CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1915, Page 5

CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

THE WAR OFFICE. • : :ik mkx ix eiiAL.,i:. London, Nov. !\. in the House of Commons, Mr. Asquith said: '■The Cencntl Stall' at the. War OlVio;' includes many men of war experience. Major-Oencral Sir Archibald Murray, v.'ho is the head, was recent ly with Sir John French. i[e has lice;, appointed a general. Bi'iyadievC< neral Ili"c;el is his assistant, Cicnorai Hia>v, who lias had experience ,:i France and at the Dardanelles, is bcrom.ns Director of Home Defence. Twenty-si:; oll'icers now on the fieneral Stall' at the Wi.v OlViee, have had actual experience in the present war. Ten of them have been wounded. We would hi- delighted if Russia, end ; .taly would co-operate in the i-xoliiii'.ge of ollicevs similar'c in l-rihi-e."

NEW WAR COMMITTEE

A STRONG QUIXTETTF r . London, Nov. 11. "Sir. Asnnith announced that the new War Committee of the Cabinet consisted of Messrs Asqnith. Balfour. Lloyd George. Bonar Law, and McKenna. Mr. Asquitli, questioned about the Antwerp expedition, said Mr. Churchill could afford to ignore the attacks. He would be amply justified when the whole story was told.

LORD HALDANE'S SERVICES. APPRECIATION 7 EXPRESSED. London, Xov. L, In thp House of Commons, during a desultory debate on tlie Dardanelles las!, night, the adjournment was moved as a protest against the absence of members of the Cabinet. Mr. Asquith to-day expressed reg/ivt. and explained that their absence was due to nsisadventurc. 11? \v.\i\ ai-rcngcd for a colleague to attend. Sir E. Grey, questioned, regretted iliat tliero had been no opportunity recently of utilising Lord ilaldano's servicer at the Foreign Office. HI;-, previous association with the office had been v-'itli the full consent of himself and Mr. Asquith. He considered this statement, due in view of the attacks on Lord Haldone, whose services Sir E. Mvuy much regretted to lose. l!e would in the public interest use Lord HaldaneV, tervices if available. He added that he desired to resign when Lord Ualdane retired, and would have done so bill 'for the crisis in public affairs. Mr. Asquith, replying later, f'jm Ui.U Lord Hahiane had not been assisting at the War Office. He had rendered estimable services there when Minister.

Mr. 'J'ennant stated that Uussia's supply of men of niilitarv age ai the begin' ni'ng of the war was 21,400,000.

A VITRIOLIC OUTBURST "REALMS' OF BLUNDERDOM." BRITAIN'S AIR SERVICE. Received Xov. 12, 0.30 p.m. London, Nov. 11. In the Commons, Mr. Joynson Hieks drew attention to the air service?, alleging a weakness in organisation and a lack of ships of the Zeppelin type. Mr. A. Lynch followed with an amazing outburst, attacking Lord Kitchener, and doctoring that he had blundered in not acting promptly at Liege and at the Dardanelles. The Serbia stalemate had reached the Western front, and lie suggested Sir John French's removal. Lord Kitchener's blunders, said Mr. Lynch, stand out like a Rock of Gibraltar in the realms of blunderdom. Mr. Balfour declined to answer Mr. Lynch, saying that such criticism was valueless. He fully recognised the importance of pressing the necessity of an air service, but he did not believe we were behindhand. In addition to building the latest types of aeroplane we were building a considerable number of tighter air craft for seouting purposes.

LORD KITCHENER'S MISSION. DUE TO UNEXPECTED INFORMATION. Received Xov. 12, B.D p.m.' London, Nov. U. Mr. Asquith, defending the suppression of the Globe, said that Lord Kitchener had never breathed a word of re-, signation either to the King or him (Mr Asquith). The Cabinet had sent Lqrd Kitchener to the Scar East upon receiving serious information. Mr, Asquith protested that members of the Commons were persisting in baseless fabrications and accusing him of deliberate falsehood. ILLNESS AT THE DARDANELLES. Mr. Tennant informed Mr. Thome that the canned beef at the Dardanelles was the same as supplied in France. It had not caused thirst and diarrhoea elsewhere, and thi! prevalence of diarrhoea I at the Dardanelles cannot be attributed Ito it. He promised to inquire into the opinions of Australasian wounded soldiers in England. • EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY. Jn the House of Lords, during a debate on national economy, Lord .Middleton said he was of opinion that Lord Kitchener was laden with work of the War Office which ten men could not satisfactorily perform. Reorganisation was essential, and this might save a quarter of a million daily.» Some horse contractors were making £10,060 a vear. The Duke of Devonshire said 'that the Admiralty had made every effort to combine efficiency with economy. A special commissioner was already in the eastern Mediterranean lo inquire into transport matters. Lord St. Aldwyn said there had been insullieient control in making advances to the Allies, winch, with the (lost of munitions, had been the main eau-e of the increased expenditure. Big orders Jirtd been given to persons in the United States who did not possess factories, and big payments had even ibcen made before works had been erected. There ought to be more indirect taxation.