THE POSITION IN GREECE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 14

THE POSITION IN GREECE.

The news from Athens is contradictory, as usual. One despatch states that King Constantino's health is worse, and ho will have to undergo another operation, while a message to The Times declares tiiat tho King is supporting a campaign of terror, brutality, outrage, and pillage. Tho Venezelist Government is said to bo making arrests as reprisals. The islands of Naxos, los, and Thera have announced their adherence to the Venizelist cause.

A message dated the 27th ult. states that the Greek Government is satisfactorily fulfilling tho Allies' demands, and has consented to liberate the imprisoned Venizelists.

Tho .Foreign Affairs Committee of tho French Chamber of Deputies has announced that it has received information fixing tho responsibility on King Constantino and the Greek Staff for tho events on December 1, and demonstrating the necessity for energetic action. The Italian Minister has handed the Government Note demanding reparation for tho events of December 1 and 2, and containing other demands. A telegram from Salonika states that the Greek division which surrendered to the Bulgarians at Kavala has received orders from King Constantino, through the Kaiser, to proceed to tho Balkans and fight tho Allies.

The Petit Parisian reports that two men were passing Toplane Arensal on Christmas morning', when one dropped a parcel. There was a loud explosion, and windows were smashed within 100 yards. The bearer of the parcel was killed. Papers in his- possession suggest that ho was commissioned to perpetrate an outrage upon M. Venizelos. The Greek Government has presented a Note to the Entente Powers requesting the raising of the blockade.