A Big Battle.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1915, Page 5

A Big Battle.

j TALIANS ENCAGE AUSTRIANS ■ : —-a German Advance On Russia Stopped Fierce Fighting In France By Cable—Press Assoeiaticu*"*Copyright. Hews From England The Dardanelles.

THE MUNITIONS PROBLEM. MORE WORKERS WANTED. Received July 7, 8.5 p.m. London, July 7. A meeting of members of the House ot Commons has initiated a national campaign to urge upon masters ana workers in munitions contracts tliei vital importance of producing the utmost quantity. Mr. Lloyd George said th.it if the war was to be won in a moderate period there must be a great increase of skilled workers and unskilled female labor.

PEERS ON THE SITUATION. THE CEYLON RIOTS. London, July C. Mr." Griffith Rees (Liberal) has* been elected unopposed for Arfon, vice Mr. Jonc3 (deceased). Mr. Herbert Samuel, in the House of Commons, said that 20,000 postal workers had enlisted, and an arrangement had been made to enaible the release of - a further considerable number. The' deficiencies in the staff will be made up by the employment of those ineligible for military service and women. In the House of Lords, Lord Aldwyn expressed disappointment that the Civil Service estimates did not show a great reduction. Out of nearly, £1,300,000,000 war expenditure only £68,000,000 was being raised by taxation. We were deliberately casting the whole harden of the war on our successors. It was bad policy, unfair to the country, and a disgrace to the present generation. The Government was blameworthy for not propoinsg additional taxation' at the outset of the war. Lord Haldane said the House was not looking in t'le face the most formidable fact, and they would have to meet it, that this would be a different qountrv after the war, because it would he a poorer country and would 'he deprived of many advantages which had given it a unique position in commerce and industry. Lord Loreburn said that if wisdom did not come to tho councils of Europe they were going straight to European bankruptcy in a comparatively short time.

In his speech at the. National Liberal Club Lord Haldane. said: "We are sluggish, and anybody who drew attention to the real danger made us think be had done the public a service. liut you must not overdo it; the situation is serious enough, without our thinking it worse than it .really, is."

The trial of Robert Rosenthal, the alleged spv, has commenced in camera. ■ In the House of Commons, in reply to a question, Mr. Bonar Law said he wa* inquiring into the origin of the riots in Ceylon with a view to punishment. Despite statements to t"ie contrary. Ceylon reports did not indicate that Germans were responsible. . NATIONAL TRIBUTE TO FRANCE. Received July 8, 1.20 a.m. London, July 7. Britain to-day is offering a national tribute to "France in the form of a gen-, eral collection in aid of the French Red Cross. •. ;»fff LORD HALDANE'S SERVICES. ' (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) Received July 7, 7.40 p.m. London, July (5. In the House of Commons Mr. Asquith paid a warm tribute to Lord Haldane for the signal services he had rendered. There was no truth in the silly story that it was claimed he desired to return to the War Office at the beginning of the war. Lord Haldane was always a strong advocate of Lord Kitchener's appointment. THE FINANCIAL POSITION. Received July 7, B.!L p.m. .i,. London, Juiy-J^ 'Lord Laradowne. iit--. tie Hoilse of Lords, saia the financial position was the cause of anxiety before the war, and now was regarded with the gravest attention. It was unlikely the war expenditure would decrease, and therefore ,< was imperative that the Government should not accept new and unnecessary liabilities.