SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 16, 27 February 1917, Page 4

SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR.

DURING the past week a comparative lull has to be recorded on all fronts. It is probably the lull that proceeds big events, for it seems almost certain, with improving weather conditions, that a tremendous clash of arms will occur at the Western front very shortly. The concern which was felt at the sensational shipping losses during the first few days of super-frightfulness by German submarines has given place to indifference, for the daily toll of boats sunk has already almost dwindled to normal war conditions. This special effort to starve Great Britain, notwithstanding the recent heavy losses, has not so far made any material difference to the sailings between neutral and allied ports. The general shortage of tonnage now being felt in England has been caused more through supplying the requirements of the Allies and the Dominions than by the activity of submarines. The drastic curtailments in imports, which Mr Lloyd George states will be necessary to ensure the safety of the food supply, will no doubt affect New Zealand imports to some extent. The President of the Reichstag, just opened, reiterated Germany’s intention, to continue her ruthless submarining policy, even though a rupture with America sooner or later is almost certain to result. He said Germany and her allies were taking refuge in a weapon which would be employed unrestrictedly till the defence of their independence and freedom had been attained. Looks as though this was the enemy’s last card, and the president’s words are practically an admission of this fact. Recent information through neutral sources show that the food problem of the Central Empires is becoming more acute every week.

THE patriotic spirit of the British women in this time of national crisis is finely illustrated by a sample of their shipbuilding, which was recently at Port Chalmers. The vessel in question is a new cargo carrier of about 7000 tons, which was built on the Clyde. The hull was principally built by women, who, attired in masuline garments, did the plating, not hesitating to, mount the stages and clinch the rivits on the vessel’s top sides. The males employed consisted of boys ■ and old men of nonwar age. Eor the shipbuilding work women were paid a wage - of about two guineas a week, and as this was higher than the rate for experienced mechanics, the unions protested, and some difficulty was experienced in that respect when the women took to shipbuilding some little time after the war started. Women are said to be doing the bulk of the shipbuilding work in the Clyde yards. Great numbers of women are also employed munition making in the Clyde district, and their wages, it is stated, amount to 28s per week to start with, and certain increments later on.

IN one of the large munition factories in England, where 1000 women are employed, each is provided with a cap and rubber gloves as a protection against the effects of the chemicals that are used in the manufacture of explosives. A letter recently received from a visitor to the factory states that, notwithstanding the protection afforded by the caps, the hair of the whole 1000 workers has been turned a bright red through the action of the chemicals.