GENERAL NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17816, 21 August 1916, Page 5

GENERAL NEWS

£OBJ> DERBY’S ASSUSASCE - OFTESEITE GOING WEU (By Telegraph—Prtes Assn. —Copyright) (Australian Sc N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, August 19. Received August 20, 5.5 p.rn. Lord Derby, in a speech at Southport, said they could take it from him that high military authorities were absolutely satisfied with the way the offensive was going. There was not the least doubt that the war was turning gradually in our favour, but we must not be Impatient. They would not find the old political parties antagonistic after the war, but there would be a central party determined to erect greater Industries than ever. NECESSARY PRECAUTION LONDON, August 19. Received August 20, 5.5 p.m. . An Order-in-Council empowers the Board of Trade to obtain information as to whether goods of any description are being held to the prejudice of national Interest This will prevent cornering supplies. AUSTRIAN BRUTAIITT BERNE, August 19. Received August 20, 5.5 p.m. A wireless message states that Austrian military authorities, with cynical brutality, are exhibiting moving pictures of the execution of Battlatl, from the pinioning of his hands until the body is riddled with bullets. This is intended to strike terror into malcontents, and demonstrates the penalty for opponents of the war. rMawtiwWßit ACHIEVES SOHOVBS PARIS. August 19. Received August 20, 5J> p.m, Garpentfer has been twice mentioned in orders of the day, and has been recommended for a military medal. The famous aviator, Lieut, Bonnier, who flew from Paris to Cairo, has been killed on the Russian front. FRENCH PRISON CAMPS aESKJUsr testxmohzai. ZURICH, August 19. Received August 20, 5.5 p.m. < A German lawyer, released after an internment of 18 months at six different camps in Prance, says that the conditions are excellent There was neither harshness nor unnecessary restrictions, especially at Corsica, where Almost complete liberty was allowed. NORWEGIAN Fisa: EXPORTS COPENHAGEN, August 19, Received August 20, 5.5 p.m. Norway has prohibited the export of fish, but grants licenses for England and Germany regulating the supply by the quantities of coal, petrol, oil, etc., given to Norwegian fishing boats in return. ARMENIAN HORRORS ' AMERICAN EVXDEHUE HEW TURK, August 19. Received August 20, 7£ pan. Or Barton, chairman of tbs Armenian Relief rmmmr tefcee, relates that terrible honors were suffered by Armenians at Meskaue. Thousands were without food, except roasted grass, locusts, dogs. Six hundred wore compelled to move from place to place until an perished. Preachers from Sepkaomtab state that the Government investigation showed that panents frequently killed and sometimes ate their children. WOMEN’S VOTE COHXSO LONDON. August 19. Received August 20, 5.5 pjn. Mr J. W. Grulland (M.P.), replying to a Scottish women’s suffrage deputation, said it was only a matter of time when women would receive a vote. They might consider women’s suffrage practically safe. Telegrams.) LONDON, August 13. Received August 20, 5.5 pan. Mr Gnlland is reported to have told the suffrage deputation that there had recently been a great advance in the attitude of the Government towards women’s suffrage and the enfranchisement of women was practically certain but for a lot of old-fashioned prejudice in Parliament. He advised women to refrain from agitation at present. NEUTRAL subjects. A 6SBXUT PROPOSAL. BERNE, August 19. Received August 20, 5.5 p.m. Count Revcntlow, who is regarded as the arch-apostle of frightfulness, demands that Americans and other neutrals taken prisoner while fighting with the Allies be shot summarily as FrancTi rears. AUSTRIAN BOSSES. 830yi000 m TWO MOUTHS. BERNE, August 19, Received Anguat 20, 5.5 p.m, it ts estimated that the Austrian June and July losses total 830,000 GERMANS BREAK PAROLE. auia op tin jJEßSX&ruuusro. WASHINGTON, August 19. Received August 20, 5.5 p.m. A White Book reveals that nine German officers and sailors, who escaped from interned warships, have not been traced. Two have been caught, and one is a prisoner in Scotland. Two have reached Germany. The second officer of the Prinxe Eitel Frederick was allowed on parole to visit Niagara, and did not return. Lieutenant Koch violated Ms parole and the British arrested him aboard a Danish ship. Six officers escaped in a yacht in October, 1915, and have not been found. Air Lansing protested to Count Bernstorff stating that the giving of parole would be discontinued, and pointing out that in the Russo-Japanese war parolebreakers were returned. Count Bemstorff replied that tin- officers were not sufficiently instructed regarding the pledge and did not think themselves guilty of a breach of honour. Mr Lansing replied that he must assume til at the officers understood the meaning of parole. He asserted that Kroneck was supplied with money to purchase the yacht in which others escaped. Mr Tensing emphasised that means must be taken to prevent a repetition by redoubling vigilance. EXPORTS TO SWEDEN BARRED. LONDON, August 19. Received August 39, 5.5 p.m. The prohibition of exports to Sweden is _

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. COMMITTEE’S CRITICISM. LONDON, August 19. Received August 20, 0.0 p.m. The Public Accounts Committee’s report on 1914-1915 criticises the extravagant payment for billeting, waste of ' rations, and the large commissions paid to brokers. The naval deficit is 151,751,000; and the army deficit is £211,867,000. The Ministry of Munitions has effected substantial reductions in prices, despite the increased cost of labour and materials, by compelling contractors to supply statements of manufacturing costs, and exercising requisitionary powers. The committee regrets that the Admir-. alty did not possess a similar system before the war for breaking contractors' rings. Only now' were they slowly introducing the system. The Government had effected a saving of £3,000,000 annually in sandbags alone by taking over the jute trade. £40,000 had been lost in tbe purchase of unsuitable horses in Ireland. Inferior animals were supplied in substitution of those bought. The Army Council's refusal to reconsider until the end of the war the system of paying retired and active-service pay to retired officers rejoining tbe service involves a cost of £700,000 annually. Civil servants and naval officers do not enjoy a similar concession. Tbe cost of huts for troops, hospital patients, and horses amounted to £24,500,000. COPRA RESTRICTIONS. WASHINGTON, August 19. Received August 2<k 5.5 p.m. Mr Lansing has been officially notified that Britain has removed all restrictions on the shipment of copra from British possessions to the United States. QUID PRO QUO. HOME, -August 19. Received August 20, 5.5 pm. A wireless message states that Greek newspapers urge the Government to seize German steamers to replace the fourteen Greek ships that have been torpedoed. I son CROSSES BBOBSAOS 07 HATXBZAL LONDON, August 18. Received August 19, 5.5 pm. There is a crisis in Germany's manufacture. of iron crosses owing to the shortage of silver, of which the crosses are partly composed- The Government has ordered silversmiths to secure the metal privately. Germany's meat shortage RABBITS AT £1 LONDON, August 18. Received August '.O, 5.5 pm. There have been riots at SchleswigHolstein in consequence of dealers charging a sovereign each for rabbits. The police, after man - had been injured, seized the rabbits and sold them for six shillings. They arrested the dealers. GERMA TTY’S IrJSSES LONDON, August 18. Received August 19, 5.5 pm. Over three million casualties are now officially admitted by Germany. war zrncDS LONDON, August 18. Received August 19, 5.5, p.m. The Prince of Wales Fund now totals nearly £6,000,000, more than half of which has been distributed. The Kitchener Fund is now over £230,000. SOT.BIRRS’ T.XARTI.TTIES LONDON, August 18. Received August 19, 5.5 p.m. There have been sixty-five thousand claims for assistance under the Government scheme to relieve soldiers of civil liabilities. This is far less that was anticipated by the Government, and half the claims have already been met. Tbe average grant is £l7 10/-. XXQmm RESTRICTIONS CLZIUi WORKERS OBJECT LONDON, August 19, Received August 20, 5.5 pm. The Clyde trades have sent a deputation to the Hon. H. J. Tennant against further liquor restrictions in Glasgow, including the closing of hotels at 9 o’clock on Saturday night until Tuesday morning, declaring that such a 0011.736 would probably cause strikes. Mr . Tennant promised to consult Mr Asquith. TREATMENT 07 SSISOHERS WASHING TO GERMANY (The Times.! LONDON, August 20. Received August 21, 12.45 a.m. Viscount Grey lias requested America to warn Germany that if contrary to agreement non-commissioned officer prisoners continue to be deprived of recreations and other privileges for refusing to volunteer for work other than that of supervisors, we will be compelled to retaliate. Viscount Grey emphasises the fact that American Embassy representatives report that British prisoners in Germany are on meagre rations, and in some Instances the food is not fit for consumption. BOTHA A77EAX.B TOR MEH JOHANNESBURG. August 20. Received August 20, 6.2 pm. General Botha appealed to recruiting committees to redouble their efforts in order to shorten the East African campaign, and also because tbe Imperial Government is anxious that the overseas brigade should be reinforced after General Smuts' requirements have been supplied. THE SLATE BAH) AH AMERICAN’S INVHSTRrATIOH NEW YORK, August 20. 1 Received August 30, 11 p.m. The Times’ correspondent, Cyril Brown, writing from Sedan, says: "I am told that 22,000 French civilians, men, women, youths, ’and young girls, evicted from Lille, Roubalx, and Tourcoing, were distributed chiefiy in the-Champagne district. I visited the evicted civilians at Sedan and thirteen other villages. An officer stated that 2000 had been sent back because they were evicted through a mistake. He said that the difficulty of feeding the masses caused the action, but 1 am inclined to believe it was done) to relieve non-military pressure of work on strategic railroads, also because of the necessity for obtaining workers to gather the bountiful harvest in Northern France. The military commander in the Sedan district related how he solved the problem of housing 700 people by a cottage system of 12 to 16 people to each bouse. The men and women were kept separate unless married, and girls were placed in the care of married folk. Immoral women were segregated near the Belgian border where there are no troops.’’