A BITTER ELECTION BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2597, 20 October 1915, Page 5

A BITTER ELECTION BATTLE

POLITICAL STRIFE IN SOUTH AFRICA TO-DAY'S POLLING Br Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ("Times" and Sydnoy "Sun" Services.) (Rec.' October ID, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 18. "The Times" correspondent at Gape Town reports that there is unparalleled bitterness over the elections in South Africa. Out of 130 seats, eight are not contested. _ The complete split in the old South African Party is indicated by an analysis of the contests, ivhich shows that there are eighty-six Ministerialist candidates, eighty-three Nationalists, thirty-nine "Unionists, and forty-nino Labour. There are only three three- • cornered contests. Two parties hare laid aside tlieir differences until the war is finished for the purpose of combating the common enemy. Tho speakers' malignity has aroused furious antagonism to General Botha, particularly amongst the poorer and more ignorant Dutch. . i It is impossible to predict Wednesday's results. A severe Labour set-back is expected. The Ministerialists . may. muster fifty, which if there are nearly thirty Unionists will command a majority in the House. VICTIMS OF THE. AIR RAIDS TOLD AT THE INQUESTS. , Br Telegraph—Press Association—OoDyrieW London, October 18. An inquest has been held on the additional twenty-three victims of tho recent Zeppelin air raids. They were all from one London area. A railway goodsman was killed when entering a restaurant, both' thighs being broken. His wife, who was beside him, was not hurt. Another man, outside tho same house, was cut through the neck by broken glass and killed. A woman nearby had the lower part of her spine smashed. Another bomb struck a motor-bus, killing the driver and conductor and a special constable. A house decorator was badly, injured. "When taken to the hospital he insisted on the doctor first attending the man next to him. Both succumbed in a fow hoars. The father of a victim protested that his sen had been killed by the Kaiser'q order. Ho exclaimed:""l summon the Kaiser to meet me before the Judgment Seat of God, and answer for the death of my son and those other twenty-two poor people." The Coroner in summing up suggested that tho jury should refrain from expressing any indignant feelings in its Verdict. . A verdict that the deaths were the result of the air iaid was returned. SHOULD WE EXACT REPRISALS TWO POINTS OF VIEW. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. October 19, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 18. Lord Bryce, in a letter to the Press, protests against tho public demands for anti-Zeppelin reprisals, in the form of dropping bombs on civilians in Germany. "Britain," he says, "still' stands for the protection of Tho Hague Conven-' tions, and to initiate savagery would lower us to tho level of the Germans."

Sir Arthur Conari Doyle says: "We are justified in laying certain towns of Germany in niins in order to compel a cessation of tho Zeppelin, attacks.". TO AVENGE THEIR MURDERED | COUNTRYMEN 'ARMENIANS WILL FIGHT FOR THE ALLIES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright . Petrograd, October 18. Armenians resident outside 'Turkey are determined on a general rising to avengo the massacres. Volunteer corps of Armenians from Italy,' Egypt, the Balkans, Britain, Prance, and America 'will fight with the Allies. - j AIR RAID NEAR BRUSSELS MILITARY BUILDINGS BOMBED. Br Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Amsterdam, October 18. The Allies' aviators flew over Ber- \ eham, near Brussels, and bombed the military buildings, despite a heavy fire. They escaped southward.