New From England

Taranaki Daily News, 30 July 1915, Page 5

New From England

. JEW TO THE LAST MAN. . XIIK EMPIRE AXD COMPULSION". Jteecived July 20, S.oO p.m. London, July 20. In the House of Commons. Mr. Tennant read a letter from the general com manding in Egypt, sent to the director of the general army nvlical service: "1 wisii you could see what is being done Jterc. There were cno mms difficulties and some want of orga;. nation, but all are now remedied or bei ; remedied. We liave gone on the prine: : ■ of asking vou for f-crything we wai. tml spared' nn expense, and you have a ays responded. As ngards nurses and ctors we have never been really in waat.'' Mr. F. Guest raised a discussion on compulsory service, and Mr. Tcnnant, in reply, questioned whether any real necessity for alteration in the voluntary B\stem had yet been demonstrated. It .was not wished to close the door to compulsory service; the Govornment was prepared to achieve a successful issue to the war, even though it necessitat -d the sacrifice of the last man. Mr. Ellis Griffith said the country was prepared for any sacrifice, and it wi, for tlie Government to tell every man that saciifice was required. A CONTEST OF ENDURANCE. BTIRRIXC SPEECH BY Mil. ASQUITH. . A 'HOPEFUL PUOSPEI T. London, July 2.5. Mr. Axjuith, in moving the adjournment until September 14, said: "Tin: ! success of the war loan has done as ' nnieli a. anything to convince the world, and particularly our allies, that we are' determine.! to devote the whole of our ' resource-. io a successful prosecution ol : the war. Since the outbreak of the j war the ■ ;e.ss. with one or two mela::-' choly notorious exceptions—(loud ap ! plaiisel -has discharged its duties with I admirable restraint. The menfbers of! the House of Commons have a'so dis ; Charged their duties of criticism in an ■ admirably patriotV manner." In justifying the adjournment Mr. Asqiiith alluded to the enormous in-: urease in the number of questions, whic'a 1 were an intolerable strain on the State '. departments. He regretted the action I of the Lords, which necessitated a post-' ponement of the Pensions Bill until after j the adjournment, when he hoped it: Would be carried by general consent. In j 4he meanwhile peusioiis and allowances would continue as before. j , Mr. Asquith added that the war would l)e a contest of endurance, and it would' be ungrateful and insensitive if wc did not recognise nt this moment the indfieribably gallant efforts of our Russian allies, who had stemmed the tide of invasion and maintained inviolate the integrity, of their position. He thought that in the whole of military history there had not been a more magnificent *.\ample of discipline, patient endurance, and both individual and collective initiative than had been shown by the Russian army during the last eleven months.

The Italians, continued Mr. Asqiiith. Were steadily gaining ground and mak- ' ing their way towards their objective, which he believed would shortly he within their reach. As far as ourselves and the trench were concerned, we had been fighting side by side for a year, and Ik did not think there had been armies inspired by a more complete, more unreserved spirit of fraternity and comradeship or more confidence that victory Would ultimately lie theirs. Our confidence in the Gallipoli operations was Undiminished. The naval position wallow far stronger than before the ivar. Serious as the submarine menace might appear for the moment, it was not going to inflict fetal or substantia! injury t.i. food or raw materials, vlij; yJTcre coining as in time- of peace.

The House of luminous was crowd.-.!, in anticipation of a historic resume of the »ar. Mr. Asipiith, however, after justifying the adjournment on tieground that the members of the Honwere not going holiday-making, b.,i, manv Wi re going to duties even mure important that those at St. Stephen'-, ttcciiiied to make a length}, or detailed Statement of the present situation or lie future of the war.

Mr. A-cpiith said the recruiting for t ; ■<■ arm: wa.- highly -atisfactory. The 1.,t----.est returns were among-t tin- best th-y liad had for a long time. The prodc.tion of munitions had been organis-i Oil a lia-is which he was satisfied wuvlj tie. adeipiatt! for rnpiiivinents. Reviewing the twelve mouth.-, :■": lAsquith asked whether there could he x areatev calumny than the Miggisti,-, that tin- British people had not rise!. to the heights of a great occasi- ;:. (Cheers.) Rut it was a still greater calumny upon the Allies to suggest lh.il thev did not realise and appreciate the' mil the contribution llritain v..;making to tii" ultimate triumph of t ,-. Common cause.

(oii.liidiii". .Mr. A-quitli said: "i.-t none "dec • ■neoiiraj.'enieiit to the faint .hearted, slid less to tlic l.a'-kbiters wi. , are doiiiL' what tbey can to di-hoar!-r, tlie Allies and encourage our i-ncmii-s. Let all continue in tlie spirit which ha.- . in.-pir'-d our efforts for twelve montt-, (llld pei'si-r and pcr-cvere to the inevitable triumphant i-.-ue." (Prolong.! cheer-, i Koceived duly -".», S.lll p.m. 7 London. .Inly 20. A.- a result of tlie conference at Bomloirrie tbe Government is settinjr up t'-.n miditioiiil ar-enals. Mr. f.lovil lie continued, i.."--A liad an inventions brar.nh in conjunction with Admiral Fisher's 'board. Darin;,' tho past month mi" ftnd women munition workers liad inWoased by forty thousand, of whom nearly half nw skilled. The hundred 'thousand voluntary munition workers

had been enrolled, and the bulk ■belonged to engineering and shipbuilding trades. Employers had raised objections regarding eighty thousand men of the volunteer body, and business men representing various trades were now investi"ating the protests. The Ministry of Munition-, would be satisfied if it could use twenty thousand volunteers, as it would mean industrial disaster to move the men wholesale about the country. F.XIM.GMON IX AIRSHIP SIIKD. SERVICE AT ST. PAUL'S. London, Julv 2.5. The Admiralty announces that at 11 o'clock in the morning a hydrogen explosion in the airship shed at'(Wormwood N-rubbs killed two air mechanics and injured nine, some severely. The buildin!* was damaged. One hundred and fifty Australian convalescents and about 100 Xew Zealanders will attend St. Paul's on August 4. POLITICAL MATTERS. Tie civc.d July -20, D.30 p.m. London, July 20. Tin- House of Lords; passed the Ckni.l I'::vcs limitation Bill, ami also the Elections Kill. The Atinpusi of Crewe said the proh-alulitic-s p/f an early general election weir- remote. Special arrangements could be made to meet such a eontiugcllC/.