AWFUL LOSSES

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 244, 18 November 1914, Page 7

AWFUL LOSSES

ENEMY KILLED IN DROVES

. To-day's cables show that there has not been a great deal of alteration In regard to the operations of the Allies in Belgium and Northern Prance. The Germana have been violently bombarding Dixmude, Nieuport and Ypres, but have been held in check at all points. lii the Argonrie district the Allies are reported to have mado very substantial progress. - .... • The Russians have invested portion of Cracow, which is m names, and the inhabitants .The retreating Germans have . destroyed and bridges in wholesale fashion, hampering the Russian pursuit. The Germans claim to have achieve success against the Russians - in another region, and violent battles are now ragiiig. A. German tiruiser of 17,00(j tons, which put into a Nor- • • wegian port on Monday, has been disarmed. Fighting against the Turks and Kurds, the Russians, have been en- : tirely successful, and it is reported that thousands of Arabs have taken the field against the Turks, while several frontier tribes are said to favour the Russian cause. • > <-■ De W6t is to have been wounded, and it is reported that he is , losing.his influence with the rebels. The Italian Ambassadors to various Powers have been summoned to Rome for a conference with the King. v

By Cable. —Preu Association.-,—Copyright

VIOLENT: BOMBARDMENTS. GERMAN WORKS DEMOLISHED. ' FURTHER REPULSE AT THE AISNE. ■ , '. . (Received November 18, 10,25 a.m.) . PARIS, November. 17. - A communique states:—The Germans have violently bombarded Nieuport, Dixmude, and Ypres. Our artillery prevented the Germans from completing #orks to the of' Dixmiide, in •Ortler s tO: prevent inundations. The trepches l been floofed,; and the ;' • 1 Ctermatos have evacuated. thenK German attacks' t6 the south of Bixschbote' and Ypres have failed. IVe have, progressed.; . between Bixschoote and the Yser Canal. The artillery contest from Armentieres to La BapsSe has-been particularly vio- - lent." .The Germans, 'in endeavouring to r - eross the Aisne, near Vailly, were destroyed or repulsed. «;- f In .the Argonne we exploded a number of German trenches by means of - • mines, and have advanced at several points south of Verdun. We have seized portion of Chauvoncourt, which was the sole , point d 'appui held by the Germans-on the left bank of the Meuse in this region. ' AROUND DIXMUDE. FRENGi!: REINFORCEMENTS • > -V . -ARRIVE, -v' PROGRESS IN THE ARGONNE. . (Received November 18, 9 a.m.) : - • PARIS, November 17. , The Allies' counter-attack in the Dixmude district is progressing. Fresh ■i French troops have been strengthening some ,of the weak points, and somei Bel- ' gian troops, all of whom have been flght- ; iiig heroically, have been sent to Paris, and French troops substituted. . It is semi-oflicially stated that the fight- . ing in the Argonne has not appreciably ,/ . varied during the past two months; Some of the trenches are only 50 yards apart, arid all the expedients of siege warfare have been practised. The German losses greatly exceed those of the French. The statement concludes: "We occupy the district around Verdun, and have gradually, advanced from five to 10 kilometres beyond the line we held a month - ago." '

SPLENDID ARTILLERY. AIRMEN BLOW UP FORTS. GERMAN HORSES AT YPRES. (Received November IS, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, November 17. Au eye-witness at. headquarters mentions the splendid accuracy and destructiveness of the British howitzers and the tcrriiic effect of the French 75-millimetre guns. British and French airmen blew up two old forts at Lille used by Germans as magazines. The "Daily Mail " states that the Germans lost nearly 100,600 men during four days' fighting at Ypres. THE HIDEOUSNESS OF WAR. HORROR IN GALICIA. SADNESS OF THE BATTLEFIELD. "Time.*'' and "Sydney Sun" Services. (Received November 18, 8 a.m.) LONDON, November 17. . Tho iudpcrji inUumity of modem war

GERMANS RETREAT BEFORE VICTORIOUS RUSSIANS CRACOW IN FLAMES '' TURKS HARASSED ON ALL SIDES ITALIAN KING SUMMONS AMBASSADORS TO CONFERENCE

is described by a.correspondent in Galieia. 'Tor eight /days," he. says,' " there was a, varying struggle before' the Austrians, broken and bleeding, retired. The field was strewn with dead and sown deep with the relics of defeat. The very centre of this zone of misery, where two roads intersect; is marked by a huge wooden cross with a carved figure of the Saviour, which has hung there for a hundred years. The top of the wooden upright has been shattered by a bullet and k an arm of the cross' has been destroyed by shrapnel. But the patient face looks down on a newlyinade grave, in which lie the shattered remains of 124 men who died' almost at" the foot of the figure. A little farther away is the -spot where the last stand was made, where the Russian howitzers ploughed up the ground and made holes five feet deep and ten feet across. The ground was literally streWn with pieces of uniforms, rent and torn. There were , pieces in every. direction, and .hideous fragments of projectiles, while thousands of men lay mouldering in unnamed graves. A battlefield is always depressing; this one causes a peculiar sadness, because, while prowling over the scene of devastation one can hear the roar of .tumult £0 the west, telling that the same'-thing is recurring." . , WITH THE BRITISH LINE. CASUALTIES AND HONOURS. MORE INDIAN TROOPS ARRIVE, (Received November 18, 9 a.m.) LONDON, November 17.

Five officers and , four non-commis-sioned officers, including two sergeants of the L Battery, have been awarded the Victoria Cross. Two of the officers who were recipients of the honour have died of their wounds.

The Prince of Wales has joined Sii* John French's staff. lie went to France yesterday. : . An important Anglo-Indian contingent has arrived at Marseilles. Lieut.General Sir Douglas Haig has been promoted to the rank of general for distinguished service on the field. Brigadier-General Charles FitzClarence has been killed at Ypres. Lieut. Frederick Geor.ge Andrews, of the Fourth Liverpool Regiment, a New Zealander, has been killed in tlie north of France.

Lieutenant-General Sir Douglas Haig is 53 years of age. He was, before the war broke out, General Officer Commanding at Aldershot. He joined the 7th Hussars in 1885, served in the Soudan campaign at Atbara and Khartoum, arid received promotion to Major for his services, and in South Africa, where he commanded a group of columns in 1901-2, and was mentioned in dispatches. He was promoted to Lieut.Colonel commanding the 17th Lancers in 1901, to Inspector-General of Cavalry in India in 1903, Director of Military Training in 1906, Director of Staff Duties at Army Headquarters in 1907, and was Chief of Staff in India from 1909 to 1912. He was knighted in 1909. I Brigadier-General Charles FitzClarence, V.C., was the eldest son of ! Captain the Hon. George FitzCJarence, R.N., son of the Earl of Minister. He was 49 years of age, and joined the Royal Fusiliers- in 1886, being transferred to the Irish Guards in 1900. He served with distinction through the South African war, where he was twice wounded and won the Victoria Cross.

ALIENS IN ENGLAND. NATURALISATION AND INTERNMENT. THE HOME SECRETARY EXPLAINS (Received November 18, 8.45 a.m.) LONDON, November 17. Replying to a question, in the House of Commons, the Right Hon. Reginald MeKenna stated that Baron Bruno Schroder, the was naturalised on August 7, and Herr Julius Rittershausen, a prominent member of Baron Schroder's firm, was naturalised on September 28. Mr MeKenna added that he was satisfied it was advantageous to the public to grant them naturalisation certificates. Mr MeKenna added that 145,000 aliens had been interned in concentration camps, and 28,000 were still at large. - WAR BUDGET. INCOME TAX DOUBLED. PUNCH'S "EMDEN" CARTOON, (Received November 18, 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, November 17. The Right Horn D. Lloyd George has announced that the Budget proposals include a double income tax, but this year.he will collect only on one-third of the total income. Punch's cartoon, entitled '.'A Chip of the Old Block,'depicts Australia, as a young lion, carrying the Emden, as a fox, in his'teeth, to the old lion, who is looking on. • y CRACOW ABLAZE^ GERMANS DESTROYING RAILWAYS. - FIERCE BATTLES IN. PROGRESS. (Received November 18, 9.40 a.m.) ROME, November 17. Advices from Venice state tha£ part of Cracow has been invested, and is ablaze. . , . The inhabitants are fleeing. PETROGRAD, November 17. Official: The retreating Germans have •destroyed railways and bridges wholesale," greatly •delaying the pursuit, as they'neared their own territory. Thereafter an extensive network of railways facilitated the rapid transfer of German troops against the Russian left. The movement was covered by strong''detachments of , cavalry from the western front, and partly reinforced by Austrian cavalry. 5 \ * The German offensive : led to battles vthicli are now: in progress along 'the Plock-Lenczya;l7neib|E, ; front; I • ' :; Tho Russians captured ten officers and a thousand men' to ; soxUhw^rd'' of Lyslco, Galicia'. , . ! ' :V ' EAST REFUGEES. ARRIVAL AT BERLIN.

ATTEMPT TO EMBROIL BULGARIA

"Times" and "Sydneu : Sun" Service#. (Received November 1&, 8 a.m.)

LONDON, November 17.

The " Voerwaerts" sates that fifteen thousand East Prussian refugees have arrived in Berlin,,

From Sofia comes the dismal rumour of the existence of an entente ( between Bulgaria and "Turkey, which lias been

Russian fleet's bombardment of Sangiaclak rendered the Turkish coal mines unworkable, a serious matter for the Turkish Navy and the railways, as these are the only coal mines in the country. ANOTHER RUSSIAN VICTORY. TURKS AND KURDS ROUTED. ATTACKS IN BLAGE SEA FAIL. (Received November 18, 8.45 a.m.) . . _ PETROGRAD, November 17. A communique states that the Russians defeated the Turks and Kurds at

■the Klytchgaduk Pass and at Khamur. Turkish attacks oil Russian posts in the Black Sea failed, owing to a flanking fire: from Russian warships. "The Tiirkslost heavily. AT THE DARDANELLES. THE TURKISH LOSSES. WHY AKABA WAS BOMBARDED. (Received November 18, 9 a.m.) • ATHENS, November 17. The Turkish losses during the bombardment of the Dardanelles were 250 men and two guns. The Goeben and Bresla\i have reentered the Bospliorus. (Received November IS, 8.45 a.m.) CAIRO, November 17. The Minerva bombarded Akaba, after liearing that niines had been sent there

circulated in an endeavour to compromise Bulgaria in the eyes of Britain./ A DESPERATE SORTIE. REPULSED WITH HEAVY LOSS. (Received November 18, 8.45 a.m.) i ROME, November 17. The ''Giornale d'ltalia V' Petrograd correspondent says that tlie Russian artillery and cavalry repulsed a desperate sortie from Przcmysl. The Austrian losses were heavy. BLOW TO TURKEY. COAL SUPPLY CUT OFF. RUSSIAN FLEET'S BOMBARDMENT

for use in the Red Sen. Pourparlers failed owing to German officers' opposition. OCCUPATION OF FAO. . TWO SHARP ENGAGEMENTS. BRITISH CASUALTY LIST. (Received November 18, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, November 17. The Press Bureau states thn t since the occupation of Fao (Asiatic Turkey) there have been two sharp actions in the vicinity, and the enemy has been defeated with heavy losses and two machine guns destroyed. The British casualties have been

eight killed and 53 wounded, the latter including two officers. A NEW DEVELOPMENT. ARABS OPPOSE TURKS. FRONTIER TRIBES SUPPORT RUSSIA., \ . (Received November 18, 9.40 sum.) PETRQGRAD, November 17. Several thousands of Arabs at Diabekir have taken the field against Turkey. It is reported that various frontier tribes opposite Urmia have declared themselves on the side of Russia..

The enemy hove in sight at 9.25 a.m., and the .first shot was fired at 9.40 a.m. The Emden fired a shot at 10,000 yards, and her shooting was excellent considering that the distance was outside her range. Her firing failed when the Sydney began hitting her. The Emden's rudder was quickly disabled, and she suffered great loss of speed owing' to the fact that a funnel and her foremast, and then her second and third funnels, were shot away. She beached'at 11.20' a.m., when I left her. HIS JUST REWARD. AT THE YARD-ABM. SYDNEY JUDGE ON EMfrEN'S • . CAPTAIN. SYDNEY, November 17. Judge Backhouse, speaking 4 at a public function, said they should ] iiot lose their sense of perspective; and should beware of making heroes of the Emden's officers. Using the enemy's colours when attacking was a very serious affair, equivalent to misuse of uniform, and if the Emden's . captain had done this he was. no better than a pirate, and his reward should be at the yard-arm. ITALY'S ATTITUDE. AMBASSADORS SUMMONED. . .A CONFERENCE; AT ROME. • (Received. November 18, 9 a.m.) LONDON, November 17. The Italian Ambassadors to Britain, Austria,- - and" other leading Powers, have been summoned to Rome for a personal consultation with the King and hlis Ministers. DE WET WOUNDED.

H.M.S. GLASGOW SAFE. REPORTED AT VALPARAISO. FRUITLESS SEARCH ABANDONED. (Received November 18, 8.45 a.m.) ■ LONDON, November 17. The Central News Rio de Janeiro correspondent says that ffiKS. Glasgow has arrived at Valparaiso. (Received November 18, 9.4Q a.m.) SANTIAGO, November 17. The-search for the Survivors of Ad-, miral Cradock'Vsquadron has proved fruitless,, and-has been abandoned. LOSS TO GERMAEY. AUXILIARY CRUISER DISARMED. > NORWAY'S FIRM ACTION.. (Received November 18, 10.35 a.m.) CHRISTIANIA, November 17. Official: Norway is disarming the Ger-

LOSING HIS INFLUENCE. SHORT OF AMMUNITION. (Received November 18, 8.45 a.m.) . LONDON, November 17. Reuter's Pretoria correspondent states that De Wet has been wounded in the neck. He is losing his influence with his followers, and his commando is short of ammunition. ; ~ , IN THE COMMONWEALTH. SHORTAGE OF WHEAT. PROPOSED PURCHASE OF N.S.W. CROP. ' > SYDNEY, November I^. In the Assembly Mr Holman made a statement regarding wheat prospects. From information - collected- by the Minister, of Agriculture it appeared that the forthcoming harvest would be insufficient 0 by. about a million bags for the consumption of the Commonwealth. While New South Wales would have a surplus there would be a shortage in -other States, and it would be'necessary to import, probably from. Canada.. He announced that he intended to ask the House to-morrow to give the Government power to purchase the whole of tliie new wheat crop in New; South Wales, at a fixed price, which . would probably be ss, in advance. MELBOURNE, November 17. Caldwell's improved machine-gun is being submitted to the Imperial, authorities. THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCES. - A COMBINED DEPARTURE. FOUR AUSTRALIANS DIE AT SEA; . (Received November 18, 10.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, November 17. The papers have been .permitted to publish references to, and photographs of, the departure of the Expeditionary Forces. The ''Herald'' ► says it was not until the ships carrying the New Zealand Contingent arrived that the long line of transports finally sailed on their historic voyage. The Hon. ; G. F. Pearce, Minister of Defence, announces that four members of the Australian Imperial Force have died at sea, viz.: Privates Kendal, Low, Courteney, arid Power.-

man auxiliary cruiser, Berlin, which arrived at Frondhjem on Monday. [The Berlin is a Norddeutscher-Lloyd liner of J7,'>24 tons gross register. She js a comparatively new .ship, having bqcn built at Bremen in 1908. The armament of this vessel, as in the ease of Germany's other auxiliary cruisers, consists of (>in guns and smaller quickiirers.j THE EMDEN FIGHT. A SPEEDY DISPATCH. SYDNEY'S CAPTAIN REPORTS. (Received November 18, 10.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, November 18. Captain Glossop, commander of H.M.A.S. Sydney, has communicated details of the Emden fight. He says:—

THE MILITARY RAIDS.

LIBEL SUIT- RESULTS.

SYDNEY, November 18,

H. Goldman, trading as Bernard and Company, has issued a writ claiming £3OOO against the "Sydney Morning Herald" for alleged libel contained in the journal's report of military raids.

APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATORS.

COMMERCIAL MAN ARRESTED.

MELBOURNE, November 17.

Judge Murray, Lieutenant-Governor of Papua, lias been appointed Administrator of German New Guinea- and the adjacent islands.

Mr Pethebridge, Secretary to the Defence Department, has been appointed Administrator of the Marshalls, Carolines, ami other islands.

Edward Edwards, or Eichengruen,

managing director of the Continent**! .Coautchouc and Gutta Percha- Company, has been arrested and interned by the military authorities.v The prohibition of the export of news- | papers has been removed. The annual inter-state eight-oar and "1 sculling championships have been posfr poned until 1916 on account of the war. MEET DEATH IN DROVES. -• GERMANY'S UNTRAINED LEVIES. '} LOSSES BEGIN TO BE FELT. , LONDON, November 10. An eye-witness* with -the British Headquarters ' Staff estimates that dur- ' / ing the attack on Ypres on November 8, the enemy's losses from the one square ■ of the British section were about 12,000. There is evidence, he says, that the ,> Germans are beginning to be affected by their heavy losses. A large proporr H tion of the forces are comparatively untrained, but, the great fact remains y that these ill-assorted levies have not hesitated to advance against highly- "S trained troops. . Boys of sixteen and seventeen years marched Bteadily, ,up to the muzzles of our rifles, and met death in droves unflinchingly. ' WITH GRIM DETERMINATION. "FOE HONOUR AND ENGLAND.'* GLORIOUS .BRITISH BAYONET . CHARGE. ' PARIS, November; 17. French papers 4 describe the British ' / attack on the Prussian Guards at, Zonnabeke as one of the noblest episodes in British annals. An aeroplane using a searchlight re-' yealed an army in force marching on 1 ' •„ the Allies, southward of Zonnabeke; .•When the enemy attacked the first rank lay down, the -second rank knelt, and the remainder stood.. , Suddenly the ranks opened, and machine guns appeared. ' - .V .j The English situation was critical, The General-immediately ordered a bayonet charge. A colonel at the j 1 of the regiment "dashed forward, shout| , ing, "For honour ahd England!'' . The ■ L Ji opposing ranks met with a* terrible ■ | shock, and the bayonet frequently wgjat,. ! home at the same moment. . , L The hand-to-hand combat lasted half '>'« an hour.., Both .sides fought with the ! grimmest determination. The soil was - ; bloodstained and uniforms and faces - > were splashed with ,crimson. Before .this irresistible onslaught the Prussians -f reeled and broke.; Their General, fearing a rout, ordered a retreat. The Eng: " lish again charged, and. the Guards scattered and fled in an inglorious treat.' v, sj FIGHTING UNDER DIFFICULTIES !. RAIN AND SNOWSTORMS,; " SPLENDID TRENCHES. • >

ROTTERDAM, November 16. , " • Heavy rains and snowstorms have destroyed the railway bridge, at Denderleuw, connecting Ghent: and Bruges. ' It is remoured that a big force of Germans at an advanced position at Dixmude were cut off by floods, the resuit of storms.

Fighting is less? violent. It is stated that the Germans are admirably equipped for winter operations. The Belgians are well' provided with winter; / clothes.

„ A Dutch journalist says the English, have entrenched so formidably that the

trenches are veritable-fortresses, only more difficult to take; than "real ones. . THE ROAR OF THE GUNJS. A NERVE TRIAL. , j NAVAL SURGEON'S EXPERIENCE. __ " % V ' "Times" arid tUtydney Sun" Services. , . LONDON, November 16. 1 The surgeon on the warship Brilliant, which was engaged in the recent J operations on the. Belgian coast, says:— "You can't have any conception -what • a modern naval* bombardment is like. < There's a deafening roar of big guns which shake 'the ship, and an irritating, smell of explosives. The enemy's shells. *' are whistling overhead, while you have' to contend with submarines in th<? sea around and aeroplanes hovering overhead. It's a trial for the strongest nerve." ; ' : THE RUSSIAN ADVANCE. i GERMANS CLAIM SUCCESS. „ SIEGE OF PRZEMYSL PROCEEDING. 'j AMSTERDAM, November 17. '% An official Berlin report states that ; the Russian advance near Soldau was repulsed, and strong Russian forces r \

thrown hack on Plock on Sunday. The Germans have taken five thousand prisoners and ten machine grins. Several Russian army corps were driven back at Kutno; , According to the latest estimates the Russians lost 23,000 prisoners, and 70 guns and machine guns. ; PETROGRAD, November 17. The Russians are fighting tenaciously in the Soldau and Neidenburg district. The Germans are-'determinedly seeking to paralyse Russian attacks along the southern frontier of East Prussia. The High Commissioner reports: — LONDON, November 17. Official: The siege of Przemysl is proceeding. The Russians are destroying the fortifications. The Petrograd corerspondent of 4 'The Times" reports that peace overtures recently attempted through the Vatican and Washington by German diplomats have been more pronounced sinc.e the failure of the German coup in Poland, became apparent. To all efforts, however, Russia has turned a deaf ear. COUNTING THE COST. BRITISH MEN AND MONEY. THE PRIME MINISTER EXPLAINS. v LONDON, November 16. The House of Commons agreed to totalling £225,000,000, and also to one extra million men. , Mr Asquith stated that the actual c ; ost of the war would be between :i5900,000 and £1,000,000 daily. It was xtot likely to diminish. The larger part i of the first £100,000,000 spent had been devoted to military operations, loans to Allies, and disbursements ft>r the purpose of securing British food supplies, especially sugar and wheat. The cost would be recouped by the Exchequer when consumers paid for the foodstuffs. The greater part of the £225,000,000 would be spent on the Army and Navy, but £45,000,000 would be loans, of which £30,250,000 would go to Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, obviating the necessity of their coming to the Loiidon market. A portion of the vote would be expended' on commodities which it was necessary to exclude < from the use of our opponents. Mr Asquith also said that no war newß had been withheld except under stress of immediate military exigencies. He denied that from thirty to forty per cent, of the soldiers were suffering from preventable diseases, from drink and other causes. Careful enquiries had showed that from ten to fifteen per* cent, would cover all sickness. He believed that never had a -body of men comported themselves so well and shown . such regard for sobriety and decent conduct. ■ ■ There were now 1,100,000 men in the . Regular Army, apart from 200,000 Territorials, but there were not enough. ARMY CLOTHING. ENORMOUS ORDERS PLACED. KING VISITS RECRUITING CAMP. LONDON, November 16. Orders for Army clothing comprise 5,250,000 dress-jackets, 1,500,000 greatcoats, 7,000,000 pairs of underpants, 6,500,000 pairs, of boots, 5,000,000 pairs of trousers, 11,000,000 shirts, and 11>000,000 pairs of socks. The khaki ordered from-Yorkshire mills would extend for ten thousand miles. ; The 'King is busy visiting the recruiting camps. He advocates the transfer of troops from canvas to wooden huts. LONDON, November 17. An expert in /' The Times,'' speculating on the possibilities of-* the War Budget, 'points out that it comes when resources are lowered. Owing to economic disturbance, any increased taxation is peculiarly difficult, nevertheless, the Ministry will possibly propose to 1 meet .part of the war expenditure from revenue and certain articles of comsumption previously free will be taxed. IN THE FAR EAST. JAPANESE POLITENESS. ARE YOU NOW QUITE READY." TOKIO, November 16. The Japanese behaved at Tsing-tau with punctilious courtesy. Their siege guns sank warships in the harbour, but did not touch the town. When the 24 hours given in which to reply to the demand for surrender had elapsed, before commencing to bombard, the Japanese signalled, "Are yo'u now quite ; ready?" ' The German reply took the form of whizzing bullets, one of which grazed the signalman's moustache. PEKING, November 16. China is endeavouring to purchase a number of the Austrian-Lloyd steamers. laid up in Shanghai, for the purpose or resumption of trade with America under the Chinese flag. ALL WELL WITH SERVIA. AUSTRIAN SUCCESS MYTHICAL. , ITALY 'S CONTINGENCY VOTE. NISH, November 16. All official statement says:—"The operations of the Servian Army during the last few days cannot-be published, on account, of strategical movements. Our position and morale are satisfactory. The reported Austrian successes are untrue." ROME, November 16. Cabinet granted £16,000,000 to pro-

vide defences and meet all eventualities. SUPPLIES FOR NEUTRALS. BRITAIN'S POSITION. SOUTH AMERICA'S ATTITUDE. LONDON, November 16. In the House of Commons, Mr Asquith stated that while, supplies were being withheld from the enemy, it was necessary not to act in a high-handed manner, towards neutrals. Larger supplies of coal were going to Scandinavia because German supplies had stopped. WASHINGTON, November 17. Mr J Bryan announces that the United States is making enquiries from the American Ministers in Ecuador and Colombia regarding the allegations of the violation of neutrality. A GOOD RESPONSE. CLOTHES FOR BELGIANS. ! Press Association. ' AUCKLAND, November 18. ' It is expected as a result of Clothing Day in the. Belgian Week, that 500 cases of clothing, valued at £20,000, will be shipped from Auckland. Free insurance to £IO,OOO is given by local companies. PATRIOTIC FUND. The following additioal contributions to the Patriotic Fund have been received: —

# £ s. d. •.Woolston collections — Per Mrs R. A. Page 1 0 0 Per Miss R. S. Page .. 1 0 0 Per Mr A. Hyde 2 .2 0 Per Mr J. B. Johns 1 0 0 Per Mr T. Norris 0 2 6 Employees Gas Co., 4th A contribution 16 9 7 Fletcher, Humphries & Co. 50 0 0 P.J.M. 0 10 0 Total to date .. £15,389 9 5