BRITAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1916, Page 5

BRITAIN.

AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE. MINISTERS AND LABOR. London, April 2(5. Official: Messrs Asquitb ancl Boiiar Law and Lord Kitchener conferred with representatives of the Federation of Trades Unions, the Parliamentary committee of the Trades Unions, the executive of the Labor Party, and the leaders of the miners, transport workers, railwaymen and amalgamated engineers. Mr. Henderson presided. | ARMY COUNCIL'S SCHEME. • RE COMPULSION. Received April 27, 9.25 p.m. London, April 20. There is the best authority for believing that the Government's proposals are based on the Army Council's final memorandum, which was prepared after exhaustive investigation into the military needs. It is understood that the Army Council is satisfied that the scheme before Parliament will give the men required. MR. HUGHES AT HOME. ' HONORED AT EDINBURGH.

Received April 27, 9.25 p.m, London, April 20. The Doctorship of Laws degree lias been conferred on Mr. W. Hughes ny Edinburgh University. Sir Ludovic Grant, in presenting Mr. Hughes with the convocation, said that it was impossible to hold before the youth of the nation a record more stimulating than this one of a pupil teacher who rose, by sheer force of character, to be Prime Minisf,jj of a great dominion. Mr. Hughes, in returning thanks, liotly denounced German "frightfulness," and concluded: ''Who dares suggest that we make peace with men whose fingers are dripping with blopd. Peace now would mean national degradation and economic ruin. There can be no peace until this hypocritical, treacherous, and barbarous nation is beaten to its knees." POWDER FACTORY EXPLOSION CASUALTIES. Received April 27, 9)25 p.m. London, April 20. Official: The casualties in the Kent explosion were 106 men killed and f)G injured. No women were killed or injured. Some spectators ivlio ivere included had been warned to leave and had ample time to do so. (A London telegram .if April <! ?aid: An accidental fire in a powder factory in Kent caused a series of explosions in the works. The approximate casualties were 200.)

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. Wellington, March The High Commissioner reports, under date London, April 20, 1.40 a.m.:— | Mr. Asquith, speaking in the .secret session of the House of Commons '.oday, said that the recruiting result;-, obtained had hitherto fallen short of the requirements necessary to fulfil our proper military effort. The Government's minor proposals were prolongation until the end of the war of the service of time-expired men whose period of service under the present law can be extended one year only; to empower the military authorities to transfer men who have enlisted for territorial battalions to any unit where they are needed; to render exempted men 'iable to military service immediately on expiry of his certificate of exemption, with a view of their ultimate addition to forces available.

Further proposals are to bring .mder the terms of the Military Service Act all youths who were under eighteen years of age on August 1 last, as that age is reached. Mr. Asquith further stated that the Government, recognising that the necesisary numbers to discharge their jili- | tr.ry obligations, are not available for service in the required time under the present arrangements, agrees that an effort should be made to obtain the men required by voluntary enlistment from unattested married men. If, however. after a month, ending May 20, 50,000 of these men are not secured by direct enlistment the Government is forthwith to ask 'Parliament for compulsory powers. If in any week after May 27 15,000 men have not been secured by direct enlistment, the same course will be taken. The arrangements mentioned are to hold good until 200,000 unattested men are obtained. In the meantime, the position is to be under constant review of the Government. He pointed out that as under the firoposed scheme all available unattested married men would be enlisted voluntarily or

under compulsion, the main ground al leged for the release of attested marriei men would disappear.