GENERAL ITEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17323, 24 May 1918, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS

VICTORIA CROSSES. BRILLIANT FEATS DETAILED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, May 22. Details are gazetted of 11 brilliant feats for which the Victoria Cross has been awarded. All the recipients are British and were mostly the leaders of forlorn hopes m the Somme and Flanders fighting, ihey include the following:— Captain James Forbes Robertson. Displayed quick judgment, resource, and untiring energy He four times saved the iine breaking, anrl fearlessly exposed himself while the battalion he led was coveiing the reta - eat of troops on his Hanks. Lieutenant Pryce. Commanded a -party covering the flank of the Grenadier + ™ t r ', 1 hls company was reduced to 40 he found himself outflanked and enfiladed. He beat off four attacks. The enemy then brought three field guns within 3CO yards of the trench, and when the German infantry were within 60 yards Lieutenant Pryce led a bayonet charge and drove, them back. Finally only 17 men remained, and all the ammunition was gone, but Pryce again, led a bayonet charge, and was last seen in a hand-to-hand struggle against overwhelming odds Pryce s 40 held up at least one battalion for severa hours, and stopped the advance through the British lines. Lieutenant Buchan. Wounded earlv in the battle, he found his platoon 'surrounded. To the enemy's demand for his surrender he replied: '• To heLl with surrender and he shot the foremost enemy He fought his way back to the mam body, which continued to fight in gallant self-sacrifice for two days, until again cut off. It was impossible for Headquarters to send orders for their withdrawal. Buchan was last seen holding out against overwhelming odds. Private Counter. He volunteered to deliver an important message, though he had just seen five runners killed in succession by terrific machine-gun fire He not only delivered the message in the face of almost certain death, but returned with another message, enabling a counterattack to be carried out regaining the whole position. THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. AGITATION IN BRITAIN. LONDON, May 22. the newspapers continue to print maifcr artic.es on, the bad treatment of British prisoners in Germany, and are urging the immediate necessity for the Government to follow Frances and Italy's examples by arranging for a far-reaching exchange of prisoners with Germany. OFFICIAL REPORTS PROMISED. ABUSES STILL PREVALENT. m ■ LONDON, May 22. (Received May 23, at 10.5 p.m.) An unofficial report of Germans' recent ill-treatment of prisoners will shortly be issued. They will show that abuses prevalent in the earlier stages of the war are still unmitigated. NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS. DIFFICULTIES REGARDING CONTROL. _ , LONDON, May 22. Diifaculty still exists regarding the control of the New Zealand Red CSrcss. The Red Cross Committee is agreeable to Lieutenant-colonel Heaton Rhodes the New Zealand Red Cross Commissioner, becoming the first chairman, but adopted a resolution demanding the right to elect his successor. AUSTRALIAN WAR LOANS. COMMONWEALTH'S TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS. MELBOURNE, May 23. In the House of Representatives Mr Watt, Acting Premier and Treasurer, in moving the second reading of the War Loan Lill, said the war loans raised in the commonwealth amounted to £148,425 110 and those raised by Australia in ' the United Kingdom to £49,082,059. The total indebtedness of the commonwealth was £246,199,946. The total amount loaned or to be loaned to the various Statse for public works during war time was £04,975,000. The repatriation expenditure would be met out of revenue. AUSTRALIAN YOUTHS ENLISTING. DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association MELBOURNE, May 23.' In the House of Representatives Mr Tudor moved a resolution condemning the Government for enlisting for service abroad youths under age without obtaining their parents' consent. He said the motion was not intended as one of want of confidence. The debate -yas adjourned.