LATE CABLES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 193, 24 April 1915, Page 7

LATE CABLES.

MUP«na«NS OE WAR. NEWSPAPER COMMENT ON MR "''■•: • AiBQUrriPS BPEECH. Pt6M Association—Copyright. LONDON, April 22. Newspaper comment points out the remarkable divergence between Mr Asquith's optimism that fchere was not a word of truth in the statement that the army was-being hampered by failure to produce and Lord Kitchener's speech on March 15, saying that the progress of equipment j had been seriously hampered, and Mr Lloyd George's speeches on the 28th I February and 17th March, j DISCUSSED IN THE COMMONS. LONDON, April 22. Mr Hewins, in the House of Commons, moved that it was urgently necessary that munition firms be controlled by a unified administration in direct touch with the firms. He said Mr Asquith's speech yesterday was unfortunate. H« appeared to think there wa a great cause for contentment, and his speech did not contain one vital suuggestion dealing with the situation. ] Mr"-Lloyd George agreed to the motion, but said Mr Hewins took no account of the War Office's special difficulties. Hitherto they estimated for an expeditionary force of six divisions, but now more than sixfold that force had been adequately supplied, and every man dropped had been replaced. This was one of the most magnificent piecss of organisation ever devised. Ammunition was being expended on a scale never anticipated. As much had been expended at Neuve Chapelle as in the whole of the Beer war. The character of ammunition had changed in the middle ot the war on . expert advice. The system of sub-con-tracts had come up to time, and there i had been no shortage. As a last resort the Government had taken over suitable works. If they took the figure 20 as the amount of artillery ammunition manufactured in September it was W) in October and November, 156 in December, 186 in January, 256 in February, and 388 in March. W> ana also assisting the Allies with explosives and other munitions. There were no deficiencies at the present moment, but the Government had to prepare generally a war policy. Mr Bonar Lav/ said that. Mr Lloyd George's speech showed he thoroughly realised th e nature of th>B problem. He criticised Mr Asquith's optimism. Mr Lloyd George paid a tribute to the services of Lord Moulton's commitfoe in regard to tire production of high explosives. Lord Moulton's »].i<.-!?d production beyond anxiety, and enabled the Governrrsnt to largely supply the Allies. BUGGEBTE DMiME RS ST RIK F£. NOT APPROVED BY FEDERATION. LONDON. April 22. A conference of the Miners' Federation mat at Westminster to discuss the Soufth ! Wiales jaus:gcstic»n for a strike unles s a twenty per cent, advance is conceded. Mr Runcimaa sent a message inviting deputation to meet him at the Board of Trade. ilt is repored that the conference nun disinclined to s«pport tk« t?ftl»h recommendation The result of the meeting with th e Board of Trade is not published.