GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1778, 19 January 1918, Page 1

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

A SLIGHT INTERRUPTION. Mr Pett Ridge tells the following: —A soldier in a certain regiment out in- France was making determined but unsuccessful efforts to light his pipe, and at about the ninth attempt ,an enemy shell came across, flinging him flat on the ground, and ploughing up the earth close by. After he had recovered somewhat he made one more try, remarking aggrievedly, “What, with these French matches and this ’ere bloomin’ Belgian tobacco, my life very soon won’t be worth living.” MAGIC WORK AT (i A.M. Twenty years ago Mr John Burns declared “the man who invented going to work before breakfast ought to be shot.” Dr. E. L. Collis, director of the Welfare and Health Section of the Ministry of Munitions, suggests that it would he well to recommend employers to start work after breakfast. He cannot see any magic about six o’clock in the morning—dark, cold, wet, horrid winter mornings. The result was that output was poor in quality and quantity. BATTLEFIELD SALVAGE. A big enterprise has been built up at Dewsbury by the War Office, by which discarded uniforms and other articles of elolhing eolleeted on the battlefields and in borne camps are dealt with in such a way as to save (he nation hundreds of thousands of pounds. Since the work lias been in progress about 45,000,000 separate articles have been dealt with, including:—4,loo,ooo ,jackals, 4,500,(100 pairs of trousers, 020,000 greatcoats, 003,000 pairs of riding breeches, 2,700,000 pul lees, 3,500,000 shirts, 850,000 caps, 1,8000,000 Cardigan jackets, 18,000,000 socks, 2,700,000 pairs of drawers, 0,000,000 other articles. There are about 300 women sorters, who do their work so’thoroughly that nothing is wasted. Garments which are beyond repair are carefully scrutinised, and sorted into woollens, linseys, Angolas, etc. Articles capable of being restored are sent to a local firm of dyers and cleaners, by whom they are cleaned, and reissued to the troops or for the use of German prisoners of war. In ten months the value of produce received and disposed of amounted to £OOO,152, and the expenditure to £07,308, leaving a net credit of £931,844. Up to date, sales of rags to merchants and manufacturers in the heavy woollen district have amounted to £1,000,000. BAIRNSFATHER’S FAME. Captain Bairnsfalhcr, says a writer in the Daily News and Leader, is an artist who has not had to wait for official recognition —either of his prowess or of Ids pencil. I a nit old that near Loos —whore the captain was wounded —is a French lath-and-plasler cottage, on the whitewashed indoor walls of which are some dozens of highly original /tnd characteristic Bairnsfather sketches, drawn hy the artist to while advay the hours of rest in billets. Those drawings have now been wired over to prevent too close approach, and an old soldier attendant has been put in charge, with the idea of preserving the collection till the war is over. KAISER’S SON AT SEA. A Berlin telegram states that Prince Adalbert, the Kaiser’s third son, took part in the recent operations off Oesel as commander of a small cruiser. According to the same telegram Prince Sigismund, second son of Prince Henry, returned recently from a trip on a submarine, which went as far as Madiera. LOW FLIERS SCARE HORSES. A curious story was (old at an inquest at Dover, on George Hawks, whose back was broken while lie was ploughing. The coroner was informed that Hawks bad stated Dial; an aeroplane swooped down and frightened bis horses, which bolted, and caused the plough to overturn on him. Witnesses said that aeroplanes frequently swooped low while they were working. One man had to jump from a waggon to avoid being knocked off. £20,000,000 IN PROPAGANDA. Since the commencement. of the war Germany, to further her criminal propaganda, has spent £20,000,000. She imagined that by lavishly scattering this enormous amount of money she would be able to - control the world’s sentiments. Her psychological failure may be measured by the number of nations that have broken off relations or entered into active hostilities against her, says a writer in the Fail Mall Gazette, !