BRITAIN'S PART.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16146, 26 February 1918, Page 7

BRITAIN'S PART.

FOOD IMPORTS. TO HAVE PRIORITY OF SHIPPING. I (By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, February 24. The "Observer" states that the War Cabinet has decided that food imports shall now have priority over all other war demands in the allocating of shipping. RATIONING LONDON'S MILLIONS. (•'The Tiinra.") ("Received February 25th, 8 p.m.) LONDON, February 24. Tho experiment of rationing London's 10,000,000 people, starting tomorrow, is being anxiously awaited. Long queues are securing the necessary tickets. There were also enormous queues throughout tho day. Butchers and grocers are endeavouring to increase their stocks before the rationing becomes effective. SPECIAL RATION FOR SOLDIERS. (Australian And N.Z. Cubic Association.) | (Received February 2Gth, 12.40 a.m.) LONDON, February 25. In connexion with tho rationing scheme tho problem of soldiers on leave has boon satisfactorily solved by a special meat ratioM of eight ounces daily. It was found impossible to allow heavy workers a bigger ration without unduly restricting tho whole population, but an additional allowance for heavy workers is regarded as tho first necessity when supplies increase. THE MAN-POWER PROPOSALS. LONDON, February 24. The Durham miners have decided to support the man-power proposals &nd supply 50,000 Class A men, to be selected by the miners' organisations. A DASH FROM GERMANY. LONDON, February 24. Privates Choat and Pitts, the escaped prisoners from Germany, somo of whoso adventures have already been described. belonged to a working party of 40 prisoners, near Dusseldorf. The party included seven oversea prisoners, six of whom attempted to escape. Five of them succeeded, and one lias since been repatriated. Choat followed a fellow-prisoner's yough map, showing the country from Dusseldorf to the Dutch frontier, with the towns, railways, and waterways. Ho studied the stars nightly for two months, by tho aid of a stellar map, which he picked up, for a guidance in night travelling to the frontier. Six prisoners escaped simultaneously in September, climbing down a lightning rod at the prison. They divided into two parties. Tliey slept in the woods in the daytime. Choat's party was awakened one afternoon by a gunshot, and falling leaves. They saw a sportsman, who had missed a bird over their liends. The bird, if shot, would hate fallen into their hiding-place, resulting in their discovery. The party suffered severely from thirst, the brooks being dry, as it was tho end of summer. They were captured the third night, within a mile of I tho frontier. They ran into the arms \of a sentry, who said he had been awaiting them. Civilians surrounding tho party necessitated tho abandonment of tho idea of overpowering the sentry. The other party crossed the frontier I safely. Choat and Pitts made a sccond attempt in December. They got through the eight-inch aperture of a barred window of the prtson and climbed down 40 feet by the aid of a ropo which had been secreted. They saw a married prison sentry making lovo to a girl sentry. Desiring not to be observed tho sentry turned his face away on hearing footsteps. Choat, in passing, brushed the sentry's arm. Tho escapees followed tho same routo as on the previous attempt. They hid in a roadside ditch for three hours on the second night, awaiting the end of a soldier's prolonged good-night to his Sweetheart. It rained almost incessantly during the three days they were escaping. They became aware that they were nearing the frontier on the third night, owing to the distant barking of dogs in Holland. There are no dogs in Germany, all having been oaten or killed off, owing to the food shortage. Thev crossed the frontier at daybreak, while it was raining heavily, so that the sentries were unable to see more than a few yards. THE NAVY ESTIMATES. ("Tie Timee.") (Received February 25th, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, Fc-fcniary 24. ( The Navy Estimates provide for < 450,000 men. f military honours. I I LATEST NEW ZEALAND AWARDS, t <J LONDON, February 24. » A second bar to tho Military Medal lias been awarded to the following New r Zealanders:— J. Matthews. Sergt. W. N. Thour. Sergt. W. H. Burrowes. Sergt. J. T. Gearside. Sergt. J. Scott. Sapper T. E. Linney Woods. Corporal G. H. Bager. Private T. J. Parsons. h Military Medals have been awarded a » 34 New Zealandera. c