NOTES FROM LONDON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144709, 18 June 1915, Page 3

NOTES FROM LONDON.

THE NEW MINISTRY,

STATEMENT BY MR. ASQUITH,

BT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, June 17. Mr- Asquith, in the House of Commons, referring to the reconstruction of the Ministry, said: “Let us say in'the plainest possible terms that we would nob have been justified in doing what we have done under pressure of any outside influence. The temporary em-. barrassment was of a transient and parliamentary nature, duo to tho exigency of our task.” He assured his colleagues and supporters that there was no man more faithful to the great principles which for thirty years had been his aim and inspiration in such services as ho was able to render the State. He receded from nothing, abandoned nothing, and supposed there was enough of the old political Adam in their bosoms to say none of them much liked it, and there was in the country on both sides doubt, suspicion and bewilderment. For a moment he would say a word about his own position. Some might think that having had the privilege of serving in confidential and responsible relations with three successive Sovereigns he had not satisfied his ambitions. They wore welcome to their opinion, but they little knew the truth. Like other people bo had tried to do his best. It was not profitable to compare the military situation today with that of the beginning of March. Th© accession of Italy was a new factor of immense importance. Mr. Lloyd George, at a further private conference with representatives of forty-one workmen’s societies, discussed tho methods of securing a sufficient supply of labour to produce munitions. The Board of Trado statistics in regard to war bonuses show that 1,987,414 workers, Horn January till May, secured a weekly increase of nearly 3s 6d a head, exclusive of overtime. The Lord Mayor’s special appeal at the Mansion House meeting on behalf of the Red Cross Fund has resulted in £77,455 being raised, including a second £20,000 from Waldorf Astor. The aggregate is £5,500,000. The Pail Mali Gazette says it would be better if the Treasury undertook to finance the actual pressing necessities of colonial Governments at no loss to itself, until there is a general rearrangement after tho war. In any case the Treasury must keep a tight band on new issues. Investors are inclined to criticise the continual peddling of these loans, and the magnitude of the New South Wales loan as sufficient tb mark it out as a fiasco. An accountant gave evidence that Jacks appeared to be merely a selling agent for a Nova Scotia company. The defendant Wilson gave evidence that his firm acted solely as agents for a Nova Scotia company. Tho firm had an eighteenth - share of tho company’s capital. Tho firm had nothing to do with the cargo when it reached Rotterdam, and had striven to stop tho vessel proceeding there, believing every effort should bo made to prevent the oro reaching Germany. THE ZEPPELIN RAIDS. LONDON, June 17. Official.—ln the north-east coast raid sixteen wore killed, including a policeman, and forty -were injured. In connection with tho raid on the 7th, also on the north-east coast, five men (civilians), thirteen women and six children were killed. A drapery establishment, a timber yard and a terrace of small houses were burned. THE LUSITANIA INQUIRY. VESSEL NOT AT FULL SPEED. LONDON, Juno 17. At the Lusitania inquiry, Mr. MaoM aster, representing tho Canadian Government, drew attention to a device capable of detecting the presence of submarines, but gave no details. Mr. Booth, chairman of the Cuuard '"■r: npany, said the Lusitania’s top ■ f, d was 24 knots. Tho non-use of . : lain boilers saved a thousand tons ( 'i coal in a voyage, and it was necesiiiry if the Lusitania was to continue s;i lining without a financial loss. Ho (iid not think there was an increased risk. No vessel previously torpedoed was going above fourteen knots. The company did its best to counter the efforts of German spies. The Lusitania was specially ordered nc.i. i-q ' to pick up a pilot.

Other evidence showed that tho Lusitania had changed her course four times in a few hours before the disaster. Sir Edward Carson said that the manifest contained certain cases of ammunition and some empty shells, but neither could be used for military purposes. The captain of the Lusitania gave evidence that the average speed on tho journey was 31 knots. He could not ranko 35 knots because ho was only working nineteen out of the twomyfivo boilers by orders of the company, and could nob get more than 20 knots out of tho vessel. OUR FALLEN HEROES. THE PRIMATE'S TRIBUTE. TIMES AND 3YDNET SUN SERVICES. (Received Juno IS, 8 a.in.) LONDON, June 17. At tho memorial service to Australians and New Zealanders, the Brimato added: “We want as Christians to say together that wo honestly and deliberately believe these fearful perils, tho wounded and stricken bodies of our best and bravest, these saddened hearts and darkened homos are worth while and, if worth while, they are a right offering which, terrible ns it is, ought to bo made without reserve in the cause of truth and honour among the peoples of Europe. It is a duty grave, inspiring and urgent. There is as real heroism in the stricken homo as the heroism of the shell-swept trench and quivering deck. For these bravo women of England or the southern seas we upon our knees arc thanking God, but we want another note. Wo must have a triumph note for thoso whoso selfsacrifice has meant so much - to the country. It lias been theirs in enthusiastic and eager self-surrender to roach what Christ marks as the highest grade of human love when tho call rings out and the response is ready. The results are before us. AH thoso Australians and New Zealanders are enrolled among tho champions of whom the Empire, in generations to come, will delight to honour. This memorable act of stoutest service gives a response already to the rallying call.” BRITISH CASUALTIES. WELLINGTON, June 18. The High Commissioner reports under dato London, Juno 17:— Army casualties.—Officers killed 21, wounded 55, missing 21; men killed 329, wounded 1146, killed l>y gas 1, injured by gas 19, missing 21/. Dardanelles.—Naval officers killed 2, wounded 1; men killed 11, wounded 43. ORGANISATION* OF LABOUR. FURTHER DRASTIC MEASURES. (Received Juno 18, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, June IT. It is understood that tho Government, with tho consent of tho trade unions, has resolved to ask for greater powers than are conferred by the Defence of the Realms Act to deal with labour. The new measure, which will probably be introduced next week, will increase the mobility of labour and limit th© profits in controlled establishments, where all trade union restrictions will be abolished. Committees will be appointed to inflict fines for slackness. BEN TILLETT AT THE FRONT. GETS NEW LIGHT ON STRIKES. (Received Juno 18, 9 a.m.) BARIS, Juno 17. Ben Tilletfc has visited the front. Interviewed, he said he had learned the meaning of the word “strike,” and added: “Wo have got to strike now, with every ounce of British grit, energy, gold and brain behind tho blow. When the workers of England realise th© situation they*will get their coats off and give tho soldiers a proper backing. We want shells, gas and every death-dealing device conceivable.” THE MACHINE-GUN. WANTED TO REPLACE RIFLES. (Received June IS, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, June 17. The Daily Mail urges tho Government to hasten the production of machine-guns by placing orders without limit in Britain, Canada and tho United Slates. It says the Germans are virtually substituting men armed with machine-guns for the old-fashioned

infantry armed with rifles. Exporienco proves that an array which attempts to fight machine-guns with rifles is committing the same mistake as a man who attempts to run a loot raco against a locomotive. BRITISH FARMERS. LOOKING FOR. TARIFF. (Received June IS, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Juno 17. The heads of the principal agricultural organisations urge the preparation of a national scheme to organise agriculture so as to secure increased production hy assuring the farmers that generous expenditure in farming will be repaid hy remunerative prices. The scheme, which should be largely worked on a co-operative basis, should cover four years and fix the Government’s responsibility for prices and secure tho necessary labour. APPOINTMENT FOR AGENTGENERAL. (Received Juno 1?, 19.0 p.m.) LONDON, June IT. Sir T. A. Coglilnn retires on Saturday, He lias accepted the position of chairman of tho War Office Trade Committee.