GENERAL ITEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17320, 21 May 1918, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS

EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS. MORE ABOUT BRITAIN'S ATTITUDE. Reuter's Telegrams. LONDON, May 19. Lord Newton, interviewed, replied to criticisms on the Government's attitude on the exchange of war prisoners. He said that Britain w<aa doing more for her war prisoners than any other Government. He mentioned that, in addition to ordinary allowances, the Home Office is spending £50,000 a month for the relief of British prisoners in Turkey alone. He condemned the agitation for retaliation, which, he said, should not be adopted except to secure improvement in the treatment of our prisoners. The Government was most anxious to adopt action on similar lines to France, but exchange of war prisoners was most difficult. It would take 15 months to carry out the Franco-German agreement, which was comparatively simple compared with what would be necessary concerning British prisoners.

NATIONAL EXPENDITURE. OFFICIAL COMMITTEE'S CRITICISM. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, May 19. The Committee on National Expenditure reports that the bread subsidy costs £40,000,000 per annum. The report also expresses dissatisfaction at the overstaffing of the War Office, whose staff has been increased from 118 at the outset of the war to 1516 last month. MEAT RATION IN BRITAIN. AN INCREASE ANNOUNCED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reutcr. LONDON, May 18. The Food Ministry announces that, owing to large arrivals of frozen meat, 8d worth may be purchased in respect of each of the two weekly coupons which each person is allowed, instead of 6d worth. GENERAL SMUTS IN SCOTLAND. OPINIONS ON THE WAR. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, May 18. General Smuts had an enthusiastic reception on his visit to the Clyde ship- | yards. Addressing the workers at Fairfield, he said: " The Germans have achieved a success that few had thought possible. We used to talk a lot of nonsense about defeating the Boche, but Brother Boche has knocked this kind of damnable nonsense out of us. If we strain every nerve I don't feel a moment's doubt about the result. We have suffered losses of men in the great battle on the west front, but the results have compensated for our losses." The Government asked him (General Smuts) a year ago to visit France, and he reported that the most necessary thing was a big army of manoeuvre—i.e., an army of strategic reserve—for contingencies. The Americans were now coming in hundreds of thousands monthly, and the German submarines were powerless against their transports. The enemy," he said, " will oome within an ace of victory, but will not secure it. The situation will be most anxious for many days to come. Tf the last British soldier be driven out of France the Germans will still not have won, because they must win both on sea and land." General Smuts said he did not believe an out-and-out victory was possible for any group of nations, but he considered that they had now fought to a stage whero the enemy were ready to consider and concede terms. It would be a most dangerous thing to go to a peace conference before we knew the principal terms to be considered. The Government would do its duty, knowing what we were fighting for. The conference that would ultimately be called would settle the details after the principal combatants had agreed on the main issues. CONSCRIPTION IN CANADA. PREMIER'S FIRM ATTITUDE. STRAIGHT TALK TO FARMERS. (From Australian Cables.) LONDON, May 4. Reuter's correspondent at Ottawa states that, in reply to a deputation of Ontario farmers, asking that farmers' sons should not be called up owing to the scarcity of farm labour, Sir Robert Borden, Canadian Premier, frankly declared that the war situation demanded the reinforcement of the army more than increased food production. " I cannot bring myself to stop short of any measure calculated to give our soldiers all the support they desire," said the Prime Minister. "We talk of hardships and sorrows, but wo have no conception of what is at present going on in France, and what it means." The Prime Minister added that while production was essential, it would be no answer to tho decimated ranks that production had been slightly increased. " I want to tell you," he said in conclusion, " that if the British line, part of which our men are holding, breaks, I do not know -chere you will get a market for your products. I leave it at thai, feeling that you are with us in the belief that the men overseas should be sustained." The Times correspondent at Ottawa, referring to the Canadian Government's taxation proposals, says that the Opposition is of the opinioni that agri-cultural implements should be placed on tho free list, but so far it has not pressed this point. The western wheat-growers are strongly in favour of freo agricultural implements, but do not propose to embarrass the Government by imriug this issue. They say that the first thing is to win the ; war. The tariff is of 6eooml->ry iruport- ' aiiee.