News from England

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 212, 15 February 1915, Page 5

News from England

COLONEL SEELY'S APPOINTMENT ; SAVORS OP POLITICAL PREFERENCE. f London, February 12. The Morning Post, referring to the. Appointment of Colonel Seely as Bri-jgadier-General with the command of an important cavalry unit, declares that the appointment savours of political preference. It is hard lince that the reg..la.officer should have politicians who got all the plums during peace, robbing him of appointments for staff service in war tone. The Post adds: 'Colonel Seely distinguished himself at the War 'l'fice bj his tactical manoeuvres. He evacuated his position and retook it withcat Ices of life. It is not to be supposed that this epigone gave him a just claim to promotion In the regular arm*.'/' T?mes and Sydney Sun Services. . London, February 12.

Mr McKenna, in answer to a qn-.ition ill the House of Commons, said that registration showed that 40C6 rlie:is were employed hotels and restaurs ntj fa London.

* BRITISHERS INTERNED IX I GERMANY. > 5000 OF MILITARY AGE. '' Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 14, 5.30 p.m. '" London, February 14. Mr. H. J. Tennant (Under-Secretary for War) states that there are 5000 Britishers of military age interned in Germany.

, WAR LOAN FOR RUSSIA. "BIG DROP EN* GERMAN SCRIP Received 14, 5 p.m. London, February 13. The Bank of England is issuing a ten million loan for Russia for one year at fire per cent on Treasury Bills at £95. The first dealings i n German Imperial '£3 per cents, since the re-opening of the Stock Exchange were at £53 10s as compared with £74 at the end of July.

WHAT BRITAIN MIGHT EXPECT. IF GERMANY PREVAILED. Seceived 14, 5.5 p.m. London. February 14. Phrase-books found in the knapsacks of German wounded soldiers show that when England should be invaded, her people would be liable to the same frightful treatment as had been meted out to Belgium. The phrase-book deals with bocty, plunder; and incendiarism.

WHEAT MARKET. A XEW WELSH REGIMENT. London, February 12. Wheat— Chicago May options 159% -to 162%. July 135 to 137%. The King has authorised the formation of a battalion of Welsh Guards.

RISE IN FOODSTUFFS. DISCUSSION IN THE COMMONS. PRICES BEYOND CONTROL. SHORTAGE OF SHIPS EXPLAINED. London, February 12. Jn the House of Commons, Mr. Ferrens, member for Hull, initiated a debate on food prices by moving that the House regrets the rise in the price of the necessaries of life, and calls on the Government to prevent this unfortunate consequence of the war.

; Mr. Asquith, in the course of his rc- . ply, said that compared with the corret sponding month of 1914 the price of wheat had increased 72 per cent., flour 75 per cent., meat (British) six, (foreign) 12, sugar 72, and coal 15 per cent. These increases were due principally to diminution of supplies and greater consumption rather than to high freights, coupled, in the case of wheat, with New York and Chicago specula- { tions. He refused to believe that any advantage would be secured by buying up the world's supply or commandeering the home stock. Mr. Bonar Law agreed that they could not now attempt to control wheat, though they might advantageously have bought large stocks on the outbreak of war They might also have done something at the same time with regard to shipping. Mr. Asquith added that there was no evidence of any unusual shortage in j meat suoplies, the rise in price being j largely, if not entirely, due to increased I consumption for the Armv. The stocks J of sugar in tin hands of the Government were sufficient to last for many months, and so far as any change of price was likely in the next few weeks or months it would be downward. The situation respecting shipping was unpreC cedented. Germany and Austria-Hun- ' gary possessed fourteen per cent, of the merchant shipping of the world, and that had disappeared from off the seas. Another factor was that the Admiralty was employing for transports one-tenth of the whole of the world's tonnage. He had reason to believe that very shortly there would be an adaptation of the available ships to the routes and trade necessities which ought to dominate the £ situation. While he agreed that the rise in prices was imposing severe burdens on the consuming classes, and that the Government should do something to mitigate those hardships, they must all recognise that there was a state of war, and that the safety of the country demanded sacrifices on the part of the working classes. ''While we should do everything to secure the free influx and reasonable prices of food and raw material, w*e should not hesitate to face the great emergencies and gigantic responsibility, and make sacrifices which patriotism and public spirit demand."