BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN.

THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS. TO 'ROPE IN. THE UNATTESTEDS.* .ANOTHER CHANCE GIVEN*. J MEASURES FOR RELIEF, Received April 20, 9.40 p.m. London, April 20. An official report of the secret session in tho House of Commons says that Mr. Asquith gave particulars of the expansion of the army since the outbreak of war, and the total military efforts i of the Empire, including the contribution of the overseas dominions. Be reviewed the recruiting problem, and showed that the results to date had fallen short of requirements for our proper military efforts. This was due, not to an over-estimate jf what was available, but to the time required in sifting individual cases, without inquiring into other essential national services, The Government, in order to meet the situation, had determined' on prolongation until the end of the war of service timeexpired men, and also on the power to transfer territorials to any unit where they would be needed; ,also, to make 'exempted men liable to military service immediately on expiry of their exemption certificate anil on the enrolment .of al: youths as soon as they reach the age of eighteen years. 1

The Government had decided on an immediate effort to secure voluntary enlistment of unattested married men, and if on May 27 fifty thousand of these had not been secured, the Government would "ask Parliament for compulsory powers. The same course would lie taken if weekly enlistments after llav 27 did not reach fifteen thousand, until 200,000 unattested men had been obtained.

A special committee- was appointed to draw up a scheme to enable,the men to meet their civil liabilities. ' It is proiposed to assist married and -single men in regard to rent, mortgage, interest payment and instalments under contract, taxes and rates, insurance premiums, ard school fees. The total relief is not

to exceed for each man ,£lO4 per annum. The House resumes its secret sitting on Wednesday. THE SECRET SESSION. HOUSE OF LORDS CROWDED. London, April 25. The House of Lords was crowded. Strangers, including the press, were rigorously excluded. Lord Rosebery was present for the first time since the division on the Parliament Act, when he described his speech as a swan song. REASON FOR IT. PROTEST AGAINST THE ACTION. Received April 20, 8.30 p.m. London, April 25. In the House of Lords, Lord Crewe explained that the secret session was due to the fact that the force which the Government proposed to raise might not meet with the full desires of the; extremists of cither side. Therefore, they wished to make a full statement, containing some confidential information. Lord Salisbury protested against closing the galleries before the House had been consulted, and declared that a similar procedure should be followed as in the Commons.

Lord Lansdowne thought the protest not unreasonable though it was really important to get into the secret session as early as possible. !A UNIONIST PROTEST. Received April '26, 11.25 p.m. London, April 26. The Unionist War Committee, Sir E. Carson presiding, passed a resolution recording their dissatisfaction at the delay involved in the Government proposals that have been disclosed at the secret session.

PLAIN TALK.

ON THE 'POLITICAL CRISIS. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received April 20, 5.5 p.m. London, April 23. The Times, in a leading article, says that no plain man outside political circles cares two straws about these embittered Cabinet controversies. What the public wants is to win the war as thoroughly and as quickly as possible. They are quite indifferent what Government is in power so long as we can win. The only national disaster they will recognise is a national defeat, INDEPENDENT LABORITES WANT . IPEACE. London, April 25. Mr. Jowett, M.P., >'n his address to the Independent Labor Conference at Newcastle, said that Mr.' Lloyd George had copied the iron-heeled capitalists of the Rand find deported workmen without a trial.

The conference approved of the efforts being made to induce the various Governments to issue statements of the ■terms on which they were prepared to make peace, and applauded the courageous action of the German Socialist minority. A GENERAL ELECTION URGED. London, April 25. Mr. Frederic Harrison, in a letter to the Times, says there is no reason why there should not be a general election, and suggests a short Act simplifying the machinery and enabling all elections to be held on one day and all electioneering to be over within a 'week. Failing this, 'ha recommends a referendum on the question whether there should be a change of Government. %