THE BRITISH ADVANCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1917, Page 1

THE BRITISH ADVANCE.

[Per Press Association.— Copybioht.]

Pushifftj On(Austta ian & N Z. Gable Association and Keultr.) LONDON, April l. Mr Phillip Gibbs states that tile enemy was badly caught at Savy. Six hundred Prussians held the village, and our guns approached before they were expected. There was no regular bombardment but our registration shots inflicted heavy casualties. iSt. Qentin is now threatened by the British from the west, and the Freaicn from lie south. From Savy the spires of St. Quentin Cathedral are visible, but the town itself is licklen in a hollow.

Dirty work has been done in spoiling the beauty of this medieval city, as the Germans have already laid a portion of the city in ruins.

Houses, museums and picture galleries have been looted. Hitherto the fighting lias been on a small scale, but we are now approaching the zone of the enemy’s long range gun-fire Progressing. LONDON, April 1. North and south of Ailette wo have progressed appreciably; also to the north-east of Margival. Haig’s Report LONDON, April 1. General Ilaig reports.—We prisonetred in March 1239 Germans making a total for January till March inclusive Of 4,600. We occupied this morning Savy, and occupied in the afternoon Savy Wood a mile eastwards of the village. . We al so occupied Yen del ley, Epeliy and Peiziere, and progressed nortlieats of Croixellcs and raided northward of llochlincourt, northeast of Neuvilles St. Vaast and southwest of Viveneby. French Report LONDON, April 1. A French communique reports:— There way intermittent artillerying, between Ailette and Laon road, and we captured several systems of trenches and strong points east of Neuville and Isurmarjeval. The enemy was driven back to the outskirts of Vauxillon and Fuffaux suffering heavily. . . There was active mutual artillery!ng west of Maisons de Champagne. A Belgian Report. (Australis <5; N.Z, Cable Association,) LONDON, April 2. A Belgian communique says: There was continuous artillerying on the whole front especially in the region of Dixniude. Flooding the Front LONDON, March 31. The Germans are flooding tue -.vtsw front and have burned several villages. It is believed that they contemplate shortening their line. uerman Report. LONDON, April 1. Wireless German Official: A British night advance on both sides of Loos failed. The British attacked both sides of the Pcronne-Fins high road. Me repulsed an attack near Metz, but further south wo reached Heudicourt and St. Kinalie. We inflicted heavy losses in engagements with the French north of Soissons. After stubborn fighting southward of Repont, the French penetrated a centre portion of our trenches, but were ejected in a, few hours.

Barrow Strike. (Australian & N.Z. Association and Raaisr). LONDON, April 1. The Barrow strike now nflocts practically all tlio engineering shops in that area, hut not the shipyards. The strikers to-day detemrmed by a largo majority to continue the strike. The production of muntions is of vital national importance and is being greatly dealved. The* Government is considering at-ops to deal with the situation. Shipping Order. "LONDON, April 1. The Cuuard Coy. lias ordered the construction of thirty steamers in America.