NOTES FROM LONDON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144669, 1 May 1915, Page 3

NOTES FROM LONDON.

• (ANOTHER ZEPPELIN RAID. - SUFFOLK TOWNS BOMBED. BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COPYRIGHT. LONDON, April 30. An air raid on Ipswich took place early on Friday. Several houses wore ; blown up and set on tire. A Zeppelin dropped several bombs on Bury St. Edmunds. THE DEMANDS FOR REPRISALS. LONDON, April 30. Tho Morning Post says they cannot donbt the dominions’ loyalty to'co-oper-ate and attack German property in the Empire reprisals for the treatment of prisoners. Popular opinion is rising against tho nameless horrors, and a public demonstration should bo organised'throughout tlje Empire and demand , that the ‘Government should do some- ' thing more than utter platitudes. AN OLD STORY. A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION. TIMES AND SYDNEY SON-SERVICES. (Recevied May 1, 8.0 a.m.) LONDON, April 30. In explanation of the early rumour of the passage- through Britain of Russian troops it is stated tnat a large number of Russian officers visited Britain to buy munitions of war and to act as attaches to staffs leaving for the front. A number of soldiers and servants accompanied them, travelling by Archangel and Scottish ports. At the same time the War Office shifted camps, and territorial trains, hand-signalled, moved by night with blinds drawn and tho engine-drivers ignorant of the loads they pulled. In the letters of Scottish railway officials to friends in the South they spoke of a lot of Russians travelling, and the rumour made out of a handful an enoruurus army.

CRITICISM IN BRITAIN. DEMAND FOR MORE NEWS. UHES AND SYDNEY SEN' SERVICES. (Received May 1, S.O a.m.) LONDON, April 30. -A 'The Times, in a leader, says it is hardly surprising that the sodden costly dash of arms in XDanders, coinciding withytbe mat news of the combined operations in the Dardanelles, should have opened the flood-gates of a critiC3sim or the whole conduct' of tho war. (lie conviction is that tho first attempt jn the’ Dardanelles was undertaken by the Admiralty without adequate preparation was .grossly'.and' mischievously ovop-advertisod, and culminated in a verv considerable disaster on March 18.* We sincerely hope that in the present state of public uneasiness Mr. ‘Aiqtutb wRi make it his own business te tell the nation frankly that he has laid plans which have counted ail the certt This is the only real solution for ail oor doubts whether ho is a Prime Ulster who will' assort himself and make the nation feel that someone’s Jpupd-isi us iho holm.

SOME NARROW ESCAPES. HOUSES BURNED BY INCENDIARY BOMBS. A RACE WITH A TRAIN. (Received May 1, 10.1-j a.m.) Tl •i ■ LONDON'. April 30. Tiio airship was lust seen at Felixtowo (near Harwich) at a groat height. Ten bombs were dropped at Edmunds. The Zeppelin thou made eastward. One bomb set lire to and gutted St. Andrew’s Hal!. The Zeppelin dropped t.vo explosive and three incendiary bombs at Ipswich. Two mid-dle-class houses wore burnt out. The residents, who wore in bed, had a. remarkable escape, the bombs falling on the back of tho houses. One bomb fell in the bedrom of a girl aged twelve, and immediately tho furniture took fire. Hef_father rescued the'child. The explosions caused many to run out into the streets in the scantiest clothing. Incendiary bombs at Bury St. Edmunds set fire to a shop and stable. Three more bombs fell in the suburbs. Tno Zeppelin, which was at a groat height, sailed in a westerly direction. In a neck-to-nock race, tho Zeppelin hurled five bombs on a. fast train at Bury St. Edmunds, but missed it.

LIQCOR LEGISLATION. IN GREAT BRITAIN. LONDON, April 29. Mr, Lloyd George, at the outset of u eec ' l 011 Dm proposed increase in the liquor duties, emphasised the fact that while the men at the Royal dockyards were working splendidly,Tho work done on the ’Tyne and at Barrow was much less than might reasonably be expected. The loss was less in tlie armament worts, but sufficiently serious, lie quoted instances where some men were working 70 and 80 boars a week at shell explosive factories, 'whose work was* 1 hampered by those working only 2o to 40 hours. He did not suggest temperance as a reform, but as ar“act of discipline for the nation durinv the war for the purpose of the war. flence he proposed' to restrict as much as possible tho sale of spirits and the majority of alcoholic beers.

-Mr. Lloyd George added that the proposed duty on other than sparkling wines was quadrupled. The duties oh hear were estimated to produce £1,600,000 and on wines £1,500,000, The maximum dilution of spirits was extended from 2-5 per cent, under proof to 35 percent. They must have more control over the sale of liquor in the areas producing war material and in some ramping areaC and the Government would takopowers for the period of the war to close any house in these areas if its presence were prejudicial, and power was taken to use the premises for the supply of reasonable refreshment and to control these houses. Fair compensation would bo given, the compensation to the brewery being proportionate to the temporary loss of custom sustained. A Commission would ascertain the amount of compensation. Mr. Lloyd George declared that restrictions of the hours would not have been.adequate, and that total prohibition was not justified fill they had tried .everything else. After the 'experiment of seeking a solution which would not provoke a controversy, he was, prepared to take a pledge never politically to touch drink again. Every Government that has touched alcohol has burned its fingers in its lurid flames. The subject was surrounded by barbed-wire entanVdoinents, explosive passions, and prejudice. Ho introduced tho Bill only because of his sense of responsibility, the neglect —c—tDA-.-minH have been a betrayal aL

duty. The proposals were not "intended as a measure of social reform or as a solution of the problem of Intemperance, imt as an act of discipline for the purpose of efficient wiir-makiii". The House adopted the customs and excise resolutions consequent on Mr. Lloyd Georae’s proposals. . . Lobby opinion doubts the driving force behind Mr, Lloyd George's duties. It believes his proposals will be dropped, while the restrictions in the munitions areas will be carried. Licensed victuallers regard the proposals as impracticable and impossible. Labour members resent the slight Mr. Lloyd George puts on the working classes, believing there is insufficient evidence. ' , The heavy tax on wine is condemned, as it restricts imports from Franco and Australia. BROAD POWERS PROPOSED. FOR COVER NMENT LICENSES. (Received May 1. 1.10 p.m.) LONDON, April 30. The Liquor Bill, in two clauses of broad powers, enables the Government to acquire temporarily or permanently licensed premises in any area or to open unlicensed refreshment bouses with a right to soil alcohol to the public. MEAT FOR THE NAVY. LONDON, April 30. Replying to Mr. Thorne, Mr. MacNamara states tha+ the Navy between August 1 and the end of December. 1911, had purchased 2000 tons of frozen meat, chierlv beef, which averaged slightly over Grl a.pound, and 3150 tons of canned moat at Sid. THE COST OF VICTORY. LONDON, April 30. The casualty lists from April 17 to the 25th show that 110 officer*, were killed and 269 wounded, including 28 Canadians killed and 99 wounded. Colonel Hanineh&rg. the champion shot, has died of wounds at Dunkirk. KING EDWARD'S HORSE. (Received May 1, 8.50 a.m.) . LONDON, April 30. King Edward's Horse has vacancies for a hundred recruits. THE BELGIAN FEND. (Received May 1, 5.50 a.m.) LONDON, April 30. The National Fund for the Belgians exceeds ,£IOO,OOO. MORE VESSELS REQUISITIONED. (Received Slav 1, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, April 30. The Government has requisitioned the insulated space of all British vessels trading to South America.