COMMONWEALTH

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145999, 4 December 1917, Page 7

COMMONWEALTH

A GENERAL’S STATEMENT. AS TO AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES. (Received Dec. 4, 12.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 4. General Jobson, reviewing the conijlription proposals, maintains that the Government is not over-stating the number of reinforcements required. The Australians have been actually fighting for about seventeen months and the total casualties to October 31 have been 132.000, averaging monthly about 7700, while, the Government is asking for 7000 monthly. It is difficult for an average man to grasp the extent of the casualties a/division suffers in a big offensive It is not uncommon for a week’s operations to cost 4000 casualties in infantry alone, and in an offensive like that at Passchcndaele it is probable that the losses of the five divisions engaged would be 30,000.

THE POLITICAL CENSORSHIP. ABSOLUTELY WITHDRAWN. (Received Dec. 4, 12.30 p.m.), SYDNEY, Doc. 4. Mr. Hughes announces that there is absolutely no political censorship in Australia to-day; every elector is perfectly free to say and write what he likes against tho Government proposals, provided he takes the responsibility for false statements. Tho only limitations now concern information likely to bo of benefit to the enemy, or reflections on our Allies. THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY. NUMBERS SENT TO THE FRONT. (Received Dec. 4, 12.30 p.m.) BRISBANE, Dec 4. General Gordon Lcggc said that 383,000 men had enlisted to October 31 and 293,436 had embarked. As it was stated that at present there were not enough reinforcements to last three months before that time had elapsed our five divisions would be in process of breaking up. FEDERAL PENSION BILL. (Received Dec. 4, 12.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Dec. 4. The Federal war pensions granted to November 30 totalled £69,867, involving an annual liability of £2,345,991 ■