GENERAL WAR ITEMS

Waikato Times, Volume 86, Issue 13104, 11 February 1916, Page 5

GENERAL WAR ITEMS

DEFENCE AGAINST AERIAL RAIDS APPOINTMENT OF NEW MINISTER SUGGESTED. LONDON, February 9. 'I lie Pall Mall Gazette and the Globe have joined in the cry for the appointment- of a "Minister for air services. Numerous members of Parliament have I eon interviewed ou the subject of the dismissal of Sir Percy Scott from the command of the air defences. They point out that there has been no raid on London since he was appointed. They urge that Mr Winston Churchill be given command of the air services.

The Midlands have arranged a system of precautions against air attacks independent of the War Office. Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Leicester, Bedford, and Worcester hare changed the system of giving public warnings. The majority of the newspapers are urgently clamouring of the need for training men and experimenting in the "construction of aircraft so as to secure the dominance of the air. They point out that powerful offensive movements by aircraft are necessary if the German staff is to he wained that Kiel and Cologne must expect reprisals for air raids.

ECONOMY CAMPAIGN

MIC REDUCTION IN BRITISH SCHOOL VOTE.

1.")(). u< Mi ON TK ACHE ICS SALARIES

LONDON. Kebruarv Id

In connection with the economy campaign the London County Council is considering the reduction of expenditure by £9OO, 000 on the Education vote, including £'150,000 in teachers' salaries, £50,000 in the cost of prizes and scholarships, £94,000 in cleaning and repairing schools, and L' 500,000 in new build-

When the Derby groups are called up the teachers in London will be reduced by 3,000. Their substitutes will be chiefly young women who have had three months' training.

SIR R. HAGGARD'S MISSION. SETTLEMENT OF SOLDIERS. LONDON, February 9. The Times, Tn a leading article, says that Sir Rider Haggard's mission to the Dominions in connection with the settlement of soldiers <n the land bristles with difficulties. Tt is an Imperial problem and any investigation of this kind should be a matter of cooperation between the Imperial and Dominions Governments. Any other meastfres will be palliatives, which may easily do more harm than good. The paper is inclined to be sceptical as to the value of Sir Rider Haggard's mission. There is a danger that the Governments of the Dominions may be encouraged to leave all the work to selfsacrificing, eager and enthusiastic men of Sir Rider Haggard's type, when they should be getting to grips with the whole subject themselves.

WOOD PULP FOR THE ALLIES. -0000 TONS' FROM SWEDEN. LONDON, February 10. A French wireless message states that Sweden will permit the export r f 5000 tons of wood pulp to the Allies. FREIGHT QUESTION SETTLED. ANGLO-ITALIAN AGREEMENT. LONDON, February 10. The Anglo-Italian freight question has been settled by lowering the rates so as to enable Italy to ohtv'n coal at a reasonable price.

BOMBARDING CHURCHES.

GERMAN FEAR OF OBSERVERS*

LONDON, February 10. ...

The Daily News' correspondent at Petrograd states that the Germans are systematically bombarding churches, destroying them along the whole front, for fear lest the Russians may use them as observation posts. Services are accordingly held in the peasants' huts.

FOR SERVICE IN EGYPT.

ORGANISATION OF FORCES. .Jj MELBOURNE, February 10. After consultation with the War J Office and General Birdwood it has been decided to organise two new divisions of 50,000 for service in Egypt, to be designated the 4th and oth Australian ed the medical superintended to the i command one, but the other commander 'it has not been decided on.

The three horse brigades now in Egypt, together with the New Zealand -i brigades, are to be formed into a |j| mounted division, commanded by Major-General H. G. Chauvel. The "|j united new divisions will be officered by f the promotion of a thousand men who , have served in Gallipoli.

HEALTH OF SOLDIERS.

AT FEATHERSTON CAMP

STATEMENT BY SURGEON-GEN.

HENDERSON

AY ELLINGTON, Thursday. In consequence of rumours circulated concerning the health of the soldiers >' the Featherston camp, Surgeop-Gegerttl

Henderson lias made a statement, in which he points out that 'there have been a number of eases of castro enteritis. The patients in the hospital num-

ber 24, but none of the cases dre sen®* ous. From inquiries he finds that thd complaint is prevalent in the surrounding villages and in Wellington itself. It is one which usually occurs during the hot summer weather, and he thought the trouble was in no way due to drinking water, which an analysis has shown to V of good quality.