News from England

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 246, 26 March 1915, Page 5

News from England

END OF THE WAR UNCERTAIN

AUSTRALIAN FREIGHTS INCfiEAS'F.i:

CRY OF SOCIALISM.

ASSURANCES TO HOLLAND.

Loudon, March 24. Sir J. A. Simon, Attorney-General, speaking at Manchester, said there was no indication whatever when the war would end or that Germany was willing to consider any tcrm 3 the Allies might offer.

Freights to Melbourne and Sydney have advanced—loose weight to 40s, packed 50s, rough measurement <>ss, fine 80s. Adelaide freights are 2s 6d additional.

It is pointed out that the new law giving tile Government power to commandeer factories brings into being at a single stroke the fifty years' dream of socialism. Sir F. G. Banbury (City of London), in t'le House of Commons, said it would be simpler if they gave the Government a one-clause Bill declaring: "During the war you can do just as you like." Mr. Hodge (Labor) declared that the Bill would give effect to collectivist and socialistic contentions.

The Prize Court has ordered £120,000 to be paid on American shipments of wheat and flour detained aboard Norwegian and Swedish steamers. This is thef first payment for seized foodstuffs.

The Royal Geographical Society has expelled Dr. Sven Iledin from membership. (Dr. Sven Hedin, the wellknown Swedish explorer of Asia, hai shown himself a strong supporter of Germany.)

Rcuter's Hagu e correspondent reports tliat, according to diplomatic papeH communicated to Parliament, the. British and French Ministers, in announcing the counter-measures taken against the German blockade, assured the Dutch Government that the interests of the Netherlands and licr colonies would be safeguarded to the utmost degree. At a meeting at Manchester of person.? interested in the dyes company a resolution was carried to proceed with the scheme. Many promised to increase their holdings with a view to raising the extra £200,000 required.

SIR JOHN FRENCH'S DESPATCH. (London, March 24. Sir John French's official review insists on the decisive character of the defeat of the German plans at Ypres. It was necessary for French troops continually to reinforce the British in order to save Yprcs. . When Cheluveit, Zandvoorde, Messnes and Wytseihaete had been lost, the Allies crowded three hundred guns into a few kilometres. The Germans had terrible losses, losing at Ypres alone in three weeks over 150,000 men. Over 40,000 German corpses were found on the field. The Allies achieved their main object, and the enemy were only able to send 4y 2 army corps to the eastern front out of 52. " Germany had readied the maximum of her power and had exhausted her resources and officers. Her offensive was broken. The Allies possessed considerable power of reinforcing their armies and could break the Gennan defensive by patient and indefatigable preparation.

SQUARING UP LABOR.

FINES FOR DRINKING.

» London, March 24. The magistrates awarded employers UOs apiece against several workmen in various parts of th e country for engaging in drinking bouts and not doing work on war contract?.

The Government Arbitration Court awarded the Clyde engineers a penny an hour and piece-workers 10 per cent. increase.

Thirty-five British airmen have born killed or are missing since the beginning oi the war.

Received March 25, 11.5 p.m.

London, March 25. The Clyde engineers are disappointed with the award.

PROTECTION AGAINST SUBMARINES.

MERCHANTMEN MAY BE ARMED.

London, March 24. The Marquis of Bristol, in his presidential address at the Institute of Naval Architects, said that in order to obtain reasonable protection against German submarines, it may lx- advisable to arm all merchantmen, which action would conceivably make all nations consider th e limitation of the offensive allowed to submarines.

810 CONTRACTS FOR CANADA.

liondon, March 24. Britain lias placed ninety-five million dollars of war orders in Canada. Seven-ty-two companies are supplying shrapnel shells. Many representatives of iCanadian manufacturers nr e now i!n Britain, investigating the possibility! of obtaining permanent trade where the former sources of supply are dislocated.