HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16276, 8 January 1915, Page 5

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLES

SUCCESSES IN THE WEST. The High Commissioner reported under date London, January 6 (8.35 p.m.) :— Paris reports that in the Argonne a very vigorous action has developed, the French recapturing 30Q metres of trenches in La Grurie Wood. At Gavine Coutechausse the French mined and exploded 800 metres of German trenches, occupying half of them. The Italian regiment under Lieutenant-colonel Garibaldi, captured by assault 120 prisoners, taking a mitrailleuse and a- caisson. RUSSIAN SUCCESS AT MLAWA. The High Commissioner reported under date London, January 6 (10 p.m.): — Petrograd reports that the Russians on Tuesday, in the Mlawa region, almost annihilated by the bayonet the enemy occupying the village of Rozrova. Some prisoners were taken. THE TRENTHAM CAMP. MILITARY HOSPITAL WANTED. (Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 7. The New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association is appealing for public subscriptions in aid of a proposal, formulated after consultation with the Commandant, to establish a military base hospital at Trentham which is the standing camp foa the whole of New Zealand. It is pointed out that this camp will presently contain 5600 men, and will continue in existence certainly for a period of two years. It is not only a mobilisation camp, but also a dcmobiLsation camp, so that men invalided at war will be discharged at Trentham and not indiscriminately in various parts of New Zealand, or England, thus improving on the conditions which prevailed in respect of military discharges after the Boer war. At present serious casss are sent io tho Wellington Public Hospital, and this practice will continue, but in a big- camp like Trentham many lesa serioua cases and convalescents require accommodation and treatment under military doctor* and orderlies. The <k>vernment proposes immediately to build a email camp hospital, and tho Medical Association hopes, with public aid, to increase tho accommodation aixl equipment to the full extent required. This will reserve the tax on the capacity of tho Wellington Public Hospital and make for efficiency and economy. REINFORCEMENTS. Tho influence exerted by the Recruiting Committee of tho Otago Patriotic Association has evidently borne fruit, and Otago is now in the happy position of being able to complete ttie number of infantry required for the third and fourth reinforcements. It is understood that instructions have been issued by the headquarters, Otago military district, to the various group officers that no more recruits can bo taken for thc6« reinforcements. But names are being taken and medical examinations are being carried out for recruits for the fifth rein forecments, which will go into camp about the middle of February. The fifth reinforcement will be confined exclusively to mounted rilles and infantry. It is hoped that the Patriotic Association will not relax its efforts in providing troops, bo that the Otago district, even though it is in a minoritv in ;ioint of population, will eet an example to tho other districts in New Zealand. Vacancies still exist for recruits for Simoa. The final examination will take place at the Dunedin Hospital to-day. In the earlier stages of recruiting for the main forces the newspapers were tlelugod with letters from men over the age of 40 who deplored' the failure of the young men to come forward, and declared that they would rush to the colours if only they wero a. few years younger. A largo section of these have now had their chance, and hive failed to avail themselves of it. Men are wanted between the ages of 40 and 47. Any man between these ages who has been the author of correspondence, such as that referred to and has now failed to come forward when the chance has offered has proved himself a sorry pen-and-ink patriot. JOTTINGS. It is understood that the Maunganui, Tahiti, and Warrimco will be thu troopships by which tho next reinforcements for the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces will leave the dominion. Mrs .Fedorowicz, of New Plymouth, has received a letter (.says the Taranaki Herald) stating that her brother, who was an officer in a French cavalry regiment, has died of wounds at the Bethune Hcspital. The method of bone-grafting discovered by Dr Alexi3 Carrel, of New York, and Dr Voronoff, of Nice, at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, New York, is being taught to .French army surgeons by Dr Vorouoff. at tho Russian Hospital in Bordeaux. Several wounded soldiers who lost pieces of bones from their limbs already have been treated successfully by this method, and prevented from being cripples for life, states a recent report from Paris. According to it report in the Cape Times Captain F. B. Knyvett, of the Natal Light Horse, wis wounded on November 18 in a light with the rebels near the Orango River. Captiin Knyvett will be remembered as a former resident of Auckland, whore lie had trouble with the Defence authorities somo years back. FIRE~AT'CAMBRIDGE (Pee United Pnrcss Association.) CAMBRIDGE, January 7. Isherwood's photographic studio was gutted by fire at 3 a.m. to-day. Nothing was saved. The origin of the fire is a mystery. Mr Isherwood is a heavy loser. A cable message from Sydney states that Mr Trefle, Minister of Lands for Now South Wales, lias jwen operated on for appendicitia and is in a critical condition.