BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1915, Page 5

BRITAIN.

RESULTS OF RECRUITING. VARIETY OF OPINION. Lindon. Dee. 13. The Daily Telegraph says: "As far as we can judge Lord Derby's scheme lias resulted in a great triumph for the voluntary system. We believe the report will be very different from what was anticipated a week ago." The Times says: "The whole issue of the scheme turns upon whether a sufficient proportion of young men have enlisted." Mr. Hodge, chairman of the Labor Party, in a speech at Birmingham, said: ''l am afraid even the last rally has sot given all the men required." MUNITION WORKERS. NEW TOWN ESTABLISHED. London, Dec. 13. Georgetown is the name residents hava given to the new State-controlled town that has mysteriously sprung up in an unnamed corner of Britain. Mr. Lloyd George found an ideal .spot for munition works, and decided to find a town for the workers. Some consider it the last word in social experiment. The streets are numbered alphabetically, and everything else is equally up-to-date, including the schools, clubs, banks, post offices, and public-houses, which are called canteens. There is even a cinema. All are national; there is no mayor, town clerk, or committees, but simply a town manager combining all the municipal functions. The rents are a minimum, rates non-existent, and the shops are run on co-operative lines. The police are lent at Government expense. Motors form the nucleus of a national omnibus service.

Whatever the result of the experiment. many are satisfied that the town and vast works have come to stay.

QUESTIONS IN, PARLIAMENT. EXERTING ECONOMIC PRESSURE. AMERICAN SECURITIES TO BE UTILISED. Received Dee. 14, 5.20 p.m. London, Dec. 13. In the House of Commons Lord Robert Cecil, in reply to a question, said the Oovernment's policy of concluding trading agreements through the Foreign Office was to inflict upon Rermanv all Hie economic pressure possible, in order to bring the war to a speedy and successful conclusion. Mr. McKenna said the Government is dealing with a scheme to utilise the American and Canadian securities held by Britain. He believed that the amount held here was sufficient to pay our debts to the United States and keep up the exchange. One estimate of the Canadian and American securities here is between seven hundred million and eight hundred million sterling.

AIR DEFENCE OF LONDON. ADMIRAL SCOTT'S RETIREMENT REGRETTED. Received Dec. 14, MO p.m. London, Dec. 13. In the House of Commons, Mr. Tennant said that the Anti-aircraft Corps had been transferred to the War Office, and Admiral Sir Percy Scott was, no longer in control. Received Dec. 14, 11.10 p.m. London, Dec. 14. The Daily Telegraph says that Admiral Sir Percy Scott's relinquishment is regretted, as he had improved the air defence more than wai thought possible. The public does not welcome the War Office's assumption of responsibility, and will anxiously watch developments oi the air defences.

THE NEW FINANCIAL PROPOSAL. EXPLAINED BY MR. MeKENNA. Received Dec. 14, 11,5 p.m. London, Dec. 14. With reference to the American and Canadian securities held in England, Mr. Mc'Kcnna explained that the primary object was to purchase the securities outright, but the Government recognised that many holders were unable to sell. The loan proposal was formulated as un alternative, whereby the securities were loaned to the Government for two years, the Treasury having power to sell them in America, allowing the lender 2VL- per cent, extra on the price realised in order to cover exchange difficulties. The Treasury's power to sell the securities is indispensable, and not even inveterate pessimists had raised the question of capacity to meet all our liability provided our resources were liquefied and we were given time. The new demands which we were, compelled to make on America exhausted a large surplus, }>ut every care will be exercised to see that we do not, embarrass America. Mr. McKenna added that acceptance of the proposal. is urgent. LABOR LEADER'S SPEECH. ■ London, Dec. 13. Mr. Philip Snowden, speaking at Glasgow, said that after the war Labor must resume the economic struggle in which it had been weakened meantime by sacrifices willingly made at the call of national patriotism. Labor had never said "Stop the war," but demanded such a peace as would make its repetition impossible. There were greater signs of a reasonable spirit and desire for peace among Continental countries to-day than iii Britain. Permanent peace was only possible when Continental people, instead of their kings and diplomats, controlled foreign affairs. NEW FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEELondon, Dec. 13. A French deputy, M. Bouillon, is visiting London with a view to arranging a joint French and "British Foreign Affairs Committee, selected from members of the two Parliaments. CAPTIOUS CRITICISM. London, Dec. 13. Sir Edward Carson, in a letter to The Times, aays he is filled with deep anxiety and concern by the trade agreement with Denmark. He believes the nation will greatly resent the relaxation on any grounds of the principle of the blockade. 'Parliament is kept in ignorance of the military situation, and also of the policy regarding the use of nwal iupwMswy.