PEACE MOVEMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 21 May 1917, Page 5

PEACE MOVEMENT.

GERMAN DELEGATES TO STOCKHOLM. Received 8.40. AMSTERDAM ,May 20. The Socialist paper, Vorwaerts, states that representatives of both the German majority and minority have been granted passports to the Stockholm Congress. GERMANY PRESSING CLERGY INTO PEACE MOVEMENT. Received 8.40. AMSTERDAM ,May 20. The Deutsche Kircßen Zeitung states that the Catholic clergy in Germany have inaugurated a powerfully organised peace movement. The paper adds that after despatching the Socialists to Stockholm the German Government is now pressing the Catholics into the service of her hypocritical peace efforts, also saying the clergy intend to create a world wide union of Eucharists. Catholic archbishops in other countries have promised their warm support. NEW PEACE OFFER. THE HAGUE, May 10. The Mageszeitung says Count Rcventlow declares that Before Easter Count Hollweg and M. Czernin (Austrian Premier} outlined a new peace offer and submitted it to the Kaiser for signature. The Kaiser snubbed them. Count Reventlow adds that Hollweg and Czernin completed an agreement for peace without annexation. LONDON, May 19.

The Daily Mail states that other information reveals that the Kaiser and the militarists- alone prevented the German Government making new peace proposals.

AMSTERDAM, May 19

Falkenhayn, interviewed by journalists, said that not only were 'tKg' ipeople ' at raving' about * peace/ :.tln; ; soldiers at 1 the 'front were”equally of peace, but it woyld come joriiy ‘•when a‘ liappy ; future'was assured for Geritiany. No enemy'woiiid ever/ set foot 6n German soil again. EkpLosfoN~oN THE A3AHURA. GISBORNE, May 20. f ? f)lf East Cape this morning an explosion occurred in the forehold of the ArahuraAbound from Aucki-ind to Gisborne. Four of the ere v wore injured The following are now in the Gisborne Hospital: Sowers (boatswain;, severely burned; W. J. White (steward)- fractured hand, and facial burns; W. Cunningham (fireman), fractured foot,. The fourth man. Fireman Flicker, was slightly burned. He remains aboard. The explosion was caused by fumes from a cargo of benyino. A threatened fire was quickly suppressed, but, the shij) undoubtedly had a narrow escape. Captain Morrison handled the ship well. Though preparations were made to beach lief, if necos-Viry, there

was no panic. ' The steward’s quarters wore wrecked;-'■'Sdhie''tTiilirqT)ins' wore badly damaged, but it ,s anticipated that , the vessel’s running will not be affected She sailed for Napier as usual. Fifty-eight passengers signed a petition to the Minister of Marine protesting against the carriage of benzine on passenger ships. LATER PARTICULARS GISBORNE, this day. The explosion aboard the Arahura caused no structural damage to the vessel, which resumed her voyage last even ing. The partitions between the firemen’s quarters and the stewards’ glory hole and two passengers’ cabins on the port side were shattered by the blast of air resultant from the explosion, 'which occurred in thc forepeak. The main saloon bulkhead was thrown oaf of plumb. Thc boatswain in m iking his usual rounds sounding wells and bilges had entered the forepeak at 7.15 a.m., and imagining the watertight bulkhead between the forepeak and No.

1 hold prevented any danger from gas, lit a candle to enable him to unscrew the cap of the sounding well, and immediately an explosion occurred, but though smoke issued from the forepeak there was no fire, which was fortunate, considering there wer e 5000 eases of benzine stored in the forehold. Boatswain N. Somers was badly burned about the head and the lower parts of the body. Steward J. W. White received a gash on the face through the glass door being broken in on him, and Fireman W. Cunningham sustained a fracture of the foot. These were sent to the hospital. Another fireman, Hucker, injured in the foot, is remaining on board. Immediately the explosion occurred Captain Morrison turned the vessel towards Hicks’ Buy, ordered the boats to be in readiness, and started the .iie hose in the forepeak. But when it was found a few minutes later no fire had occurred and no material damage i’esulted, the steamer resumed her voyage to Gisborne. The passengers signed a protest against the carriage of such large quantities of benzine aboard passenger ships.