Great Britain

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 185, 14 January 1915, Page 5

Great Britain

TREATMENT OF .BRITISH PRISONERS. AX OFFICERS COMPLAINT. CONGESTION IN LONDON DOCKS. London, January 12. Major C'. B. Vandeleur, of the Cam»r_ onians, escaped from the prisoners' eamp in Germany. He states that while not complaining of the food or accommodation, British officers were subject to the grossest humiliations at the hands of their captors. | Three hundred and sixty-five boxes of batter donated by the Victorian mana-' facturers have been distributed at the ■ London hospitals where the wounded are | lying- I There is unparalleled congestion of, merchandise in the London docks. La-; bonrites say that there are sufficient' dockers, but congestion will continue until consignees make proper arrangements ' for dispersing their goods when dia-1 charged. >

LORD HALDA.VKS DECLARATION. GIVES SATISFACTION IN FRANCE. Times and Sydney Sun Services London, January 12. Pajris reports that Lord Haldane's declaration of the Government's attitulc with regard to obligatory service caused the greatest satisfaction, indicating that Britain was resolved to fight to the .but man. The French all recognised the loyalty of the British and their efforts, but only a few appreciate their effectiveness. It was widely believed that there were only 100,000 British soldiers fighting. The Archbishop of York, in a sermon, exhorted self-discipline and abstinence from alcohol during tibe war. The conflict demands the uplifting of the whole national life. A writer in the Eugenic Review urge} ■the Government to abolish marriage fees and encourage soldiers marrying, and so maintain the race through better stocks, and to check the deplorable increase in venereal disease.

TRADE BETTER THAN EXPECTED. COMPARATIVELY LITTLE UNEMPLOYMENT. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 13, 5.20 p.m. London, January 13. The Local Government Board states that fears of widespread dislocation of t-ade consequent on the war have not been realised. Except in a few industries, unemployment is much less serious than was anticipated, and it has not been necessary to make heavy demands on the relief funds. "AT THE MERCY OF THE WORLD." PROUD, THRIFTY BELGIUM. APPRECIATION OF OUR GIFTS.

Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 13, 5.15 p.m_ London, January 13. The chairman of the Belgian Relief Fund says: "The generosity of Australians and New Zenlanders is magnificent. I only wish the people of these far-off landa could see how their self-sacrifice alleviates misery snd allays disease and ■offering. We, a proud and thrifty nation, are now at the mercy of the world. If that mercy is strained, we can no longer exist."

ALBION'S IXCOMPARABLE ASSISTANCE. UNACHIEVABLE BY ANY OTHER POWER. KEEPS ALLIED ARMIES IX THE FIELD. Received 13, 10 Jim. Paris, January 13. Le Temps' London correspondent considers that England made a remarkable effort in improvising her army of half a million, also in supplying the needs of the army in Egypt and Mesopotamia, and furnishing the Allies with everything which their industries, crippled by mobilisation or invasion, were unable to supply. It was a veritable tour de force, which no other country could have achieved, . ; j

ENGLISH DOCTORS RELEASED. AFTER IMPRISONMENT IN GERMANY. BAD TREATMENT ALLEGED. Received 13, 11,10 p.m. London, January 13. Five British army doctors have been released, after five months' captivity at Magdeburg. Tiiey include Drs. Austin and Elliott, Kid Cross officers. They were arrested in Belgium, where they had intended to establish a hospital. They were eourt-martialled for espionage, sent to Cologne, where, after a fortnight's solitary confinement, they were re-tried several times, and sent to Torgeux, where they were subjected to insolent treatment and poorly fed.

A PLDA Foil NEWS. THE TIMES PROTESTS AGAIN'. Received 13, 11.30 p.m. London, January 13. The Times urges the Government to reconsider its refusal to givo information The paper says: ''The Empire )6 in no temper to fight behind the veil of mystery. It is a novel, remarkable, and really extravagant theory tnat a great democracy like ours, linked with valiant self-governing Dominions, should be asked to fight a war for our very existence without being told what the Government is about." RUSSIA