EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14589, 26 April 1918, Page 3

EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.

NEGOTIATIONS- WTTH TURKEY,

"BARBED WIRJE DISEASE."

'Australian and N.Z., Cable Association.?

a LONDON, April ' 24. Mr. Hope, m the House of Commons, announced that an agreement bas been ratified witli Turkey which provides for the repatriation of all British, invalid prisoners irrespective of rank. A thousand will, be repatriated immediately. (Received April 26, 8.45 a.ni.) • j LONDON, April 25. 'Lord Newton, m the House of Lords, said he had b 1 een " for twelve . months endeavoring to arrange for the exchange of prisoners from Turkey, which was extremely proud to hold European prisoners, and was loth to exchange them. Moreover the prisoners were a sourcs of profit to the Turks, who wore aware that their prisoners wero well treated m our hands .

A whole-. 1 battle was fought round the name of ono Turk, whom Turkey was anxious to get back. Turkish delegates made wild) claims regarding the number of British prisoners. We. calculated that Turkey holds about ■ eight thousand. : . The ■ delegates '. insisted „ that ..- plain instead of barbed wire, should be placed round 1 the camps. of Turkish .prisoners! Somebody hadi- apparently ■ read m the papers of "Barbed wire disease," which was really a nervous breakdown. The Turks thought, it )ref erred to a disease due to barbed 1 wire. It is the first time a joke has appeared m an international document , , - ■ ■ ■ : / ■ -.\ ■ I