MOTHER COUNTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12087, 16 August 1917, Page 2

MOTHER COUNTRY.

RAILWAY TROUBLE. EIGHT-HOUR DAY DEMANDED. LONDON, August 14. The locomotive enginemen and firemen demand an eight-hour day instead of twelve hours, on overtime. The decision was taken without consulting the Railwaymen's Union. The Board of Trade has rejected the claim, and there is much strike talk in tho northern railway centres. THE DOMINIONS' PART. COLONIAL LOYALTY. Beuter's Telegrams. LONDON, August 14. In the House of Commons, oil tho Colonial Office vote, Mr Long paid a tribute to tho part played by the dominions in the war, and aaid that t-ie dominion soldiers had shown themselves worthy of the best traditions of the British Army. He was constantly receiving proofs of the admiration the tative races bore Britain, and then loyalty to 'the King. He read messages from British East Africa and the ln- • (ban Association and Zanzibar. He emphasised the point that loyalty and trust in Britain shctaid be encouraged end justified by Britain's future treatnest of natives. Mr Long mentioned that conscription bad been enforced in British Africa, Uganda, Ceylon, Straits Settlements, 'the Malay States, and it was being considered elsewhere. Honjx Kong had found it unnecessary, because every white man had already volunteered. The Crown colonies had fully aono their duty. Referring to the suggestion that the campaign in German East Africa ought to be brought more rapidly to a conclusion, he enlarged upon the stupendous physical difficulties to he overcome. Overseas representatives at the Conference, he said, had frequently expressed th© hope that the resolutions passed would not be pigeon-holed. He assured them that he would do his best to ensure that effect would be given to them as early as possible. Referring to Imperial preference, he said that obviously any policy of preference must be framed to meet the views of the Allies. _ The subject demanded continued consideration and the appointment by the Prime Minister of a conference to report on the best methods and machinery by which effect' could be given to the Imperial Conference resolutions, and evidence of the Government's intention to take all Ifceps it could to give effect to them. Ifr Long said that he believed the •■epTilts of the conference had given

added strength in prosecuting the war and would help in the taking of some steps after the war to reap the full advantage of the lessons learned to make the Empire more strong and powerful than before the war. Every overseas Minister showed a strong desire to promote the interests of the Empirei. What they really desired was that he should realise not only the strength of their feeling but also that it did not originate in a desire for increased territory or any question of that kind. Their desire was that after the war there should be a permanent peace in the world and security for the Empire. The knowledge of the past efforts of the dominions and the experience gained at the Imperial War Conference had shown that the whole Empire was one and wa.s prepared to use fls resources to make a combined effort to secure final and complete victory. LONDON". August. 15. In the House of Cbromons Mr D. Mac Master assured the Government the dominions uniformly Opposed th© restoration of the German colonies. All realised the danger of Germany repossessing colonies near them. * He urged the Government immediately to carry the conference's recommendations in order to make the Empire harbour adequate, to insure sufficient food euoplies and the 'transport of them, to effect the control of the Empire's resources far national purposes, and to EB«rara£fl the Empire's manufactures. RETURNED FROM AUSTRIA. CAPTAIN WILSON RELEASED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON. August 14. Captain Stanley Wilson, M.P., has returned after being for twenty months a prisoner in Austria. (Captain "Wilson, who is close on fifty years of age, was taken from a steamer in the Mediterranean by a German submarine while travelling from Greece to Italy with documents.)