BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1921, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. DAMAGES AWARDED. (Received This Day at .11.30 a.in.) LONDON, April 28. The Recorder at Cork awarded Mrs Cummings £IO,OOO compensation for the murder of her husband, cabled on 6th March. Captain Gumming (his brother) received £3,000 ori the grounds that he absolutely depended on de- *** ci^sefl. '■A# x MINERS DECLINE TERMS. (Received This Dav at 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 28. Miners by an overwhelming majority rejected the Governments offer 'of a subsidy of ten millions, spread overfour months, which would mean that no miners wages be reduced more than 3s per shift during May, and 3s fld m June.

GOVERNMENT OFFER INCREASED •« THE TIMES ” SERVICE. (Received This Day at 1.5. p.m.) LONDON, April 28. The miners rejected the Government offer on the grounds that : t was inadequate and provided for only a starvation wage. . Sir R Horne thereupon hurriedly summoned Hon. Lloyd George and secured authority to increase the Government’s offer of a sub.sidv to ten millions for three months, reducing the cut in wages by 2/6 instead .of 3-• Hon. Lloyd George declared this was the final word. There is a general hope the miners will accept.

AN AUTHOR’S VIEWS. (Received this day at 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 28. Major Neville Lytton, m a book entitled “press and general staff published to-day, says the first time I saw the Australians in any numbers I was struck all of a heap by their astounding beauty of physique. They were just from the line of battle, stained. They had loose, lithe bodies and an expression of extreme cruelty such as you see on the faces oi birds of prey. They never troubled to salute and addressed me as '‘mate.” They seemed to me to he frightfully efficient, never requiring orders and knowing exactly what to do. He stresses his tremendous admiration for Capt. Bean and wishes lecture associations to invite him to Britain to repeat his criticisms on British methods which he expressed to the author.

THE WONDERFUL AUSTRALIANS LONDON, April 28.

Lytton, continued—The Australians night counter attack on Villers-Brettnii-iieux proyecl their battlefield disc ip nu was absolutely perfect, whatever their Lillet discipline might be. Even if the Australians achieved nothing else than the capture of Villers Brettonneux, they would have won the right, he considered among the world’s greatest lighters. He agrees that the saving of Amiens was almost entirely due to the Australians •superb fighting. British officers told us that discipline would win the war and that the Australians hadn t any, but the Australian soldiers made ringsround the best German troops, owing to thejir perfect battlefield discipline and the fact that their .initiative and dash had not been crushed by traditional servility. Referring to General Monash and the capture of Mont St. Quentin without artillery preparation, he describes it as a piece of amazing cheek, as incredible as its success. He savs Mont St Quentin ought to become the pilgrimage place for all visitors from the Commonwealth, and taking a pride in its own history. 1 .

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