AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 124, 26 May 1916, Page 3

AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT.

ITALIANS EXPECTED TO OCCUPY SUPREME POSITION.

L'iG EVENTS ON OTHER FRONTS PREDICTED.

NEW YORK, May 24

According to a Rome message, the Minister of War, after a protracted council of war. issued a statement regarding the military situation, which is developing against the Austrian offensive, and which it is declared will leave the Italians in a supreme position. He said there was the expectation of a general movement against the Austrians on other fronts, especially in the Balkans and Russia. Besides these, contemporaneous attacks were expected to be sprung by Italy's Allies in Prance.

Military critics advise reconstructing the Italian front by abandoning the far advanced positions in order to be better able to repulse the Austrians' forward movement. ANOTHER ATTACK THREATENED. I ROME, May 24. A communique says: The enemy is reported to be massing between Lake Garda and Adige. Enemy aeroplanes bombed different places on the Venetian plain, without doing damage. A few were injured.

LUXEMBURG ISOLATED. BIG MOVEMENT OF GERMAN TROOPS. LONDON, May 24. There have been heavy movements cf troops through Luxemburg for several days. Luxemburg is isolated from Belgium, the Germans forbidding the Luxemburgers to enter into i communication. JAPAN AND AUSTRALIA. THE TRADE QUESTION. '""' SYDNEY. May 24. At the Millions Club luncheon, Mr. Sutter, commercial commissioner to the East, emphasised the growing importance cf Japan. He urged the establishment of steps to dominate commercial policy in the East so long as the spirit of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was kept up. There was no doubt that Japan came to the rescue when Russia was absolutely defeated, , and Russia's artillery practically destroyed. Japan, in response to 'appeals from Russia and Britain.' sup- ' plied the gaps. , ' ; .-. Referring to trade, Mr. Suttor warned Australia against the possibility of losing Japanese trade as the result cf the publication of hostile criticisms, and pin pricks time and time again. GERMANS DRIVEN EACK. PETROGRAD, May 24. A communique says: In the region of Kuhcckavolia we drove back the Germans across the Voseluliu, a tributary cf the Pripet, and smashed recently constructed trenches.

IN THE CAUCASUS. TURKISH OFFENSIVE REPULSED. PETROGRAD, May 24. Repeated Turkish offensives south of Trebizond were repulsed. We dislodged the Turks from a position on the northern slopes of the i Taurus range. THE AUSTRIAN THUNDERBOLT. | ITALIANS COMPLETELY SUR- | PRISED. J AN OVERWHELMING ATTACK. ; . „ ( I ROME, May 24. 1 It is pointed out that the Austrian ] offensive synchronises with Italy's declaration of war. Three Slav deserti ers on May 14th approached the Ita-

lian trenches and stated that an attack would begin on the following ' day. The Italians were uncertain I where on the 350 miles of frontier j the blow would fall until a bombard- ' ment cf incredible violence began. Scores of 12-inch guns were suddenly j revealed at dawn mounted on AusJ trian crags over-topping most of the I Italian positions. Two thousand can- \ non were assembled, every calibre b.eI ing mounted. Artillery up to 16-inch-j ers swept over the valleys, while j swarms cf aeroplanes soared over the i Italian lines, wirelessly correcting i j the range. When the Alpini recovered j from the first shock they found that \a. vast network of trenches, which j had been patiently constructed dur- ] ing months, had been obliterated. ■ The infantry onslaught began in the I evening. Mitrailleuses cut down hundreds who were advancing in dense ' formation and the entanglements , I were heaped with dead. j

ITALIANS HOLDING UP AUS TRIANS.

ROME, May 24. The battle raged incessantly for eight days. The Alpini defended every foot. The fighting was always in the snow. Already there have been 8,000 Austrian dead. The Italians have thus far resisted the attempt to smash through and pour down towards Verona. The Austrians are now occupying a small strip of Italian soil between Mount Magrio and Tonezza. Italy is strengthening her< third line cf defend. It jjg believed Mounts Maggio and Tonezza will prove the extreme limit of the Austrian penetration. 50,000 AUSTRIANS WITHDRAWN FROM ALBANIA. PARIS, May 24. The Athens correspondent of the "Matin" says that according to a neutral diplomat who has just arrived from Albania, the Austrians have withdrawn 50,000 troops from Albania during the last three weeks, leaving small detachments to guard the towns they occupied. The abandonment cf the Albanian front is ascribed to the impossibility of bringing food and supplies.

AN AUSTRIAN COMMUNIQUE. AMSTERDAM, May 24. An Austrian communique claims the total capture of 23,883 Italians, including 482 officers and 172 guns. Further progress has been made on the south Tyrol front, including the occupation of Cimamadriolo and a height westward of the frontier. AUSTRIA'S OBJECT. TO PREVENT ITALIAN HELP TO ALLIES. NEW YORK, May 24.

Several indications confirm the statement that the design of the present strenuous campaign by the Austrians is to prevent Italy from participating in the struggle on the French front, also to paralyse action aimed at joining the Salonika and Avlona forces in a simultaneous effort. Another message states that the Austrians have transferred to the Italian front a number 380 and 420 millimetre guns taken, from war. ships, which which are bottled up in the harbour of Pola.