GENERAL NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 17935, 29 January 1917, Page 5

GENERAL NEWS

THE DOMINION’S VIEWS REGARDING FATE OF GERMAN COLONIES. PLAIN STATEMENT BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, January 27. Received January 28, 5 p.m. A striking feature of the Australian corroboree in the Connaught Rooms was Sir Joseph Ward's declaration as to the Dominion's views in regard to afterwar conditions. It was the first public utterance regarding the fate of German, colonies, and was loudly cheered. Sir Joseph Ward described, himself as a born Australian and a young New Zealander. Not only were Australians and New Zealanders engaged in the titanic struggle with the troops of Britain, India, Canada, South Africa, and the Islands of the Pacific, but what could be finer than the feeling to-day between Australia and New Zealand and the other dominions. It would certainly cement them together stronger than ever, and would result in a more united Empire. We had the greatest confidence that the common sense of the peoples of the Empire would be superior to any differences. Australians and New Zealanders are kith and kin. They would never be content with a reversion to pre-war conditions, than which there could not be a greater mistake. “I saw with regret that the magnificent Entente Note to President Wilson did not refer to captured German territories. Australia and New Zealand, whose blood had won the colonies in the Pacific, were determined they would never go back to the enemy. The Dominions are proudly and determinedly in co-operation with the Motherland, to which they are indebted for the unequalled effort of raising five million soldiers. We shall not allow anybody, not even President Wilson, to suggest our peace terms. The men who fought, and the women behind them, are alone entitled to arrange peace when the right moment arrives. The Dominions are confident that those responsible for the government of Britain will see that victory brings sure peace, and will thereafter consider with the Dominions a scheme of Empire management. Although the present free system was beneficial to development unity would tend to the greater solidarity of the Empire, rcstfmulatlng the worldwide affection for our flag as the flag of power and justice.” THE BELGIAN SLAVE BAXES. AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE. A HARROWING STORY OF CRUELTY AND SUFFERING. LONDON, January 27. Received January 28, 5 p.m. The Belgian Government has secured the first authentic narratives in regard to the slave raids from Ghent. The narratives show that the men were marched to the station between troops in midNovember, and herded 1 into waggons. They travelled without food all night, and the only food they got in twentyeight hours was a bowl of rice-broth. Then they wore marched in the darkness to a farm, and 650 were herded, into bams and stables, where they slept on straw placed on the bare ground. It was only on the third day that they got boards on which to sleep. Half of the deportees were exhausted by the Journey, and as the quarters were not heated one victim collapsed on the first day, and nearly died from the cold. After a meal of bread and cheese and rice-broth they went foodless for another twenty-four hours, and at five o'clock in the morning a bugle call summoned the men to work. They were so worn out by hunger and fatigue that they refused, and the order was postponed for two hours, when half the number agreed to work. They were given picks and shovels, but saw German military prisoners working ahead, and refused to go further, pointing out that they had been promised proper food and lodging, and not to be employed on war work. The men were marched back to the farm, and later when the deportees again refused to work, an officer informed the pioneers’ commander. The latter ordered the Belgians to begin. They refused, and two German officers rode into the Belgians whipping them, while the soldiers kicked them. The German commander began parleying without success, and then ordered twenty soldiers to load and present arms. Some of the Belgians, overcome by fear, yielded and the rest followed. Work began under the most unhealthy conditions. Their clothes were drenched with rain, and they had no means of drying them. They became weaker every day. They ate raw cabbages and raw potatoes, and were glad to cook a hedgeliog. The weak fell exhausted, and the strongest sickened. Complaints of the cold and hunger were unheeded, despite repeated promises. The men grew seriously 111, and every day their comrades died in tireless, bedless, stables. These sufferings lasted a week, when the Germans, evidently realising that It was useless to employ men In such a condition, allowed them to return home. They arrived at Ghent after journeying for 28 hours without food or drink. WHAT THE KAISER CONTEMPLATES ECONOMIC FEDERATION OF XdS ALLIES. LONDON, January 27. Received January 28, 5 p.m. Newspapers forecast that the Kaiser contemplates at a birthday gathering the establishment of an economic federation of all his allies for the war period under German hegemony. AN APPOINTMENT CONFIRMED. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Assn Sc Renter) PETROGRAD, January 27, Received January 28, 5 p.m. The appointment of General Sazanoff. as Ambassador at London, is officially announced. CHARTERING FOREIGN TONNAGE. LONDON, January 27. Received January 28, 5 p.m. After a conference between the Government and shipbrokers and charterers, arrangements were reached in regard to the chartering of foreign tonnage. BRITISH AGRICULTURE. FLANS FOB INCREASED PRODUCTION. (Australian A N.Z. Cable Assn & Reuter) LONDON, January 27, Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. Official: A committee, representative of agriculturalists, has been appointed to advise the Board of Agriculture in connection with the increased production of food and to be a special department on the latter question, to co-ordi-nate the work of country committees, and to serve as a counting house in meeting requests for labour, fertilisers, etc. Farmers are making increased efforts in relation to the harvest of 1917, and plans are being prepared for increased production for 1918. KAZSER SAID TO BE ANXIOUS TO REDUCE WAR CRUELTIES. PARIS, January 26. Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. Lc Matin's correspondent at the British front states that an officer, who was taken prisoner during a recent raid, declared that the Germans never discharged asphyxiating gas without special authorisation from the Kaiser, who is anxious to reduce to a minimum war cruelties. German generals deplored the Kaiser’s mildness, alleging that the Entente’s troops began the practice. GERMAN VESSEL BLOWN UF. BERNE, June 26. Received January 28, 6.6 p.m. Two German officers state that the cruiser Bremen, of 3260 tons, suffered from an explosion In the Kiel canal, which caused the destruction of the ship and the crow, and damaged two other ■ vessels whleh were near by-

THE DABSAHHUSBS COMMIBSIOH. OPINIONS EVENLY IUYIAED. LONDON, January 27. Deceived January 28, 5.5 p.m. It is understood that the opinions of members of the Dardanelles Commission are pretty evenly divided, and it is questionable if it will issue any report before the conclusion of the war, although a draft of the interim report has been already prepared. This covers an investigation regarding the responsibility of the high command for the initiation of the campaign. The Commission is now inquiring into later phases of the military operations on the Peninsula. THE ATTSTBO-BULG-AHIAN AGREEMENT. PARIS, January 26. Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. The Berliner Tageblatt’s correspondent at Vienna states that the Austro-Bul-garian agreement modifies the old contract in Hungary’s favour and reduces Hungary’s share in the monarchy’s expenses from 36% to 34 per cent. It modifies the customs tariffs, giving an advantage to Hungarian agriculturalists. Hungarian securities will be admitted on the Vienna Stock Exchange. A PBEITCH DECREE. 1 two course nnraHßS. PARIS, January 26. Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. A decree limits meals in restaurants and hotels to two courses after February 15th. A PROJECTED VISIT. AMSTERDAM, January 26. Received January" 28, 5.5 p.m. The Austrian Emperor and his Foreign Minister will visit the German headquarters on the Kaiser’s birthday. BRITISH NATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME, LONDON, January 27. Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. Mr Chamberlain’s national service scheme operates almost immediately. ..The semi-official details follow closely on the lines already cabled. Men and volunteers will only be taken at present as wanted, principally munition, coalmines, shipbuilding, transport, and agriculture workers. A standard rate is to be paid, and the age limits are from eighteen to sixty years, and men will go wherever they are required. NEW ENEMY METHODS. OF OBTAINING INFORMATION. MELBOURNE, January 28. Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. Senator Pearce utters a warning against the enemy’s new methods of endeavouring to obtain information regarding the financial and political circumstances of the Dominions. Letters have been intercepted from a German woman, using the nom de plume of Mrs Stuart Crostur, from an hotel in Switzerland, to influential people in the various dominnkms, seeking Information as to conditions and work. CONSCRIPTION OF WEALTH. CONTRIBUTIONS TO LOAN AN ALTERNATIVE. LONDON, January 27. Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. Lord Rhondda (Minister for Local Government), in a speech at Newport, said that he considered that the Government would be justified in conscripting the entire wealth and property, as well as the manhood, of the country. That was unnecessary at present, but it would be only avertable by voluntary contributions to the loan. A SEVERE WINTER. BERNE* January 27. Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. The cold in Germany and Austria is intense. There have been forty-one deaths due to cold in Munich in six days. The winter in Switzerland is far more severe than usual. POLITICAL CRISIS ZH AUSTRIA. BERNE, January 27. Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. The Tribune’s correspondent at Geneva learns officially that the Emperor Karl will dissolve the Reschstrath and order a general election. THE BRITISH MOSEY MARKET. COUNTRY OVERFLOWING WITH MONEY. SOME INTERESTING FIGURES. LONDON, January 26. Received January 28, 5.5 p.m. Sir H. Holden, M.P., at a meeting of the London City and Midland Bank, said that the country was overflowing with money. The credit at the Bank of England before the war was £40,000,000, and this credit had increased to £145,000,000 by the end of 1916. It was essential that all holders of Treasury Bills convert at least half of them into the war loan. This meant that £500,000,000 would not become payable, and would be equivalent to subscribing £500,000,000 of new money. Large profits were being made in consequence of the high prices of commodities, and much of the profits was being used in the purchase of Treasury Bills. These large sums were not required. After the war it would be Impossible to find remunerative employment for the bank's large holdings and deposits. Then money would flow out of the banks and go into securities, which would rise in price. German notes totalled £801,000,000 and the British had issued £165,000,000. In Germany the percentage of goid was 15.7, while ours was 22 per cent. During the war we bad sent America £215,000,000 in gold. The American banking system required a fixed reserve of 15 per cent., and to cover loans on that basis we were entitled to loan £1,400,000,000, of which the Allies received £430,000,000.