GENERAL ITEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16547, 22 November 1915, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS

SHOW PLACE OF THE WEST. - AN EXTRAORDINARY SIGHT. . I t (Times aaJ Sydney Sua Services.) v ""j* LONDON, November 20. /J The Times correspondent with the Bri- * tish headquarters wires : "The most remarkable show place on the western front is the inviolate advance post protruding proudly in the forefront , / of . Its extraordinary defence is due to the deadly nature of the French artillery ■ and skilfully organised house- and street fighting. The defences present an extraordinary sight. At some points the '< French arid Germans are oocupying houses as close together as suburb dwellers. For -i long stretches in front of the suburbs the Jcontending lines are only from 10 to 40 ? yards apart, and nowhere more than 20Q ;;■-'■'i yards. The civilians still live in the mini ' of the town in deep cellars, coming up at intervals in the periodic bombardments.

ASPHYXIATING GASES. NO RESTRICTION FOR FRENCH use. (Times and' Sydney Sun Services.) \\ LONDON, November 19. j The Army Committee of the French > j Senate passed a resolution authorising the Ji use of asphyxiating gases byi the • army; _ t authorities without anv restrictions. ' o' ' * (f AMERICAN SECURITIES IN | BRITAIN. A GOVERNMENT TO TAKE CONTROL. *3 LONDON, Novemiber 20. (Received Nov. 21, at 3.30 p.m.) '-<*1 The Daily Chronicle says thatin order s °j§ to cfheck the effect on the American ■ ex- 1J change of our purchases in America, the Government is taking steps to control the, ''i American securities held in Britain. Mr . M'Kenna and the Governor of the Bank M of England have conferred with the leading insurance companies, and a committee , has been 'appointed to arrange details. It ; is understood that the Government is pre- ■ t pared to purchase the securities ,or obtain «" Vf| them on loan, the former holders to receive , % 5 per cent, five years' Treasury bonds, % while the lenders will receive their present ' *r]| interest, plus £ per cent. LIQUOR IN LONDON AREA. J '' § LONDON, November 19. ~ (deceived Nov. 21, at'3.3o p.m.) M The sale of liquor in the London area ,fS from the 29th will be restricted to five hours and a-half daily. ' RECRUITING IN AUSTRALIA. . -'-Jf , .. SYDNEY, November 20. Despite the military authorities view-* ; ing the idea with disfavour, a number of ?1| route marches have been arranged for various points in the State. . The Newcastle recruiting depot, which 'fM had been closed on account of smallpox, *■ "M has been reopened., ' M|j ALLIES' DAY. SYDNEY, November 20. Allies' Day realised £35,339, including * "fM £9061 from city street collections. The f ' committee's; aim was £150,000. JAMAICA'S BIT. , (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) *j 1 -fe-f LONDON, November 19. - ' The Press Bureau states that Jamaica '-tM has offered to send'more men, and to defray the cost by contributing £60,000 an-' nually for 40 years. » • " v>'m| ''-VM MR ROOSEVELT. . OFFER FROM CANADA. ' '-'J OTTAWA, November 19. ' ''!|1 \ The Canadian Department of Militia, < r [''$§ hearing a rumour that Mr Theodore Boosevslt was willing to lead a Canadian divi- ' M sion in Flanders, announced that the ap- "-4** pointment was? open if Mr Roosevelt 'j-"it© wished to apply for it. , [Mr Roosevelt is by no means unknown ,\?S on the battlefield. At the time of the 'V-"js Spanish-American war he himself organised , and Jed in Cuba a body of trough ridem "Harajj drafted principally from the south and south-west States of the great republic.] '•"ylf A DENIAL. , NEW Y<XRK, November 19. (Received Nov. 21, at 3.30 p.m.) . Mr Roosevelt's secretary denies that Mr Roosevelt is likely to lead a Canadian : -y?| division. ' • MEMORIAL TABLET. < ;? | i SYDNEY, November 21. (Received Nov. 21, at 5.5 p.m.) ~ The Governor-general, Sir R. C. Munro- j ; *|f Ferguson, unveiled at the Darlington Town * Hall a memorial tablet to Captain Shout, ,"•$£ •who gained the Victoria Cross for .bravery.-"if.-If!j at Lone.Pine. , HOME FOR SOLDIERS. ' MELBOURNE, November 21. (Received Nov. 21, at 5.5 p.m.) The Right 1 Hon. Andrew Fisher has V offered his residence as , a convalescent home for soldiers. fMr Fisher recently aacepted the position - , of High Commissioner for the Common- || wealth.]' • , , ' OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. , ' , r j| GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. — ' '■ '3 CAPETOWN, November 21. f % (Received Nov. 21, at 11 pjn.) Lord Buxton, in opening Parliament, said that the Ministers hoped that after, j|g the High Treason Court had completed its -rig labours, the general conditions of the conntry would permit of the reconsideration of \ the sentences with a view to recommending clemency in specific cases. , , & Ministers would submit proposals by ' which the Union would bear:par,t of the co-t of the contingents to Europe, Nyassaland, the Rhodesian border, and German East Africa. „ ?