GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 31 December 1915, Page 3

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

GERMAN CORRUPTION IN AMERICA.

SEVERAL ARRESTS FOR CONSPIRACY.

NEW YORK, December 28. Congressman Frank Buchanan, of Illinois, Franz Rinteln, now a prisoner cf war in England, and others have been indicted for conspiracy to foment strikes in munition factories.

The accused formed an organisation known as the “Labour Peace Council” in order to bribe Labour leaders and induce men to refuse to work on the Allies’ munitions.

RUSSIA’S DOMESTIC AFFAIRS,

LONDON, December 29

The Russian Censors have prohibited external telegrams for several weeks. Messages now coming report. considerable dissatisfaction because of the failure of the Government to summon the Duma. The discontents do not regard ag convincing the official reason for the postponement of the Budget that it was not ready. The malcontents are an infinitesimal min*3l ority. The influential press and the majority of the nation are determined to prosecute the war to the utmost, declaring it ig no time for domestic controversy.

FRENCH COMMUNIQUE. I

INTENSE ARTILLERY ACTIVITY

PARIS, December 29

A communique reports intense ortillery activity along the entire front. At Hartmanns our curtains of fire prevented the enemy from leaving their trenches on the south-eastern slopes of Rehfrelsen Hill. RIFLE BRIGADE’S BAPTISM. CHRISTMAS DAY ENGAGEMENT. . THE ANZAC WITHDRAWAL. THE TURKS SURPRISED.

A WONDERFUL PEAT,

AUCKLAND, December 29

The following cable message, dated Cairo, December 28th, was received this afternoon by the Prime Minister from Mr. Malcolm Ross, the New Zealand war correspondent: “One of the Earl of Liverpool’s battalians had its baptism of fire on Xmas Daj r , when it engaged an Arab force on the western frontier, near Mersa Matruh. The Isth Sikhs participated. The enemy was driven west of Wadi Majid. Our casualties were slight. General Godley arrives here to-morrow.

After the evacuation of An me the Turks shelled the beach 'and trenches, thinking our force was still there. On Tuesday they swarmed down in considerable numbers l . Our ships then

burned and shelled them effectively. A mine was exploded on Russell’s Top, after our departure, and this greatlyalarmed the Turks, who brought heavy artillery, machine gun and rifle fire to bear on our empty trenches. The authorities here consider the evacuation a wonderful feat.”