HOME DEFENCES.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1916, Page 5

HOME DEFENCES.

STATEMENT BY LORD KITCHENER. Keecivcd Feb. IS, 5.25 p.m. London, Feb. IS. Keplymg to a question about the Government scheme for insurance against air raids, Lord Newton said that over a million persons had insured, whereof 050,00(1 had done so through the post office. The sum assured was £3,500,000. Several question were put in the House of Lords about Britain's preparedness in air defence. Lord Kitchener stated that one Zeppelin had been lost at sea during the last raid, and he believed that a second one had been lost, but the action of public debate was fraught with risk by giving information to the enemy, and this hampered a detailed reply to questions which were the natural outcome of the dastardly German outrages on helpless women and children. Up to the present the raids had had no influence whatever on the military situation. Three principles governed our air defence: Firstly, good information as to the arrival and movements of hostile aircraft; secondly, the defence by artillery from land; thirdly, attacks by aeroplanes that moved faster than the Zeppelins. The construction of anti-aircraft guns was now in priority to that of other ordnance, said Lord Kitchener. The chase of Zeppelins by aeroplanes at night was attended with great difficulties. No order was sent to air pilots to make such ascents at night, but notice was sent to stations when it was considered possible to intercept Zeppelins.

BRITISH NATIONAL DEBT. London, I'd), 17. In the House of Commons Mr. MeKenna announced that the national debt rose from 70S millions in 191 ! 4 to 2200 millions in 1915-10. The Germans' gross war expenditure to the end of 11)15 was 1500 millions sterling. The French war credits to March were 1541 millions. *VAU PRICKS. ,-. London. Feb. 17. The Board of Trade reports that since the beginning of the war the prices of food have increased by 47 per cent, in the United Kingdom, 83 per cent, in Berlin, and 113 per cent, in Vienna. THE PAPER SUPPLY ' London, Feb. 1/. Imports of paper-making materials will be cut down to one-third. CIVILIAN SCAREMONGERS London. Feb. 17. The 'Daily Telegraph and Chronicle declare that the needs of the fighting services in the matter of aeroplanes must come fivst. They deprecate civilian clamor weakening military effort. The Daily Mail, while doubting that all sources of supply are properly utilised, says that if the civilian claims mean the withdrawal of machines and aircraft guns from the front, then civilians must go undefended.