GENERAL ITEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17221, 25 January 1918, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS

FLOODS IN GERMANY. FACTORY WORKS INTERFERED WJTH. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. NEW YORK, January 23. The New York Times Hague correspondent reports heavy floods throughout Germany, due to the thawing of tremendous snowfalls. Factories and munition works were damaged, and bridges were washed away. There has been, a great loss of cattle. Factory work is practically stopped at Hanover, Jena, and Karlsruhe, in South Germany. THE BRITISH ARMY. PROMOTIONS IN HIGHER RANKS. LONDON, January 23. The Daily Mail says that the authorities have deckled to promote officers of the new army to higher commands shortly, beginning by creating a number of briga-dier-generals. METAL CONTROL. LONDON, January-23. The Minister of Munitions has extended the orders controlling spelter to all zinc and compounds. THE GOEBEN. LONDON, January 23. A German official message states that the Goeben is only slightly grounded. SIR E. CARSON'S SUCCESSORLONDON, January 23. The Daily Chronicle's parliamentary correspondent says that the vacancy in the War Cabinet occasioned by the resignation of Sir E. Carson will not be filled immediately. AUSTRALIAN WAR LOAN. MELBOURNE, January 24. The Federal Government is preparing the prospectus of a new war loan, to be issued in a few weeks. BRITAIN'S HUGE WAR BILL. SEVEN AND A-HALF MILLIONS DAILY. Router's Telegrams. « LONDON, January 23. (Received Jan. 24, at 9.50 p.m.) In the House of Commons, Mr Bonar Law said the daily average of t'ho national expenditure for the seven weeks ended January 19 was £7.500,000. exceeding the estimate by £1.150,000 daily. \ PIECE HANDS ON MUNITION WORKS. ' BONUS TO 'BE PAID. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. LONDON, January 23. (Received Jan. 24, at 11.30 p.m.) '

The Press Bureau reports that the War Cabinet has decided from January 1 to pay a bonus of per cent, to all pieceworkers engaged upon munition work, except the iron and steel trades, provided any bonus or war advance which in the case of time workers is merged in their recent grant of 'I2j per cent, shall also merge in the present bonus for pieceworkers. A special conference of employers and employees in the iron and steel trades is being called to consider the form in which this bonus shall be applied with regard to the settlement in those trades of the per cent, bonus. NEW ZEALANDER'S DISAPPEARANCE. HOPE NOT ABANDONED. LONDON, January 24. (Pieceived Jan. 25, at 1.10 a.m.) Captain Charles K. Ward, who disappeared'recently, belongs to the New Zealand Dental Corps. Inquiries suggest that he may still be alive, as lie was seen after the discovery of an abandoned bicycle.