THE ITALIAN FRONT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3330, 9 January 1918, Page 15

THE ITALIAN FRONT.

Italian official messages state: We drove back patrols in Gindicarie and Hugarina Valleys, and had successful minor engagements on the Asiago Plateau. Wo forced the enemy to evacuate an aviation camp at Conegliano, and destroyed four footbridges at the roar of Zeuson Bend. After intense artillery preparation on the Monte Tomba sector tho French stormed positions between Os'fceria Dimofenera and Maranzino and firmly held them. They took prisoner 44 officers and 1348 men, and captured 60 machine guns, seven cannon, and other material. British and Italian batteries and airmen co-operated. Owing to our energetic pressure since December 27, tho enemy have abandoned their bridgehead at Zenson, and crossed to 'the left (east) bank of the .Piave, suffering heavy losses. Wo now hold the whole of the Zenson bend. The enemy bombed Viccnza, Bassano, Castel Franco, and Treviso, 18 persons being _ killed and 44 wounded. Our batteries dispersed an enemy column in 'the Serino Valley. ITALY'S BECOVERY. General Diaz, in an interview, expressed his satisfaction at tho discipline and bravery of the Italians since tho retreat. During tho recent furious fighting they in some places fell back 500 yards, but solidly entrenched on new lines. He praised the concord of tho Italian and Allied troops, and said that if tho Italian people accepted similar discipline victory would not be lacking. The Beichspost (Vienna) states that the Austro-German artillery at the front was no longer superior to the Italians. In two months they readjusted tho balance, bringing up enormous numbers of guns of all calibres. They have thousands of guns on the sector between tho Asiago and tho Piave alone. Mr Julius Price reports from tho Italian front: "In tho shallow valley between the French and Austrian lines in tho Monto Tomba _ region _ the Austrians brought up a piekeci division, expecting an onslaught. After several hours' bombardment the French, with loud hurrahs, scrambled over the parapet and charged

down the enow-clad slope. The Austrians immediately opened a tremendous barrage against the figures silhouetted on the snowy background. The Frenchmen, with their downhill impetus, carried on up the slope, and there was hand-to-hand fighting along the whole line; but the issue was never in doubt." An official cable message from Rome states that all tillable land has been requisitioned, and will bo distributed among the people. The Government will defray the cost of cultivation and utilise tho produce during the war. The civil population has been mobilised for work in war industries. Le Matin publishes an interview wi'th tho Italian Finance Minister, who stated that 4,320,000 Italians, allowing for reduction by losses, were now in the field. Continued concentration of the Aus'troGermans, who are massing artillery behind the Brenta and the Piavo, presages a great offensive.