RUSSIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 7 September 1917, Page 5

RUSSIA.

RIGA ADVANCE CONTINUES. LONDON, Sept. 5. A Eussiau official message says: The retirement along the Gulf of Riga continues, the enemy reaching the crossings of the River Aa, fifty v-ersts north-east of Riga. Our troops operating eastward of Riga retired to the Zegeweld-Lemburg-Dazsbruzo line. Submarines shelled the Riga' coast. Our counter-attacks drove the enemy from the heights near Slobodzeia."

SERIOUS FOOD CRISIS. » ' _• _____ i PEASANTS HOLDING UP GRAIN SUPPLIES. PETROGRAD September 5. The food crisis is .serious. There is onjly a bread reserve for three days, Soldiers and civilians are suffering privations. The main cause is the peasants' refusal to supply, owing to their inability to obtain iron, paraffin, salt and cotton goods, in exchange for grain. The Government arc unabUe to meet the peasants' demands owing to th e shortage of fuel and means of transport. There are similar difficulties in Finland, where the Government has decided to make requisitions if the peasants persist in their attitude. Newspapers state that the ex-heir presumptive, Michael Aflexandrovitch, his wife, and the Duke Dimitri Pevlovitch, ar e being kept under arrest in connection with the anti-Revolution-ary plot. The municipal elections resulted: — 73 Revolutionary Socialists; 69 Maximilanists; 44 Constitutional Democrats and 12 miscellaneous. GERMANS' SUCCESSFUL SCHEMES LETTISH BATTALION RUNS AWAY. LONDON, September 6. The "Daily Chronicle's" Pctrograd correspondent says the position at Riga has been most serious for a fortnight. The Moscow Convention hourly expected to hear of the capture of the city, but the Germans bided their time otherwise the Left party would have been persuaded to trust Korniloff instead of believing that he was trying to create a panic. Directly the Convention was over, the Germans struck. A Lettish battalion had abandoned the Uvkuill bridgehead a month before The Germans crossed the river on pontoons. Some Russian units counterattacked but the rest fled. The Germans pushed across the Jaegel within sight of Riga, which was therefore evacuated. It had been the centre. of German agitation for months. During fraternising, the Germans gave Lettish soldiers free trips to. their Courland homes. Many of the Letts finally believed that it mattered not whether Germans or Russians gave the desired autonomy. Wireless German official. —The northern wing and centre of the 12th Russian Army is rapidly retreating. PETROGRAD, Sept. 5.

M. Lebedeff, Acting-Minister of Marine, lias resigned in order to form a volunteer corps in the interior with Korni!loff"s approval. LONDONN, Sept. 5. The evacuation of Dvinsk, cabletf earlier, Avas based on a misreport.

ANTI-AUSTRIAN CAMPAIGN. NEW AND STRONG OFFENSIVE NEW YORK, Sept 5 The United Press Association's Washington correspondent learns that the Allies are likely shortly to undertake a new and strong campaign against Austria. Strong pressure has been exerted to induce America to declare war on Austria.