; the English are swine." CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FOR THE FRONT. ENGLISH SORTERS CROSS THE CHANNEL. LONDON, Deoember 151 Three hundre3 post office clerks and sorters have been sent to France to assist in handling the Christmas mails. There lias been a stream of parcels to the front for several weeks, and it is growing enormously. PATRIOTISM OF PRISONERS. OVERTIME FOR THE NAVY. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, December 15. The patriotism of the inmates of H.M. prisons is shown by the fact that the prisoners at Kingston gaol enthusiastically worked overtime making coal sacks for the navy when the Admiralty notified that they were urgently needed. ITALY AND THE WAR. SUPPLIES FOR GERMANY. PENALTY ON EXPORTERS. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, December 15. Rome reports state that, in consequence of friendly representations from the Entente Powots, Italy has imposed penalties on exporters of supplies destined for Germany. ATTITUDE OF THE SENATE. COMPLETE POLITICAL POWER. ROME, December 16. (Received Dec. 16, at 11.45 p.m.) The Senate has unanimously voted the Cabinet complete political power to deal with the foreign situation, also to take financial measures. ' GERMAN CITIZENSHIP. QUESTION FOR JURISTS. NEW YORK, December 15. American jurists are discussing the international aspect of the German citizenship law (enacted in 1914), which enables Germans acquiring foreign citizenship to retain their German citizenship if they obtained permission so to do. The law also enables foreign citizens of German blood to obtain German citizenship while they remain abroad. GERMANY'S RESERVOIR OF MEN. SLOWLY BUT SURELY DIMINISHING. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) PARIS, December 15. (Received Dec 16, at 5.20 p.m.) The press maintains that the calling up of the Landsturm is a sure proof that Germany's immense -reservoir of men is slowly but surely diminishing.

A NOTEWORTHY VOTE. LONDON, December 16. (Received Dec. 16, at 11.45 p.m.) The Daily Telegraph'e correspondent remarks that the vote is noteworthy because the Triple Alliance has more partisans in the Senate than in the Chamber. The resolutions may be regarded as implicitly authorising intervention. AMERICAN OPINIONS. FAVOURABLE TO THE ALLIES. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, December 15. (Received Dec. 16, at 5.20 p.m.) American opinions are overwhelmingly favourable to the Allies in some communities. The rest may not feel positive sympathy for Great Britain and France, but they entertain a serviceable antipathy for Germany. THE WOOLWICH ARSENAL. WILL HAVE A CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. LONDON, December 16. (Received Dec. 16, at 9.10 p.m.) Official: Subject to a possible emergency call lor the supply of an Expsdi* tionary Force with munitions, Lord Kitchener is closing the ordnance factories at Woolwich for a short holiday from Christmas morning until the night shift of the 27th. This will be the first time the machinery at the Arsenal has been stopped, even for an hour, since the war began. VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS. STATEMENT BY WAR OFFICE. LONDON, December 16. (Received Dec. 16, at 9.10 -p.m.) The War Office announces that no further voluntary hospitals whatever are required at present for the British Expeditionary Forces in France. Any voluntary hospitals now on the Continent and hereafter proceeding thither must work as base hospitals and not attempt to proceed further. THE EXPECTED RECAPTURED. LONDON, December 16. (Received Dec. 16, at 9 p.m.) British warships have recaptured, the steamer Expected THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE. LONDON, December 16. (Received Dec. 17, at 1.5 a.m.) The Kolnische Zeitung states that France, equally with Russia, has rejected the Pope's Christmas truce.