GENERAL ITEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17159, 12 November 1917, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS

BELGIAN AS ENEMY SPY.

DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, November 9. Official: A Belgian who was court-mar-tialed at London on a charge of coming to England for purposes of espionage receiveu the death sentence, which was commuted to penal servitude for Hfe. SOLDIERS' DEPENDENTS. PROVISION IN FRANCE. PARIS, November 9. A Bill will shortly bo introduced in tihe Chamber of Deputies enabling pensioned and discharged soldiers and the widows of the fallen to purchase land. The Bill provides for inoivid'ual loans of up to £400, at 2 per cent., for 25 years, and a reduction by i per cent for each cMW bcwrni to the borrower till he enjoys Ihis capital free of interest. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. • Admiralty, per Wireless Presi. LONDON, November 9. German official: There is. considerable artillerying on tho Yser at Poellcapelle and Passchedaele. The French advances at Sundgan (?) were thrown back. The English advanced on the Struma Plain, but a powerful Bulgar counterthrust threw them back. ' We have crossed the Livenza and continue to overcome the resistance of the Italian rearguards, and are advancing by mountain roads through aoow and rain towards the Piave. AUSTRALIAN REFERENDUM. Auatraiian and N.Z. Cable Association. MELBOURNE, November 10. The Cabinet has altered the referendum polling day to December 20. YON HELFFERICH'S RESIGNATION. AMSTERDAM, November 9. (Received November 11, at 5.5 p.m.) The .Kaiser has accepted von Helfferich's resignation as representative of the Chancellor. > NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS. ALLEGATIONS OF NEGLECT CONTRADICTED. LONDON, November 9. (Received November 11, at 5.5 p.m.) Sir T. Mackenzie refutes letlters in NewZealand papers alleging that soldiers arriving in London are neglected. He shows that numerous organisations are caring for the soldiers, notably New Zealanders. Besides the soldiers' ekibs, canteens, theatres, and private hospitality extended to them, they are invariably met on arrival and convoyed to quarters. The utmost possible safeguards are adopted regarding their health. Official statistics show that New Zealanders ■ are exceptionally free from contagious diseases, which are under 2 per cent. AUSTRALIA AND COMPULSION. A STRAIGHT ISSUE. MELBOURNE, November 11. . (Received Nov. 11, at 11 p.m.) The referendum question will take the form: " Are you in favour of the proposal of the Commonwealth Government for reinforcing the Australian and Imperial forces overseas ?"

NEW SOUTH. WALES MINISTRY BOTHERED. SYDNEY, November 11. (Received Nov. 11, at 11 p.m.) Tho conscription issue is seriously embarrassing the State Ministry, owing to its pledge not to support the question. The Nationalists are ready to resign. Mr Holman has gone to Melbourne to endeavour to induce Mr Hughes to reconsider his referendum decision, substituting an appeal to the country on the Conscription BUI. .5 PRESENT SITUATION REVIEWED. ALLIED COUNCIL OF WAR. MR BONAR LAW'S CONFIDENCE. (Received Nov. 11, afc 11 p.m.) Replying to the toast of " The Imperial Forces," at the Lord Mayor's banquet, Sir Eric Geddes declared that on all questions of broad naval strategy there was complete agreement between the Admiralty and the commanders of the 'great navies afloat. Submarinism was not defeated, but it was at present held in check, and would be finally defeated. Mr Bonar Law proceeded to pay a great tribute to the dominions' troops, whom' Englishmen never grudged praise. But the Germans alleged that we had left all the hard fighting to the dominion forces. None knew better than the men from the dominions that there was nothing they had done that had not been equalled by the deeds of their British comrades. Reviewing the general military situation, Mr Bonar Law emphasised tixat Germany had secured complete control of the armies of her allies. Such control had not existed, and could not exist, to the same extent among our allies, because we were in league to free the peoples; but a step had just been taken which would make cooperation closer to-day than it had ever been. An Allied Military Staff of Franco, Britain, and Italy had been created.' It would sit permanently, and study the military problems as a whole, and as a result of its creation the whole front, from the Channel to the Adriatic, could in future be treated as one. He refused •to prophesy regarding Italy, but believed the Italians were able to hold the enemy until aid came from the western allies. Hβ thought the German attack upon Italy was partly actuated by a hope to divide the Allies and partly to keep up the spirits of the German people; bat Germany would never win the war until she defeated the FrancoBritish armies in the West. Hβ saw no prospect of an early peace. It was now a question of nervo and staying power. All the belligerents staggered beneath the load, and it was a question of who was going to fall. He knew the -hearts of our soldiers and sailors, and those of our allies would not fail them. —(Cheers.)