LATE WAR NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 216, 29 May 1915, Page 2

LATE WAR NEWS.

GERMAN BATHERS BOMBED. LONDON, May 27. A British howitzer shelled a bathing establishment at La Bas&ee, wounding 20 or 30. FEARFUL CARNAGEGAS KILLS GERMANS." LONDON, May 27. During action on the 16th and 17th hi the Festubert district the 57th Prussian. Infantry lost 2,400 out of : 3,000. Some Germans were suffocated by gas escaping from a cylinder, blown up by a French shell. Our artillery effect, ed a similar result in a trench near Ypres Comines Canal.

' THE REWARD OF CURIOSITY. FALLEN AEROPLANE INCIDENT. LONDON, May 27. In connection with the German aero, plane accident, "Eye-witness 1 ' states that the machine fell headlong on to th e parapet of a German trench.where it excited the enemy's interest. Meanwhile Frenchmen strained their machine guns on the spot, and when a sufficient number of Germans had collected round the aeroplane, they opened fire, and dceimated th e onlookers. AT THE DARDANELLES. A FORTNIGHT'S FIGHTING. DESPERATE TURKISH RESISTANCE. THE AUSTRALASIANS ATTACKED LONDON, May 27. The High Commissioner reports that at the Dardanelles, operations from May G to 19th are as follows: There was severe fighting on the 6th and the whole Allied line advanced a thousand yards, but the left wing was checked by strong Turkish Redoubts. The French, however, gained an important position which served as a pivot for further operations. On th e 7th and Bth the attack resumed in face of heavy fire, the French attacking with the bayonet. A counter attack was repulsed with heavy loss.

During thre e days' fighting the Australasians at Sari Bahr, in spite of the Turks sending reinforcements to support their main attacks, resisted all attacks. Fighting on these three days was severe but a large proportion of the casualties were only slight wounds. The Turkish defences were strongly constructed and they were only capable cf capture by slow trench warfare The French fought with magnificent courage and suffered heavy loss. On th 0 ° Oth a brilliant attack was made by th e loth and 16th Battalions of the Fourth Australian Infantry Brigade. They carried, with the bayonet, three lines cf the enemy's trenches at Sari Bahr. The Turks counter attacked heavily at dawn on the 10th, forcing the Australians back to their original trenches, but guns opened fire on the enemy at close range doing terrible execution, dead Turks forming an obstacle

From the 10th to the 17th the Allied line further advanced. On. the 17th General Bridges was mortally wounded during an attack on the Australian posiion. His death caused an irreparable loss to his command. On th e wight of the 19th there was continuous fire, but no attack against Australians and New Zealanders.

| STRONG PLEA FOR CONSCRIP- ! T!ON. LORD MILNER TALKS STRAIGHT. VOLUNTARY SYSTEM GROSSLY . ' UNFAIR. . LONDON, May 27. Lord Miluer, in a letter to ;the "Times," says the change of Ministry will not bring victory without a change in method. Nine-tenths, of the hitches, delays, blunders, and widespread uneasiness and discontent are du'e to the fact that the coutry still clings to the voluntary system wjhile the enemy is organised on the principle of national service. Throughout this handicap has been too enormous. The spirit of the nation is excellent, and will supply the needs with firm leadership. There ought to be a census in order that the country may call men put in the right order, the younger before the oldei', and the unmarried before th e married. If the present call of 300,000 •succeeds it will be needlessly disorganising and wasteful. The unfairness of leaving the individual to decide who is ot bear the burden will become increasingly disturbing to the public mind. The present method is unfair to our soldiers, Allies and thousands of men, som e of whom, are unjustly denounced as slackers and cowards when they are really ignorant and bewildered. We have hitherto relied too exclusively on the pick of our people. It is high time we enrolled the whole ablebodied manhood. The nation is ready to obey; it, only noexls the captain on the bridge to giv e the signal.