RAINS IN GALICIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 23

RAINS IN GALICIA.

ASSIST THE RUSSIAM DEFENCE. PETROGRAD, June 21. Exceptionally heavy rains in Galicia are assisting the Russian defence by increasing the bogs. The rivers are greatly swollen, and many small streams are now formidable owing to the wide marshes on either side. Guns are audible at Lemberg. Passes have been issued for 10,000 Russians to leave the town. 'FIGHTING AT GRODEK. PETROGRAD, June 20. Official : The battle of Lubaczow on June 15 included a brilliant, bold attack by cavalry upon infantry, wherein the whole of the 91st German Regiment was

annihilated or dispersed. The attack produced a panic, and temporarily stopped the German advance. The enemy’s vanguards attempted to break through the defiles in the Grodek lake district, but were repulsed. The fighting continues. Considerable enemy forces crossed the Dniester below Liziow (? Nizniow), but all their attempts to advance beyond the steep banks on July 17 and 18 were repulsed. FIGHTING NEAR LEMBERG. AMSTERDAM, June 21. An Austrian communique states: “We have gained a fresh and complete victory. The Russians have collected the remnants of their defeated armies to defend Lemberg. General Ermoli, following General Mackensen’s victory, stormed the Russian position on both sides of the Lemberg road, and entered the enemy’s main positions everywhere. The Russians are now retreating along the entire front towards Lemberg. We captured 1000 prisoners and much material. A GERMAN ADVANCE. PETROGRAD, June 21. Official : Enemy’s forces crossed the Dniester below Mizniow and occupied two villages. Wo drove them back, inflicting great losses, and taking 2000 prisoners at one village. ZURICH, June 21. The Hungarian Government has sequestered the new grain harvest and established a monopoly regulating the entire corn trade. The embargo will last till August, 1916. The public will receive a monthly allowance. LIEUTENANT WARNEFORD PARIS, June 21. There was a touching demonstration over the bodies of Lieutenant Warneford and Mr Needham; Crowds defiled past, and there were many wreaths—including a representation of an aeroplane, inscribed “Honoured by the King, admired by the Empire, mourned by all.’ General Gallieni sent wreaths on behalf of Paris. Lieutenant Warneford, at the time of the accident, was wearing, the Legion of Honour Cross, which deeply penetrated his chest. NEW FRENCH MONOPLANE. ROME, June 21. A topic of absorbing interest in Berlin is the construction of the monoplane by which Lieutenant Warneford was de stroyed. Zeppelin exports are of opinion that it is highly efficient, owing to the quickness of ascending, while its_ construction facilitates observation dowmwardsand on both sides. NATIONAL SHELL FACTORY. LONDON, June 20. It has been decided to establish a national shell factory at Birmingham. AMERICAN MUNITIONS. ‘ LONDON, June 20. Mr Lloyd George has appointed Air D. A. Thomas, a coal-owner, to go to America and Canada to organise munitions conNEW YORK, June 20. The New York Herald states that German agents have been buying 12 per cent, of the ammunition manufactured at Hartford, 15 per cent, of the Bridgeport output, and 10 per cent, of the Waterbury output. It is presumed that somehow' these purchases are reaching their destination, as the agents continue to order more. The first shipment was sent to South America, and thence via Holland and Denmark. SERBIANS OCCUPY DURAZZO. ATHENS, June 20. It is reported that the Serbians have occupied Durazzo. Essad Pasha has fled towards Italy. [Essad Pasha was chosen by the Mohammedan insurgents in Albania as their leader, and on Prince William of Wicd’e flight he at one time aimed at the Crown.] ENEMY’S GALICIAN CAMPAIGN. LONDON, June 20. The Observer’s Petrograd correspondent says that the object of the Lemberg attack is to impress Rumania and Bulgaria. The German staff regards the position on Gallipoli Peninsula as a stalemate, as neither side is able to use more men within the space. The only danger would be if Rumania or Bulgaria wmre to intervene. MONTENEGRINS ACTIVE. ROME, June 21. The Montenegrins have occupied the heights of Tarabosch, their objective being Scutari. TOO MANY ENEMIES. LONDON, June 20. ‘‘Neutral Observer” writes in The Times ; “ Some Germans are beginning to wonder what is the matter with Germany, why- she has no friends, why everyone is trying to stab her to the heart, and why she cannot keep peace with nations hitherto neutral. Germany to-day has so many hatreds to cater for, and so many enemies to damn, that she is not equal to the task. “ There are signs indicating that a more sober spirit is replacing the ‘ Gott strafe’ fever. Every day reveals more outspoken criticism of Germany’s foreign policy. The man in the street is beginning faintly to

realise the wide gulf between Germany’s rights and the rights of other people. “ A well-defined cleavage is apparent over the Italian question. The Prussians feel that the Austro-Italian war does not concern them, while the Bavarians are enthusiastic over it. “ The Galician successes have elevated

the Austrians in German esteem, and have more closely cemented the Austro-German union. Henceforth German officers will act officially in all divisions of the AustroHungarian armies.” LONDON, June 20. Mr Asquith has announced that th» naval losses to the end of May are«

Officers—Killed, 50; wounded 85; missing, 49. Men —Killed, 433 ; wounded, 1862; missing, 2512 (including 1444 interned). WEEK-END CASUALTIES. LONDON, June 21. The casualties announced for the weekend totalled 4251, of whom 1129 were dead and 102 Argylls suffering from gas poisoning. GENERAL NEWS. LONDON, June 20. Stahl, a German reservist, declared that he saw guns on the Lusitania. This indicated perjury at New York. A German naval officer asserts that Germany has built two battleships of 26,000 tons, capable of steaming 25 knots an hour, and armed with 15in guns since August, besides 48 submarines, including 12 of 800 tons, with a speed of 15 knots submerged and 20 on the surface. Germans state that they sank the Granit because she carried a cargo of mine props, which is absolute contraband. A Berlin professor advocates the exclusion of foreigners from universities. Reprisals would be harmless, because foreign countries do not possess anything good enough for Germans. A Rhodes scholarship would be of no value, except to enable a German student to get sport and spend a large income. AMSTERDAM, June 20. The President of the Upper House of the Prussian Diet has repeatedly said : “ We must obtain a peace which will safeguard us against a repetition of the present attacks.” His belief was that no such peace is possible, and that the greater they emerge from the war the greater will be the endeavour of their adversaries to snatch away by a new coalition what they have gained. PARIS, June 20. Although the publication of the Berlin Exchange quotations is forbidden under a severe penalty, Le Matin has obtained a reliable comparison of prices. Prussian per cents., quoted in August, 1914, at 75L are now quoted at 59, while Imperial 4 per cents, have dropped from 95 to 64. Austrian 4§ per cent, stock has fallen from 95£ to 44. SUPPLYING IMPURE GOODS. SYDNEY, June 21. Under the Pure Foods Act, Francis Bolyson was to-day fined £lO for supplying adulterated coffee, allegedly containing 64 per cent, of chicory, for use by the troops, and £2 for giving a false certificate therewith. Bolyson pleaded guilty, and said he simply gave the order to another firm. The coffee was packed in bond under Government supervision. CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE GOVERNMENT. SYDNEY, June 21. Before the High Court to-day Arthur Kidman (contractor). Major F. W. Page (quartermaster-general of the military forces of New South Wales), Major A. G. O’Donnell (assistant director of supply and transport), and Sergeant E. Leslie (principal clerk acting under O’Donnell) were charged with conspiring amongst themselves and others between October 29 and May 8 last to defraud the commonwealth of large sums of money by charging excessively for goods for use by the armed forces of Australia. A point was raised that the Act under which the charges were laid came into operation only on May 7, and the prosecution was depending on the retrospective powers of the Act. Major Page pleaded not guilty. Counsel for the other defendants asked that the indictments might be quashed. The Chief Justice stated that the Full Bench of the High Court had been summoned for August 25 to deal with the question of the retrospective powers of the Act, and all the points raised would be reserved till after that sitting. The trial was accordingly adjourned till August 9. Arthur Kidman was also charged with forging on a tender the name “ C. Brown - ’ for the supply of goods to the military, with the intention of having the document accepted as genuine; An application to quash the indictment on the ground that the commonwealth had no power to deal with retrospective cases was refused, and in this case the hearing was fixed for to-morrow. CARE OF THE WOUNDED. EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT. REASSURING STATEMENTS SECURED. The Hon. James Allen (Minister of Defence) intimated last night that certain rumours had come to him, and he was afraid some, at least, of the public were giving too much credence to them, to the effect that the arrangements for the care of the wounded left something to be desired. Ho wished to make sure that everything was all right. He had given explicit instructions, and had given the military authorities permission to provide for all the necessities of the sick and wounded, and as regards comforts he had sent money from that which the public had subscribed and, in addition to that, when he got a telegram telling him that he wanted more he sent £IOOO. His Excellency the Governor had forwarded two telegrams for him . one to Sir John Maxwell, Cornmander-in-chief of the troops in Egypt, and the other to the officer commanding the base hospitals.

Sir John Maxwell’s reply was as follows ;—‘‘ln reply to the personal telegram, there is absolutely no truth in the rumour that has reached you. V e have ample accommodation in the hospital for the New Zealand sick and wounded. The Egyptian Army Hospital has been entirely handed over to New Zealanders, and there are at the prewar ► vnont many empty bods. The two S* . calami stationary hospitals sent by you to Egypt are shortly arriving. Patients are not sent to convalescent camps until they no longer require hospital treatment. They remain in those camps until they are . fit to go to the front. The socalled convalescent camps are, wherever possible, large airy buildings.” The officer commanding the New Zealand base hospitals at Alexandria replied as follows : “AU the hospital ships are met by Chaplain-captain Green, myself, or both. Each hospital here is visited at least weekly by Green, and frequently by New Zealand officers. Each man in the hospital receives complete shaving equipment, writing material, and toothbrush. Cigarettes, tobacco, and fruit are distributed regularly. In addition, motor orderlies are sent through the hospitals daily distributing mails, weekly papers, and taking orders for extras to the amount of 2s or 3s weekly. Cablegrams are delivered by motors as soon as practicable, and replies are sent when requested. Treatment of New Zealanders is held up as an example and is being copied. The hospitals, are splendidly conducted, the staff is efficient, and most attentive. The local residents and the Red Cross organisations are most helpful. Consider that everything possible is being done.”