WAR NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 8 December 1916, Page 6

WAR NEWS.

THE GIRtEEK OUTRAGE. (Renter's Telegram.) LONDON, " Wednesday. A telegram from the British Legation at Athens states that two Greek Red Cross nurses, after tending to the wounded at the Legation all day long were subsequently arrested and dragged .before the head of the police. They were then shut up for thirty hours, without food or water, in a filthy latrine, and were subjected to many cruelties. Their houses were looted. They have now been released. The nurses state that the police headquarters were filled with Venikeliste' »ac-ad, worflja of whom had been battered to death, while some had their eyes gouged out. The late head of the secret police was tied to a post and beaten on the head with a club by an Orthodox priest.

M.B .WESTERN" FRONT,

\ustraiiian and N.Z. Cable Association NEW YO:RiK, Wednesday. The New York "Times" publishes a Paris story, stating that 'General .jltfre may fee removed.

THE OAMNET CRISIS

MIR! LLOYD GEORGE SUMMONED

'Australia N.Z. t.nhb Asstu-iutioni LONDON, Wednesday. Mr Lloyd George has been summoned by the King.

MR BONA® LAW DECLINES TO

FOiRiM MINISTRY

LONDON', Wednesday

■The 'Westminster G-azbtfce states that Mr Bonar Law has declined to form a Ministry.

NEWSPAPER COMMENT

LONDON, Wednesday. The ' 'Daily Mail" states that Mr Asquith on Tuesday morning changed his mi'nd and withdraw his assent to the constitution of the War Council, writing to Mrt Lloyd George that upon reflection he could not agree. ;Consequently Mr Lloyd George sent in his resignation in writing. *Tlie C'TJiimosV welloomiesl Mr Asquitli's whole-hearted sympathy Mr Asquith's proposals were, it contends, hopeless, and it was impossible to coiiilpi'dmiise. What the situation now requires is return of the, well--tried '"English systeni of small, harmonious 'Cabinets.. • : / v.,^e' ;i says-that Mr resignation .means the. humiliation fof the country. It is the result of the crusade engineered by the Northcliffe -press, and is one of the most sinister incidents In national history. i - The new Cab : net will contain no Liberal element apart; from Mr Lloyd George, but we hope that the House of Commons will give the administration fair .play.

CONiFEiRENOF! OF MINISTERS ORDERED.

LONDON, Wednesday

The "Central News" states that the King lias called up all Ministers, to a conference at the Palace.

! A FRENCH VIEW

Australian and N. 7,. Cable.Association

PA/RjTS, '.Wednesday

. The ■ newspaper "HnimaniteV says that the problem Mr Lloyd Georeo has set before Britain will also be put before France. It is not a questvm of dictatorship, but of organisation, rapid action and will-power.

DOMESTIC CONFLICTS

LONDON, Wednesday,

The "Daily Telegraph" deeply regrets that it us impssible to settle the differences in the Cabinet without an -nnert rupture. The King's Government must be carried fm.

If Mr Asquith Served under Mr Bonar Law 'it would only add new Instre to an' already splendid record. The' Earl of Chatham served under the Duke of (Newcastle, and Canning and Castlereagh under Llord Liverpool. ■Um'ty has been Britain's strength. It would be a tragedy i,f we nalsv onr conduct of a foreign war .'by a return to barren domestic conflicts.

"THE HALDANE GANG.*'

LONDON, Wednessy

The '.'Daily Mail" attacks Mr Asquith, Viscount Grey and Mr Balf'<ui\ whom they'designate as "the Ha Ida no gang."

Mr Balfour throughout the crisis has been confined to his sick room with influenza. He .attended no meetings and made no statement. THE BRITISH ADMIRALTY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Assoc'-tion LONDON, Wednesday. Official; The new Admiralty Board will consist of:— Mr A. J. Balfour, first Lord. {Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, First Sea Lord. Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil Burney, Second Sea Lord. Rear-Admiral F. C. Tudor, Third Sea Lord. Captain Lionel Halsey, Fourth Sea Lord. Lord Lytton/and Sir Francis Hoj wood, Members. (Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil Burney has commanded the 2nd and 3rd Battle Fleets since 1913. 'Rear-Admcral Tudor commanded the First Battle Squadron since 1914. Captain Halsey was Captain of the Fleet, on board Sir John Jelliooe's flagship, the Iron Duke. He was in command . f >f H.fli.iS. New Zeala»d when she visited these waters.)

THE RUMANIAN SITUATION

fAvstroihi A* N.Z- Cable. Association)

iAMST£I2.DAM, Wednesday,

A German correspondent says that the victory in the Argesu mver- was only possible because the (Rumanians had no tiiao to destroy the bridges. The Ninth German Army is incessantly attacking the (Rumanian rearguards, and is marching straight upon the oilfields in the Prahova Valley. If the valley is reached the Germans will be on the line of the retreat - second (Rumanian army, which has held up the enemy for two months.

ITHB NIEW TASK

AMSTERDAW, Wednesday

Sofia messages declare that after Bucharest the next task of the Germanic Powers will be to capture Valona, which is >jn Italian occupation,, and to join hands with Greece.

WHY VON JAjGOW sRIETIRJED

fAnstralian-:N.Z. Cable Association.)

BERNE, Wednesday

Herr Maximilian Harden, in "Die Zupiunft," states that Herr von Jagow left the foreign Office because lie disapproved of the submarine, policy and the deportations of Belgians and French.

LATEST GERMAN SCHEME.

* LONDON* Wednesday. JThe '{Daily 1 Hungarian correspondent l states that General von Falker;hayn and several of his generals are learning .the Hungarian language as part of-the German policy of ingratia&on which, It is hoped, will lead to political domination of Hungary after the war. The Hungarians are suspicious. They declare that dependence upon Germany cs undesirable. It, would only bp a change of masters. "Wp want complete political and economic independence. If the Entente agreed to further this Qibject, it wiould create sympathy amongst a large part of the Hungarian nation."

GERMAN PIRACY. (Australia i'i-N.K Cal-.la WASHINGTON, Wednesday.

Germany has forwarded a preliminary reply to the American Note regarding the torpedoing of the Arabia. It claims that the vessel was being used as a transport. American officials do not anticipate 'a .serious- crisis, but 6hey eaqxjcSf there Will be a controversy as to the character ,of the Arabia.

ATTACK ON PORTUGUESE PORT

< Reader's Tekgra m.) NEW YOiRIK, Wednesday. A private cable message states that a submarine attacked the " Portuguese'.port of Fanchal, Madeira, ishelled the cable office, and did damage to the- extent of several, thousand pounds to the business lious.es. There were no casualties. ~ NORWAY'S LOSSES. CHRISTIAN"! A, Wednesday.Two hundred and foi;tv-tvv(> Norwegian ships hav<» been .%nnk during the war—93 of these being accounted for in the last six months.

INVASION OF EGYPT

(Received Last Night, 5.5 o'clock.) NEW YORK, Wednesday. •The "New York Times" correspondent in Berlin has obtained, exclusively, a speech by Envoi- Pasha in the Turkish Parliament, indicating the Turkish plans for the invasion of Egypt.

Enver Pasha said: "Tho Turkish offensive on Suez has n,ot been given up. We are preparing on a large scale operations against Egypt. The campaign will be resumed at the right tmoment. ''Our retreat in tho Caucasus was due to lack of communications, but our southern army is preparing for another offensive. "Turkey has sent troops to assist in Galieia, the Dobrudja, Seres, and Drama', retaining sufficient to defend Jier qwji territory." <THIE a>BPO»WIIFo\N'S'. ttusiraiian-N.il. CflM 6 Asgooiatiopj WERDMC, Wlednosciay. ' The Foreign [Minister of Holland, replying to a question, stated that the Dutch Government sent Note to Germany protesting against tho Belgian deportations. Tho .'Note pointed iout that the Dutch authority », jn 1914, tncouragtvl Belgian fugitive to return, after ■ making a convention with Germany guaranteeing: the personal liberty of the ,-e----.turning .Hollaed therefore hopes that fugiti/es deported tot Germany wilf fe? sent home. Germany's tfeply was cmsat-!>sfac-tory, but diplomatic! 1 conversations . were proceeding. swxss /reofuse- action. BERNE, Wednesday. Tlie Swiss Federal Council has re.jieoted ."resolutions iof the Cantonal Councils- protesting agaiiiisfc the Franco-Belgian ' deportations, as these involve an investigation which is not ( within Switzerland's province. A BRITISH RAID.' I Australia ck N.Z. f able 4 uxoriiition) j AMIS^EiRDIAM 1 , Wednesday. Three British aviators bombed the railway junctions and military works near Brussels on Tuesday. TtlE -FOOD PROBLEM. LONDON, Wednesday. (AUoard of Trade order limits meals at public places and boarclingfooaises • to three courses in- the evening j to two courses for other meals. Cheese is not reckoner, while meatless and Ashless • hors d'oeuvre and soup and dessert are counted as half a course each. A further order is foreshadowed providing for meatless days, to be observed universally. ; CANADIAN ENLISTMENTS. OTTAWA, Wednesday. The Ottawa total enlistments in Canada during, the last six months wore 1300 below the casualties. The November enlistments were the smallest by 5000 since tho war. began.