NOTES FROM LONDON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144666, 28 April 1915, Page 3

NOTES FROM LONDON.

MUNITION WORKERS. TO BE IMPORTED EEOM DOMINIONS. BT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH —COPTRIQHI. (Received April 28, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. Mr. Acland, in reply to a -question, stated that the Government was communicating with the Dominion Governments regarding the importation of workers to assist in the manufacture of munitions. If workers are available arrangements will bo made for their passages.

BRITISH RELIEF FUNDS. ATTAINING LARGE DIMENSIONS. LONDON, April 27. The Prince of Wales’ Fund has now reached five millions sterling. The King lias inaugurated a national fund for Belgian relief and has given £SOO. , ... Mr. Asquith’s reply to the Minors Conference is indefinite. Mr. Asquith is still urging the Federation to accept the employers’ offer to discuss the war bonus at the various wage boards as a national conference to discuss wages would be an entirely new departure in the coal trade. THE MINERS’ CONFERENCE. (Received April 28, 9.5 a.m.) LONDON. April 27. The miners’ conference has been adjourned till Thursday. A NAVAL AIRMAN KILLED. (Received April 28. 9,20 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. Sub-Lieut. Medlicott and a mechanic were killed in a seaplane accident at Caishot. EXPORT OF COTTON STOPPED. (Received April 28, 9.25 a.m.) I.QNDON, April 27. The Government lias prohibited the exportation of raw cotton except to the allied countries, Spain and Portugal. CANADIAN G ALLANTEY. GENERO US APPRECIATION. (Received April 28. 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. The newspapers made a feature of the Canadians’ gallantry, and many Canadians paraded the streets. The feeling behind it all is that the Canadians saved the situation by the sacrifice of their lives. Mr. J. L. Garvin, in the Observer, S avs-—“The men of the maple leaf set their teeth to dare all by a magnificent feat of arms which will stand out m the annals of the war. Their sheer valour at the critical hour baft led the Germans and their asphyxiating gases, and proved how the utmost resoul ces of scientific devilry will, go down before the indomitable hearts of free men. Canada’s hour is to-day. It will bo %hat of Australia and New Zealand tomorrow. The situation exceeds in some ways the precedents of political romance. r tho possibility of which was not conceived before the war. The dominions had known Britain as a mighty mother, but she knew that she was mightier than of old.”

[The Canadians were on the left of the British line, with the French next. The French advanced through the asphyxiating gases and were overwhelmed. This left the Canadians without support and they Were .attacked both in front and rear.}

■ MALTREATMENT OF PRISONERS. STATEMENT BY LOR D KITCHENER (Received April 2?, 11.50 a.m.) ' LONDON. April 27. Lord Kitchener iu the House of Lords, in reply to a question in regard to the treatment of prisoners, said that hitherto he had always held Dorman officers in respect. Hut now, with the greatest reluctance, he was forced to accept as incontestably true, the. maltreatment by thef German army of British prisoners. Constant testimony had been received, not only from our own escapees, but also from French, Russian, Belgian, and American sources • that tho. inhumanity of the German authorities, especially towards British was beyond doubt. The Hague Convention laid down sufficient rules for the treatment, of prisoners, about which, if observed, belligerents could not reasonably complain. Articles four and seven wore flagrantly disregarded. The British prisoners were stripped and maltreated in various ways, in some cases evidence proving that they are also shot in cold blood. JCven wounded officers are wantonly,insulted and frequently struck according to tho testimony of the Germans themselves. It was only right to say that the German hospitals were excepted from the cliarge.s of deliberate inhumanity.

Some officers had lately been subjected to solitary confinement in retaliation for the supposed treatment of Germans in this country. He hoped shortly to receive evidence on the point. Germany for many years had posed to the civilised world as a great military nation. She had abundantly proved her skill and courage, and surely she should set a standard of military honour which would gain her the respect, if not the friendship, of nations. Instead she stooped to acts which would indelibly stain her military history, vicing in barbarous savagery with the Soudan Dervishes. He did not think there could he a soldier of any nationality, even amongst the Germans themselves, who was not heartily ashamed of the slur cast on the profession of arms. The usages of war had not only been outraged hv cruelties, but Germany had introduced a method of placing her opponents hors de combat by asphyxiating gases when, according to the rules of war, their attack might otherwise have failed. Germany had signed the article of The Hague' Convention prohibiting such methods.

GERMAN SUBMARINES. TREATMENT OF PRISONERS THEREFROM. (Received April 28, 10.35 a.m.) LONDON, April 27. In the House of Commons. Mr. Churchill, in reply to_ a question, said that no special conditions applied to German prisoners because they fought in submarines, but special conditions applied to prisoners wantonly killing non-combatants, neutrals, and women on the high seas. They could not recognise that persons systematically employed ip sinking merchant ships and fishing vessels without warning, regardloss of loss of life, wore on the same footing as honourable soldiers. The sinking of the Oriole, Fnlaha, and fishing boats caused them to place all German submarine prisoners after February IS. and as Ipng as tuo system continued, in a distinct and separate category. He could not at present tell how far «t was possible to bring home to the belligerent nation at the end of the war the result of their action, nor in what form reparation of a special character could ho exacted. The treatment of the submarine prisoners was humane. An American representative had been offered facilities to make a report, provided reciprocal facilities wore afforded by Germany. Thirty-nine Gorman submarine man were thus interned. Germany’s reprisals could not he allowed to influence the action Britain regarded as necessary.