NOTES FROM LONDON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144670, 3 May 1915, Page 2

NOTES FROM LONDON.

ANOTHER ZEPPELIN SIGHTED. NO DAMAGE DONE. BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAM. —COPYRIGHT. LONDON, May 1. Zeppelins were sighted on the east const,. It is reported that four passed Wells and four passed Lowestoft. They I were sighted at Wells at 6.30 p.m. travI oiling coastwise. Later they were seen I travelling east. Warnings were circui lated in eastern counties. The raid I was without result. It is believed the airships returned homewards. No bombs were dropped. A Taube dew over Southwold this afternoon, but was driven off by British aeroplanes. BRITAIN'S DRINK PROBLEM. MR. LLOYD GEORGE. REPLIES TO HIS OPPONENTS. j LONDON, May 1. I In his speech on tho Drink Bill. Mr. j Lloyd George declared that the Allies possess ,i great supply of the finest quality of men and sufficient reserves to overwhelm any enemy. The problem of victory on land and sea was largfely a question of material. When the time comes to drive out the enemy from Flanders and Franco the expenditure of munitions must be on a. scale unprecedented in any war oi history. He continued : —“We are straining every nerve to increase production of munitions, without which the armies, with all their gallantry, cannot hope for complete victory. Everybody at first agreed drink was the evil until faced with remedies. Thou they alleged it was exaggerated. and declared that drinking was no worse than vu peace time. This is not peace time. AVe could afford slackness then, but not now. Let us look at the facts in the face. True optimism is the horizon of courage, and false optimism is the veil of cowardice.’’ The Chancellor of the Exchequer added that the consumption of wine had fallen 25 per cent, since the war. The additional spirit duty of 3a 9d has, reduced consumption to 30 per cent. If the additional 14s 9d had the same effect, they would have achieved their purpose.

VIEWS OF THE LIQUOR TRADE. TIMES AND SYDNEY SDN .SERVICES. (Received May 3, 8 a.m.) LONDON, May 2. Tho liquor trade is anxiously considering the Drink Bill,' but generally there is no Quarrel at the scope of the powers the Government is taking. The trade is prepared to submit if it is proved that the situation is as serious as Mr. Lloyd George describes. Hotels and clubs have laid in immense, stocks, particularly of whisky, the retail price of which is expected to be immediately doubled. Tho wino trade is anxiously rtrgnnising in tho hope of amending the stringency of tho taxes, which they declare is a deathblow' to the trade. THE MAD DOG OF EUROPE. LONDON, May 1. Lord Curzon, speaking at Caxton Hall, said wc have got to punish Germany for her abominable crimes, and chain up the mad dog of Europe. The enemy had shown no mercy to anybody, and there was no reason why mercy should be shown to him. We have to endure for .months a sacrifice greater than anything yet sustained, and wo ought to calculate the war into 1916, while it .might last , beyond that your. TAXES ON PROFITS. LONDON, May 1. Tho Daily Telegraph says the Government intends to tax increased profits of manufacturers of -war materials, based on the average earnings for two or three weeka before the war.

THE WAGES OF MIXERS. . LONDON, May 1. The miners’ conference unanimously rejected the employers’ offer • of. an immediate increase inn-ages, and decided to leave the claim of 20 per cent, increase entirely to Mr. Asquith’s decision. Negotiations in the coal crisis have broken down.' It is feared that only immediate Government action will prevent a strike. BRITISH LOSSES. LONDON, May 1. War Office lists show 639 officers killed ,wounded and prisoners in Europe, Asia and Africa from March 27 to April 25, and 19,159 men from March 14 to I April 14. The figures include 253 ofj ficers and 5248 men killed. SKIN GRAFTS FOR A WOUND. (Received May 2, S a.m.) TIMES AND SYDNEY SUN SERVICES. LONDON, May 1. Fifty persons, mostly women, replied to the Times’ advertisements of an officer requiring a skin graft for a wound. TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. TIMES AND SYDNEY SDN SERVICES, (Received May 3. 8 a.m.) LONDON, May %. The American Ambassador visited British prisoners suffering from reprisals in Germany and expressed satisfaction with regard to their treatment.

ANOTHER PEACE KORERO. ■iIMES AND SYDNEY SDN SERVICES. (Received May 3. -8 a.in.) LONDON. May 2. Swiss Socialists have invited'all socialists of the world to discuss peace at Zurich. A FOOLISH QUESTION. TIMES AND, SYDNEY SDN SERVICES. (Received May 3, 8 a.m.) LONDON, May 2. Mr. M.'Kenna. interrogated, said that Sir John French had not expressed disapproval at the Government's policy of enforcing secrecy of tho press and'the censorships. THE EXPORT OF COAL. TIMES AND SYDNEY SDN SERVICES. (Received May 3. 8 a.m.) LONDON, May 2. The Government is appointing a committee to control the coal export, with a view to the conservation, of Britain’s needs. LOSSES OF THE NAVY. TIMES AND SYDNEY SDN SERVICES. (Received May 3. 8 a.m.) LONDON. -May 2. In the House of Commons Mr. MacNaniara announced that 6330 Navy men and 417 officers were kiNod to the end of March.,