GENERAL ITEMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1916, Page 5

GENERAL ITEMS.

NOTES FROM THE TIMES, j MARTIAL LAW IN GREECE. Times and Sydney Sun Service'. London, Feb. 11. Berlin asserts that King Constantine has empowered M. (lonnaris to act as chairman of a special committee to govern Creeiy by martial law. M. (ionnaris recommended the military comJnanders to replace the civil governors. King Constantine refuses to receive tile French Ambassador. ROUMAN lAN PRE FARATIONS. London, Feb. 14. The Times' correspondent at Milan says that Austro-Oerman anxiety about Roumania. is increasing, the Roumanian preparations admitting only one explanation. The National Bank of Ronmania has been collect ing gold and other metals for many months. The new 1017 and 1 !11 S classes are placing a million newly-equipped soldiers at the disposal ol the War .Minister in April. .Much war material and many horses have been bought in Russia. There are vague reports that the Crown Prince has been deposed owing' to incompetence and assigned a nominal command in the air corps, ANOTHER LOAN WANTED. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received Feb. 13, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 14. ■Mr. McKenna is floating a second loan about Eastertide. The Treasury is examining every expedient for increasing the revenue and enforcing economy. An extension of the policy of restriction of imports is assured. C!CARDING AGAINST AIR RAIDS. An organisation for defence against air raids is absorbing the attention of the authorities. Sir .John French has taken over supreme command of the land and air defences, the Admiralty controlling the naval and coastal defences. Sir John French is considering a scheme for the suspension of telephones and road trail!'.' in certain districts, ami an elaborate system of outpost*, warning ..crodiomes of t!u approach of Zeppelin* and air.:'.al't. It U believed that the creation of an Air Minister U assured.

SMALL ItKSPONSR TO Till- CALL. The Army Council informed 11 recruiti 11!>■ eommitlee :it, Bmninglmni that 11 very small percentile of altered men in the • iilled-iip Ih-iby group-; bad responded, and defuull ers must be brought compul-orily in order to secure every available man for the field.' KOCMAXrAN SnVATIOX. The Daily Hail's correspondent at Bucharest. siates that the German Minister's newspaper in P\oiimnnia is of opinion that a campaign is threatening in Roumania, and states that Germany knows this strategically. but she energetically wishes to know immediately 011 which side Roumania intends to tight. The Times' Milan correspondent says it is believed 'that an offensive from Salonika would bring in Roumania, Mr. Jeffries, reporting from Athens, says that all Bulgars are reported to be retiring to the Roumanian frontier, and Germans are replacing them on the Greek frontier. A Salonika correspondent regards the extensive movements of the Allies in Macedonia as portending an offensive by General Rarrail, but the Times correspondent announces that the advance along the Vardar was only that of a cavalry column seizing defensive positions. "SWIXGIXG THE CAT." The Times' correspondent at Washington says that Count Bernstorff, in an interview, said it was inconceivable that submarines will attack passenger ships, armed or unarmed. That principle had been permanently established by the Lusitania settlement, which the German Admiralty would religiously obey. The new order relates primarily to armored freighters that are supplying the Allied .forces,