NEW ZEALAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 73, 15 August 1914, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND.

LORD ROBERTS. COMMANDS THE OVERSEAS FORCES "Wellington, August 14. Tihe dovernment has received a cable from the official press bureau stating that Earl Roberts has been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the oversea Dominions' forces. It is considered that this points to the fact that the forces sent from Canada, Australia and New Zealand will form a separate and distinct section of the. British Army, .

NEWS FROM PARLIAMENT. ] THE BANK INCIDENT DEFIED. LOCAL BODIES' CONTRIBUTIONS VALIDATED. Wellington, Last Night. In tlic House of Representatives tonigflit, in reply to Dr. Newman, the Minister of Defence stated tliat tWire was no objection to half-castes who were Territorials joining the expeditionaryforce. Discussing the position of some railway men who had left tflieir employ to loin the force, and had been refused, the Hon. W. H. Hemes said it was unrea- • sonable to suppose that the Department could allow the whole of its staff to go abroad without proper notice. TSie Department had called for volunteers, hut always with the condition that they had to be finally selected. Those who had left tJhe service without leave would be regarded as having voluntarily left the service. Those who obtained leave would have their positions kept open for them. < Speaking on the subject of the departure of the expeditionary force, the Premier said Ife would like to impress upon the public that every possible precaution iiad been taken, by the Imperial and New Zealand Governments, for the safety of the force. He could not go into details, but people would understand in a few weeks when they heard What had taken place. Hon. James Allen made a statement to the House, in which he gave an emphatic denial to a rumor mentioned by Mr. D. Buddo a few days ago that one of the local banks had refused permission to its staff to volunteer for service abroad. In reply to Sir Joseph Ward, the Premier stated tJhat he had not yet had a reply from the Imperial authorities on the subject of war risks, but he anticipated it would be favorable. Hon. James Allen moved the second reading of the War Contributions Validation Bill, explaining that it did not validate any payment, made to the war fund. As a matter of urgency, the Bill was put through all its stages. PREMIER'S APPEAL TO FARMERS. - TO GROW MORE FOODSTUFFS. Wellington, Last Nieiit. The Prime Minister lhai issued the follmying appeal to fanners: —

vice to the Empire if they made arrangements to gr.nv this season as much cereal produce as possible, and I now wish to emphasise the importance of thus matter, and appeal to farmers to uo all in their power t) put it beyond doubt that at next harvest New Zealand will be able to do her share towards providing against a world-wide shortage of breadstuff* that is only too likely to be experienced as a result of the great strife of nations thai is now in progress. It is quite evident that if the war is prolonged it may be found that the side possessing the iargest food supply will have a highly important advantage over its enemies, and as no one can foretell with any certainty whether campaigns conducted with the colossal armies of the present day will give decisive results, it may even happen that ample supplies of food will be the ultimate determining factor in the struggle. I need not add that if a general elhort|age of cereals does occur, farmers who have endeavored to help their countr,by providing this class of produce, may find that in serving the Empire's interests they have also served tiheir own. I therefore ask the patriotic farmers—and that means all farmers—of the Dominion who have suitable land to at once put the necessary operations in hand with a view of growing as much, as possible c* - -vl oats, thus, giving to the Empire what may prove to he extremely valuable assistance.— (Signed) W. F. Massey." FINANCIAL TENSION RELIEVED. DISCOUNTING BILLS RESUMED. Wellington, Last Night. The following is the text of a "letter sent by Mr; Harold Beauchamp, chairman of the Rank of' New Zealand, to the Hon. James Allen, and : read by ■him in the House this evening. The letter is dated August 14:— •'Following the announcement that has been made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer \that the British. Government will guarantee the Bank of England against any loss incurred in discounting bills _ accepted prior to August i, the Wellington bankers received advices by cable this afternoon to the effect that the Bank of England is now discounting freely, and What discount houses who were compelled to avail themselves of the moratorium are now meeting their engagements. The effect of this is that Australian banks have resumed ouying and selling drafts in the dominions.. The corollary to this is that banks in Australia and New Zealand will. also be able to buy and sell on London, and this will tend to relieve the financial tension which has existed since the proclamation of the moratorium.' •' ItELIEF OF THE POOR. A BIG-RESPONSE FOR A WORTHY CAUSE. Christchurch, Last Night. The movement to provide voluntary contributions of a shipload of meat and dairy and other produce for the relief of the poor, at Home advanced a stage at a preliminary representative meeting held to-day. The jiit will be from the people of 'New Zealand, and is to ' be known as "The Poor of Great Britain and-Ireland Relief Fund." A very generous response was made by those present. A donation of 1000 sheep was made by Messrs H. B. and A. Williams, of Poverty Bay. Gail donations were promised by Messrs W. 0. Eutherfoijl and D. Rutherford and family of £1450; S. Manning rind Co., and Pyne. and Co., each £2o0; Dr. Levinge and J. B. Reid, £IOO each. There were other smaller amounts. .The movement will be extended throughout the Dominion by the organisation < F the Sports Protection League. WELLINGTON DONATIONS. • Wellington, Last Night. The Empire Defence Fund is growingvery rapidly. The Wellington donations now amount to about £15,000. GERMANS IN DISTRESS. Wellington, Last Night. The families of a number of German I prisoners interned on Somes Island are having a hard time now that their breadwinners have been removed, but they are not to ba neglected, for the Mayor has been in close touch_ witfh Mr. Fockc, the German Consul, with reference to their cases. The Mayor states that where necessary the families of the ?-'-- will ihe relieved in accordance with their necessities, and the community can rely upon it that they will not be overlooked, and that their cases will have the attention of the Mayor in common with other cases of distress requiring relief.

OFFICIAL NEWS. Wellington, August 14. The folio-wing telegram from the Press Bureau 'lias just .been received by the Prime Minister:—Germany is harassing the trade Toutes •to South American ports. The Admiralty has despatched mobilised cruisers to stations commanding these routes. Twenty-five British cruisers axe searching for five German cruisers there. Fast armed merchant vessels have been commissioned to patrol the routes. British shipping is now arriving regularly. The Admiralty urges traders to England confidently to send cargoes. There is no. re-assurance in connection with shipping in the North Sea, where formidable operations are proceeding. The bulk of 26 German army corps is located between Liege and Luxemburg, indicating that the Russian frontier is lightly guarded, except for reserves. PLEA FROM HASTINGS. Hastings, Last Night. At a meeting of Hastings business men the following resolution was carried:--"That this meeting respectfully urges the Government not. to unduly curtail advances' to settlers or loans to local bodies where works have been arranged, but tlra-f steady progress in all develop-, ment works be encouraged. We urge that no better patriotism can be shown at present than to encourage tflie confidence of individuals and companies having in hand works that provide employment, and that nothing be left undone to maintain our normal conditions in commerce and trade." SOUTHLAND'S ASSISTANCE. Invercargill, Last Night. In four days the Southland Patriotic Fund lias reached £3500. The laaies, miller the guidance of the Mayoress, are devoting their time to tho procuration of necessities for Southland troops. Offers of horses and fodder have heen accepted. For the expeditionary force a >'ood class of men iliavo offered, and 'ilitary matters are going ahead > 'ngin*}v. The National Reserve is a 1 i piling up members in case of necessity. TQie.Southlftnd.Timess'newspaWr -*..« —l -.-aa-._j...:.: .j'-jii.-ijfoii.'■ TOW

LADY LIVERPOOL'S FUND. / Wellington, Last Night. Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool wishes all articles completed for her fund to be sent in as quickly aa.J. possible to mayoresses for delivery to ' headquarters of districts not later than August 20, as they must be received in. got,.; time to be sorted. Gifts of can- ■» \as shoes, pipes and tobacco will: he ; most acceptable. V NELSON'S SHAKE. . \ lie Nelson, Last Nigiht. * Local Bubacriptions to the Empire De> ■ fence Fund now total £244 v, besides many horses. The local committee is * * buying horses and equipping a contin- % gent. « , FAREWELL AT GREYMOUTff. ■ Greymouth, Last Night. At a large patriotic demonstration to-<«;' night speeches were made by the 'Mayor and prominent citizens, and music supplied by the Liedertafel and the Battal- ■> ion Band. The West Coast troops were fare welled with a great display of patriotism. A collection in aid of the war ' fund secured £37. ' i AUCKLAND GIVES THOUSANDS. Auckland, Last Night. J. lie fund promoted by the Mayoress J , of Auckland for the purpose of providmg comforts and necessaries for the ': Auckland portion of tile expeditionary •' force now totals £2OOO. The Citizens' '» Patriotic Fund, including the Herald fund, now totals about £28,000, includ- " mg a donation of £SOOO from the Auckland Savings Bank. The latter dona- 1 tion is subject to validating legislation. 7 The mobilisation of the Auckland sec- - tion of the expeditionary force is prac- • tically completed, the majority of the men being under canvas. ASHBURTON'S LIST. ® '■ x Ashburton, Last Night. The Ashburton Patriotic Fund has reached £2250... -The principal contribu- '•> tions are as follows:—F. Ferriman and ".family £2lO, Ashburton Trotting CSub ■ and Ashburton Racing Club £lO5 each, Friedlander Bros., Hugo Friedlander, T. Bullock, J. Studholme and Htigdi Cameron £IOO each, Nieoll Bros., £62 10g, Canterbury Roller Flour Milla five tong flour (valued at £55)/'Hugh Hunter, W. S. Strange, J. Smith and Sons and;-W. H. Collins £SO each, Lant, Walker and Endkin £3.5,. John Findlay, A. A. and"®. H.. Orr, Ashburton Mail and Guardian Co., Robert Bell, H. L. Barker £25 each. A fair number of troop horses, and a quan-' tity of fodder, etc., are also being given. ] PALMERSTON PATRIOTISM. • Palmerston N., Last Night. At a largely attended patriotio meeting a resolution was carried, expressing ' to flhe Prime Minister and members of Parliament the high appreciation by Pal- ' merston people of the prompt Hteps taken to assist the Motherland in her hour of peril and her righeous for that freedom which is the birthright of every British citizen, the glory of the . Empire, and the lifeblood of the nation; that those present do all in their power to assist the Government to efficiently equip the expeditionary force. A substantia! sum was collected. / ~ "" ■ j-' 1 WAITARA'S, QUOTA. ' ' ' By the mid-day train yesterday sis members of tlhe No. 1 troop, D Squadron, 2nd Mounted Rifles (Queen Alexandra's Own) left for Hawera to join the expeditionary force. They were accompanied by five horses. The names of the troopers were— R. Fulton H. Yarrall E. Baldwin J. Graham H. Honnor C. J. Weston : ' YP GIFT HORSES TO TROOPERS. SOME POINTS OF INTEREST. ' In the course of an interview with a,representative of -this paper, Major Young, _ principal veterinary officer, who is making a flying visit to Taranaki in connection witih the purchase of horses for the expeditionary force, stated that when any person or committee offers a , gift hack to the Government, it can. at the same time, nominate any particular trooper to have the use of such horse. Hliis information should be forwarded," along with the horse, to the Agricultural Department's officer of the district, wW will send the instructions on to tho remount officer at Palmerston North, whore the Horse will bo numbered, and that number placed against the trooper's name for future guidance. As Major Young is going with the expeditionary force, donors can rely on their instructions being carried out. In order to assist troopers in getting horses at a reasonable price, Major Young suggests that farmers having horses for sale would he helping greatly if they would communicate with the Defence Department, who would then advise the would-be purchasers where they could obtain a horse. Some troopers, he said, had been looking for days to purchase a horse, and then ha'd to secure an unsuitable one, perhaps, at a greatly inflated price from a dealer. As the Government only gave the trooper actual value for the horse, it could be seen that some of them might 'be victimised to the extent of several pounds. Horses, Major Young states, are coming to hand freely in the Wairarapa and elsewhere. A day or two ago he inspected thirty valuable horses at Huntcrville, and act >ted sixteen, the others being rejected b. ,-ause they were too light.

Dr. Home wishes us to state that the . townspeople- should not as vet take it for grunted that he is going with the expeditionary force. Dr. Home /has volunteered his services, but they have not yet been definitely accepted 'bv the Department. The officers of the New Plymouth De- ■ fence Rifle Club had a busy time last night enrolling members willing to undertake a course of militavy training and rifle practice. Among "those who enrolled were some with fifteen years of military service. The officers will be in attendance at the old Drill Hall for the same purpose each evening until further notice. At a-public'meeting in Manaaa the sum of £BB 10s was subscribed. In addition to this the members of the Waimate West County Council subscribed for the purchase of an artillery horse estimated to cost £35. 1