WORKERS AND MUNITIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 17

WORKERS AND MUNITIONS.

SELLING IRON ORE TO GERMANY. LONDON, Juno 14. A sensation has been caused in Glasgow by the trial of Robert Irvingdale and Henry Wilson, partners in the well-known firm of Jacks and Co., iron merchants, for selling to Krupps 7500 tons of iron ore stored at Rotterdam during August and September, 1914. Mr Bonar Law was at one time a partner in Jacks and Co. ORGANISING INDUSTRIES. LONDON, June 14. The President of tire Board of Trade (Mr

Runciman), in the House of Commons, said the coal miners were working an average of 5.64 days a week. The Socialists have issued a manifesto calling for national industrial mobilisation. The manifesto says the motto must he “All in.” STRIKE OF WELSH MINERS. LONDON, June 15. Five thousand miners at the Merthyr Rhondda collieries have struck work as a protest against the employment of nonunionists. COTTON MILLS DISPUTE. LONDON, June 15. A section of the Cotton Manufacturers’ Association has accepted the Board of Trade’s intervention in the dispute with the employees. AUSTRALIAN INTENTIONS. MELBOURNE, June 15. Many additional offers of assistance in the production of munitions have been made by engineers and metal-working firms. A member of the committee appointed to investigate the question states that an important development may be expected in a few days. WAR BILLS. LONDON, June 14. The Finance Bill was read a second time in the House of Commons without debate. Mr M'Kenna, on the second reading of the Finance Bill to provide for the quarter’s expenditure, foreshadowed some form of borrowing shortly. A fresh vote of £250,000,000, asked for to-day, brings the total up to £862,000,000 since the outbreak of the war. THE GREEK ELECTIONS. ATHENS, June 15. M. Gounaris (Premier) has been reelected, but supporters of M. Venizelos secured the remaining 15 seats in his division. SIR E. GREY VINDICATED. AMSTERDAM, June 15. Herr Maximilian Harden (who some time ago bitterly attacked Great Britain in connection with the war), in an article in his paper. Die Zukunft, seriously reviews the reconstruction of the British Cabinet. He says that Britain has at last awakened, never to slumber again except in death. He warns the Germans against underestimating and misunderstanding her enemies. He insists that Sir Edward Grey did not promote the war, but rather strove for peace. SUGGESTION OF PEACE. AMSTERDAM, June 15. The Tagebiatt suggests the formation of a special Committee of Foreign Affairs, with an advisory board, composed of former Foreign Secretaries, Ambassadors, and Consuls, and adds: “ Our diplomacy must do its utmost to bring a speedy peace; above all, to prevent further additions to the ranks of our enemies.” GENERAL NEWS. LONDON, June 14. The verdict at the inquest on the minelayer Princess Irene’s victims was that death was due to an explosion whereof the cause was not explained, though the explosion is believed to have been accidental. Holland proposes to construct two cruisers, four submarines, and six seaplanes. A remarkable pastoral letter by the Car-dinal-archbishop of Cologne has been read in all the churches of the diocese. It states that nothing on earth is more terrible than war, especially such, a war as the present. Prayers are eagerly desired that peace may soon be granted to the storm-tossed world. AMSTERDAM, June. 14. The Zeppelin destroyed in the Evere hangar has been identified as LZ3B. June 15. An Austrian official report claims that the Russian front is broken east-south-east of Jaroslav, and the enemy was forced to retreat. “The Italians have nowhere pierced our front on the Isonzo.” BUCHAREST, June 14. The Austrians have landed at San Giovanni and distributed rifles, machine guns, ammunition, and money. Combined Austrian and Albanian forces are advancing towards the Serbian rear and menacing their Montenegrin communications. FIGHTING IN NIGERIA. LONDON, June 15. An Anglo-French force in Nigeria attacked Garia, an important German station on the Benue River, on May 31, and the town surrendered on June 11. DE WET’S TRIAL. LONDON, June 15. De Wet’s witnesses testified that the burghers did not intend to rebel against the King. The rising was simply a protest against the German South-West Africa campaign. AUSTRALIAN ITEMS. SYDNEY, June 15. The Chamber of Manufacturers resolved to advise employers to give preference of employment to returned soldiers wherever possible. MELBOURNE, June 15. The libel action brought by the Vacuum Oil Company against the Ago newspaper,

for stating that the company is run by. German capital, has been settled, t/h? defendants unreservedly withdrawing th( statements complained of. HIGH COMMISSIONER’S CABLES. LONDON, June 15 (1.55 a.m.). Army casualties : —Men—killed 663, wounded 2070, gas killed 1, gas poisoned 28, missing 410, prisoners 51; officers — killed 8, wounded 32, gas poisoned 2. Dardanelles :—Navy : Men—killed 30, wounded 140.