GENERAL WAR ITEMS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 71, 23 November 1914, Page 5

GENERAL WAR ITEMS.

STRICTLY OFFICIAL. BUT GERMAN. LONDON, November 21. The German official wireless circulates a story that fifteen thousand British were drowned in a canal at Bixschoote. ARMY CONTRACT CANARDS. LONDON, November 21. In the House of Commons, Mr. Tennan t. assured members who had mentioned ugly rumours in connection with Army contracts that the reports were baseless. GERMAN PRE-WAR PREPARATIONS LONDON, November 21. Four pieces of heavy calibre and two mortars captured by the Allies were taken from emplacements prepared before the war. Two were discovered in the village of Saint George, near Ramscapelle. They had been sent there may months back, Germany paying £2OO for their lodging. Eight of the guns' hosts were immediately shot. AUSTRIAN ATROCITIES. WHOLESALE. MASSACRE OF SERVIANS. PARIS Nov. 21. j Professor Koiss, of Lausanne IJiuvevshy, has concluded an inquiry into Austrian atrocities in Servia. He states that the Anstrians massacred 4000 unarmed peasants in the Shabatz district including women. The majority were taken as hostoges, but it was impossible to .send them to Austria immediately so they were hanged or shot. The Austrians forced 109 hostages at Leehnitza to dig their own graves. Though many were only wounded, the firing party immediately filled in the graves, burying many alive. Professor Reiss visited 1 olher villages where 1.148 civilians were kjlled and 2880 had dissappeared. The Viennesse press justifies the massacres stating that the Servian population is always revolting. BRUTAL TREATMENT OF A MISSIONARY. SUSPECTED OF BEING A SPY. SYDNEY, Nov. 23. The " Telegraph's " Rabaul correspondent reports that the Rev. Cox, an English missionary, has arrived in a serious condition, after brutal treat ment at the hands of Germans in Nev\ Ireland. Rev. Cox states that he was making a periodical visit and was spending a night with a German missionary. He was chatting on the verandah when five armed and masked Germans appeared and accused Cox of conveying information to the forces at Rabaul. He protested his innocence, but was denuded of his clothing, Hogged with a cane, and put into a boat in a semi-conscious condition and ordered to return to Raban] for medical attention. A punitive expedition has left to in vestigato. TREATMENT OF ALJENS. A GERMAN PLEA. AMSTERDAM, November 21. The Norddeutsche Allegmeine Zei tung protests against German news papers demanding the death of M, Deleasse's son and others unless the treatment of Germans abroad is arnei iorated. It adds: "War i.s waged or Governments, nut on individuals. The Christian law to love our enemies still exists." VENICE, November 21. An official statement from Vienna states that, owing to the wretched position of Anstro-Hungarians in Bug land and elsewhere, the treatment ol alien enemies in Vienna will be much severer, particularly of live hundred British. SUPPOSED SPIES. AUCKLAND, November 20. Mr. Maurice Harding, of Northern Wairoa. had an exciting experience ir Ireland en account of the war. He was motoring with his wife in the vi cinity of Belfast when an accidenl occurred to the car. While repairs were being effected they hired a launch to run down the river. Thej were enjoying the beautiful scenerj and taking snapshots when the launch was signalled by a policeman to come in. The order was promptly obeyed and the occupants were dul;\ taken in charge by men with fixed bayonets. It was only by calling £ Belfast merchant to whom Mr. Hard ing had letter of introduction thai the authorities could be convinced "the New Zealand tourists were not foreigr spies. The party was released aboui four hours later t STERN MEASURES. OTTAWA, November 21. The Government has decided t( make it a criminal offence throughou the Dominion for a person to possess or circulate copies of German journals published in the United States. A determined effort is being made t\ flood Canada with pro-German litera ture. The Government is prohibiting the use of the mails for that pur pose.