Late News.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 21, 15 March 1918, Page 3

Late News.

Germany and Austria intend to work the Roumanian oilfields.

America is lending Britain forty million pounds.

America is going to send another division of fighters to France at once.

British airmen have visited Germany and raided the town of Coblenz.

The shipbuilding employers and owners of ship-yards in the Old Country have offered local support in order to secure the largest output of ships. Arrangements for “Red Triangle Day” to-day in Wellington are practically completed and everything promises well for a most successful period of activity. There has been already nearly £15,000 subscribed. At the adjourned inquest held at Ohakunc yesterday on Peter Larsen, who was killed at Karioi on 24th February, a verdict was returned that deceased died from injuries to his head inflicted by a person at present unknown.

At the Magistrate’s Court John Robertson was charged with the murder of Peter Larsen at Karioi on 24th February. After several witnesses had given their evidence the accused, asked if he had anything to say, in an almost inaudible voice said “no,” and was committed to the Supreme Court sitting at Wanganui on 27th May. A Greymouth message states that Mr P. C. Webb has telegraphed to the labour unions on the West Coast to take no industrial action on account of his military affairs. He will battle his trouble as a matter of principle “on his own.” The district court-martial to try him on the charge of disobeying the lawful command given by his superior officer will sit at Trentham Camp at 11.30 this (Friday) morning. At Fielding yesterday, before Mr L. G. Reid, S.M., Michael Rowan, Simon McGrail, and James Egan were charged with assaulting George Frederick Stockwell, and Rupert McKee was charged with attempting to assault Leslie Wain. All the cases arose out of> Mr Howard Elliott’s meeting. Mr Cooper applied for the dismissal of the charges against Egan and McGrael on the ground that there was no evidence that they were present at the time of the assault. The Magistrate held that there was evidence of intention to assault on the part of three of the accused, and he would send them to the Supreme Court for trial. In regard to McKee, charged with attempting to assault Wain, that was not an indictable offence and he would dismiss the charge without prejudice. M. Pichon, Minister in France for Foreign Affairs, said that Japan’s hour has struck. We may expect she will fulfil her duty with rareness and loyalty. Japan is destined to play a foremost role in preventing Russia being wiped off the map.” The War Cabinet in their history of 1917 show the whole character of the war has gradually changed since last year, showing a complete transformation of the British administration and organisation regarding the submarine warfare. The document frankly admits that if the enemy had been able to maintain the rate of sinking reached in February last year the military operations of the Allies would have been largely paralysed. The Navy, however, triumphed.