Australia.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 301, 29 May 1915, Page 5

Australia.

LOOTING AT RABAUL. DISCUSSION IX TIIE HOUSIS. deceived May 28, 8.15 p.m. Melbourne, [.May US. Til Hio .House, Mr. Anstey renewed the allegations of looting ut Rabatil. lie claimed that officers prevented the soldiers from looting, hut themselves carried on aiwliolesalo robbery. The looting occurred on a large scale from top to bottom, and the men simply did what they saw the officers do. The responsibility rested on those controlling tlu. expedition. He believed there would always be looting in connection with war, and the only honest thing to do was to let the sentenced men out of gaol. Mi'. Fisher declared that the Government had been a clean Government. The matter would not be allowed to rest there. A soldier had no right to loot, and it wag the duty of the commanding ' oll'icer to shoot him if he could not be stopped in other ways. He denied tlie statement that no court-martial could be trusted to try a'culprit. If an officer had done wrong he should be treated more severely than soldiers. Mr. Cook suggested that a committee of the House or a judge be appointed to inves+iwite the whole, business. Mr. Jansen said the Government should take immediate action to sift the allegations, and he would never rest till this was thoroughly done. Received May 28, 10.55 p.m. Melbourne, May 28. In the House, Mr. Fisher stated lie was considering the action of the courtmartial on the Italian] looting charges. The Government desired to ascertain if the court-martial was carried out according to tho usual rules. THE RED CROSS WORK. GENERAL AUSTRALIAN ITEMS. Sydney, May 28. At) influential committee has been appointed to carry out the Ked Cross . scheme to meet the needs of the sick , and wounded. Mr. Hugh Ward is organising a public appeal whereby lie aims at raising £20(1,(1(10. Mr. Hotmail, referring to the announcement that an endeavor would be made to raise Red Cross funds in America, said there was no need for that. Australia could not afford to have it said that , she was , not prepared to buy comforts for her own soldiers. The charity of their own people was unlimited. The Government had already undertaken to iimgurate a combined movement throughout Australia for the sick and wounded, lie was negotiating with the Premiers of trie other States in the matter. The captain of the steamer Ph\|sa, which lias arrived at Newcastle from 'Singapore, states that the newspapers there contained accounts of the sinking of German submarines in the Seilly Isles in March. In a cave on the islands tho Germans had a base large enough to accommodate six submarines. Supplies were sunk ill an aii'ti'ht vessel to a depth of fourteen fathom*. The escort was discovered, and liritish officio's wait- ( ed and bombed the incoming submarines, seven of which were destroyed. Melbourne, May 28. In the House, Mr. Campson asked what was the attitude of the censors towards the speeches of members. Mr. Cook said the. censorship was unsatisfactory, restricting, awkward and irksome. " It seemed as if the Minister, through the censor, could save himself from "criticism. Anything more ludicrous than the censorship in Australia was impossible. Mr. Jensen replied that there was no censoring of criticism unless it contained anything it was not good for the public to know. In the Assembly, during a discussion oil the Temporary Restriction Bill, the l'remier said it seemed that a general agreement for some curtailment of hotel hours was required. If the hours were curtailed the people should be unable to get drink elsewhere wl".-n the hotels were closed. The Gove:::.nonfc therefor l ' would submit an am 'cnt pr '■ liting anyone except the ~ r . b'■' r -n"l and servants drinkim: Ktihecnsod i premises between O.Sl) i>.n. ai"' " n.tn. | In the Senate, Mr. I'earce that I 204 enemy subjects were interned in J Australia.