LATE WAR NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1917, Page 4

LATE WAR NEWS.

[rEB PBESS ASSOCIATION. —COFYBIGBT].

A WARNING. A Difficult Position. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) V LONDON, March 9th. Sir Edward Carson, speaking at the Aldwych Club, said: I openly confess that we have not yet satisfactorily solved the problems wherewith the Navy is grappling to maintain our supremacy at sea. Nothing can be gained by exaggerating or minimising the anxieties we feel regarding the grave position of the nation to-day. We have to deal with an enemy which has set at nought all humanities but manpower of our race will assert itself, but it must know the task, and is exhorted to pay no attention to amateur strategists. We cannot .afford to gamble with tho Fleet. If it failed it would mean the end of the Empire. If Germany gambled with their Fleet it would mean even the end of the war. He was determined to see that our sailors have full scope without interference. He added: I am neither a coward nor a pessimist. We will stick to it to the end.

He instanced tho Navy’s -gigantic effort. We had 150 small patrol boats at the outbreak of the war and three thousand now. We must not under-estimate the difficulty or danger that we are dealing with from submarine mine-layers. Mines had been laid as far as tbe Cape of Good Hope, the Gulg of Aden, and Colombo. Men in our mine-sweepers are momentarily risking their lives in order to secure the feeding of Britain. Ido not believe that the sailors of any other country would face those dangers Honest Englishmen would be ashamed to strike in the shipyards and arsenals if they understood’ the Navy’s privations. Half a million tons were sunk in February, of which Half were British. He believed that stiff more drastic restrictions on imports would be necessary.

Soldiers’ Graves.

LONDON. March 8

Hon. Walter Long has written to Mr. Massey, stating that the Government will undertake the expenses of burial of New Zealnd officers and men dying in the United Kingdom. Mr. Long says: lam confident that it is the unanimous wish of everyone in the country that we should be allowed to undertake this charge and make it our duty that the resting place of those of our overseas brothers who have f> lien far from their homes may not be unworthy of their sacrifice and the cu.se Mvherefor they gave their lives. I heir kinsfolk may bo sure that their graves will be tended with lovi> g care. Mr. Massey replied expressing New Zealand’s appreciation of the olfer.

In Mexico. EL BA SO, 'March 9. Villa’s party claim (that their leader has captured Durango City, and is now marching on Torreau with an army of five thousand. A Collision LONDON, March 10th. Tho War Office announces that the transport Mcndi with the final hatch of South African native labourers collided with another vessel in a thick fog off the Isle of Wight on Feb. 21st. Twelve Europeans and 191 natives were drowned. Motor Spirit. LONDON, March 10th. With the view of saving import tonnage owing to the considerable increase in the consumption of petrol and its substitutes, the owners of motor vessels are warned that the monthly quantity of petrol and its substitutes used must not exceed tho quantity of motor spirit authorised to be purchased. MELBOURNE, March 10. In reply to a question on the freedom of speech Mr. Cook said that so far as he knew, censorship on all political matters during tho election would be lifted. The Federal Government is forming a hop pool to regulate supplies and decide what importations will bo allowed, and to fix prices.