BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1915, Page 5

BRITAIN.

A PESSIMISTIC OUTLOOK. URGES NATIONAL SERVICE. limes and Sydney Sun Services. London, August 30. Mr. Ohiozza Money, a member of the Souse of Commons, urging the adoption of national service, writes that while Russia had fougnt gallantly against odds of men and material, there was not the slightest doubt that again and again she had failed to extricate her men, who had been captured by the hundreds of thousands. A lafge proportion of the Russian arinyi had been lost, together with an enormous quantity of artillery, machine-guns and other material. As between the central Empires and herself, the Russian advantage and numerical superiority had for some time disappeared. We see Italy making slow progress in a terrain of extraordinary difficulty. Her efforts had little effect upon the Germanic campaign against Russia. Austria, which was supposed to have crumpled up in the first two months of the war, was holding Italy while taking no small share of the fighting in, Russia. The French, with all their gallantry, were unaible effectively to pierce the advanced German frontier. For the rest, a few miles at Gallipoli were still unconquered, and, although the navy magnificently holds the seas, bur ships cannot force the i|aue. i

EXPORT OF WOOL. EMBARGO MAY BE FURTHER RELAXED. London, August 30. The Government is considering the further relaxation of the embargo on the export of wool. The Board of Trade had a conference in London with ■the Selling Wool Brokers' Association, which was asked to estimate the amount available for export Ibeyond the demand in Britain for crossbrcds for military cloths and the probable Australian' and New Zealand shipment. The association replied that. 50,000 bales can l)e exported to the Allies and the United States, THE COAL STRIKE. TEN THOUSAND MEN RESUME. Ten thousand Monmouth strikers are resuming work pending a conference. London, August 30. It ia understood that the coafcwncors have agreed to include the workers excluded by Mr. Ruiieiman.

A BETTER OUTLOOK. AGREEMENT LIKELY. Received August 31, 9 p.m. London, August 31. The conference resumed in London today, and it is hoped that a satisfactory adjustment will be arrived at in time for submission to the Cardiff conference in the afternoon. The joint conference was not held. Messrs Lloyd George and Runciman acted as intermediaries in consultation With cither party alternately. Negotiations were smooth, and a tentative agreement was reached for the supplementary award of a bonus to every night worker, and also a date wa? agreed upon whereto wage advances would be retrospective. After the miners returned Mr. Runciman intimated that a hitcli had arisen, necessitating further deliberations. It is understood that the difficulty i.s not between the coalowners and miners, but between both those parties and the Government. All agreed to resume the conference this morning, when an agreement is likely to be arrived at. CRUX OF THE SITUATION. PAY OF NIGHT (WORKMEN. Received August 31, 8.5 p.m. London, August 31. The crux of the South Wales conference is whether enginemen, stokers, pumpmen, and banksmen 'are to be regarded as night-workers, as the miners contended. Messrs Lloyd George, Runcimen and Henderson previously agreed that all workmen on night shifts should be paid six turns for five turns worked. Certain proposals that were made will be submitted to the miners' delegates at a meeting at Cardiff to-day.

THE SHIRKERS. LORD KITCHENER WANTS TO KNOW WHY. Received August 31, 8.5 p.m. London, August 31. Lord Kitchener, in thanking Mr. Thomas Eraser for his recruiting efforts at Glasgow, wrote: "I shall 'be glad to hear of any reason that is given by young and suitable men who are not availing themselves of this opportunity for service, in the field, where tliey, are so much wanted." PROHIBITION OF "SHOUTING." SUCCESSFUL LIQUOR RBGULA TIONS. Times and Sydney Sun Services Received August 31, 7.50 p.m. London, August 3], The liquor regualtions applied to important munmtion areas have had striking results. Figures compiled by the police show a eosiderable reduction of convictions for drunkenness in many places equal to fifty per cent. The change is due to the prohibition of treating, rather than the drastic limitation of hours. Publicans com-plaip of a serious drop in their takings, and the natural result has been to send more customers to the tradesmen's counters. FAMOUS FOOTBALLER WOUNDED. Received September I', 12.5 p.m. 1 London, August 31. Lieutenant A. F. Harding, the Welsh international footballer, lately living in New Zealand, has been wounded at the Dardanelles.