RUSSIA'S DANGER.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1917, Page 2

RUSSIA'S DANGER.

RETIREMENT CONTINUES.,

LONDON, Sept 5. Russian official.—Tho retirement along tho Gulf of Riga continues. The enemy have already readied the crossing of tho river Aa fifty versts northeast of Riga. Our troops are operating eastward of Riga. We retired to Zegowald, Lemburg, Dayisubruzo. " j Submarines shelled tho Riga coast. Our counter-attacks drove the enemy from a height near Slobayea.

THE RIGA CAPTURE.

A SERIOUS POSITION.

(Received this day at 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 6.

The Daily Chronicle’s Petrograd correspondent says the position as most serious. For a fortnight the Moscow Convention hourly expected its capture, but the Germans bided their time, otherwise the Left Party would have been persuaded to trust General Korniloff, instead of believing that he was trying to create a panic. Directly tho Convention was over, the Germans struck. The Lettish battalion had abandoned Uvkell bridgehead a month before. The Germans crossed the river positions. Some Russian units counter-attacked, but tho restfled. The Germans pushed acrosß Jaegil to within sight of the Riga, which thereupon was evacuated.

It had been tho centre of German agitation for months. During their fraternising, the Germans gave the Lettish soldiers free trips to their Courlantl homes. Many Letts finally believed that it mattered not whother the Germans or Russians gave the desired autonomy.

RUSSIANS RETREATING. TAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & REUTER.] [ADMIRALTY —PER WIRELESS PRESS.] (Received this day at 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 6. German official-.—-The northern wing and centre of the Twelfth Russian Army is rapidly retreating.

RUSSIAN ELECTION'S

(Reuter’* Telegrams.)

(Received this day at 1.20 a.m.,) PETROGRAD September 6. The Municipal Council election resulted in the election of seventy three revolutionary socialists, sixty-nine maximalists, forty-four constitutional democrats and twelve miscellaneous.

RUSSIAN PRECAUTIONS. Received, this day at 8.45 a.m.) PETROGRAD, September 6. The Bourse Gazette bays the arrest of the Grand Dukes is due to fear of a popular rally in their favour, owing to the events at ,Riga, similarly as deserters in the south-west caused the removal of the Imperialists to Tobolsk.

SUKOMLINOFF’R TRIAL

[‘•USUTEK’b” TELEGRAM.]

AMSTERDAM, September 6

l)r. Michaelis hais issued a statement maintaining that certain revelations in the trial of Sukhomlinoff support Germany’s contention that Germany was not responsible for the war. Dr. Michaelis says that the Tsar cancelled the Russian mobilisation but this order was thwarted among other, by M. Saminoff. Foreign Minister. Dr. Michaelis asks: “Who is behind these pro-war criminals? Aggressive plans against Germany® had long been prepared by influential politicians in Franco, England and Russia including M. Sukhomlin off.”

RUSSIAN FOOD CRISIS

PETROGRAD, September 5

The food crisis is serious and the broad reserve will only be sufficient l)>r three days. The soldiers and civilians arc suffering privations. Tho main cause is the peasants’ refusal to supply cereals owing to (heir inability to obtain iron, paraffin salt, and cotton goods in exchange for grain. The Government is unable to meet the peasants’ demands owing to the shortage of fuel and means of transport. There are Similar difficulties in Finland where the Government has decided to make requisitions if the peasants persist in their attitude.

WOMEN A/ND KORNILOFF.

PETROGRAD, September 5.

Certain members of tho Counoil left Workmen’s and Soldiers’ Delegates nro trying to utilise tho fall of Riga to force the resignation of General Korniloff, but tho officials declare that his 'resignation is i - M. Lebedeff, Acting Minister of Marino has resigned in order to form a volunteer corps in the interior “with General KOrniloff’fl approval.