MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1916, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

SWEDEN AND BRITAIN. SWEDEN'S HIGH-HANDED ACTION. Received August 25, 1.10 a.ia, ■ London, August 24. The Anglo-Swedish correspondence, published relating to Sweden's detention of a British parcel of mails to Russia as a reprisal to British searching Sweden's parcel of mail for contraband, shows that Sweden announced her reprisal measure on December 18th. Viscount Grey requested that the mails be immediately released, adding that the Government would welcome ai, explanation as to the detention. Sweden replied justifying her action by the so-called British violation of binding treaties, and the law of nations Viscount Grey replied that such a grave charge is unusual in diplomatic documents, and must be repudiated in the strongest manner. British action had been scrupulously correct, whereas Sweden's- was wholly and avowedly illegal, constituting a direct challenge to British national sovereignty. THE TASK AHEAD. COLONEL REPIXGTON'S VIEWS. Received August 24, 11.40 p.m. London. August 24. Colonel Repington says that Germany is everywhere on the defensive. Fortythree divisions are held on the Somme. We have certainly inflicted 800,000 casualties during the last three months. A Russian general has said that if w'e could hold 122 German divisions on the West front, Russia was satisfied she could look after the rest.

FOOD PRICES. A DIFFICULT PROBLEM. Received August 24, 5.5 p.m. London, August 23. In the House of Commons, Mr. E. G. Pvetyman, replying to the debate on food prices, said that the matter could not he isolated from the general conduct of the war. It was only part of the war problem, and was not one of the first importance. It was largely one of shipping, and the claims on shipping were many and conflicting. The Government were daily in negotiation with the different interests for the purpose of keeping down prices. It was calculated that the soldiers' consumption of food was fifty per cent, higher than that of civilian life, and that was sufficient to account for the considerable increase in prices. The evil had been increased by the simultaneous lowering of supplies by the withdrawal of labor from the land. These factors were beyond the Govern- j menfs control. The Government prac- \ tically controlled the shipping, and step- 1 had been taken to prevent the cornering of commodities. ; i DOMINION SUPPLIERS.

PROTEST AGAINST RESTRICTION'S. , i London, August 23. i Owing to the shortage of pig iron th» Government think that over-many tin; plates are being manufactured. Tin, Ministry of Munitions lias notified manu-l facturers- that export will l)e entirely! prohibited except under license, and they j will only be permitted to manufacture' plates required for Government con-. tracts, where particulars must be fur-: nished. i At the shippers' request. Sir J. Me- J Call, Agerot-General for Tasmania, is J making representations to the authori- ; ties urging the Dominions being placed on a different footing from neutrals, pointing out the hardship of imposing restrictions now Dominion suppliers have completed Government contracts for 1910.

NO PEACE OVERTURES. INADVISABLE TO SAY MUCH, Received August 24, 8.40 p.m. London, August 24. In the House of Commons Lord Cecil, in stating that no peace overtures had been received, said there was only one way of making overtures, namely, a communication from tiie enemy Government to the British Government. If such oi curred tlio first thing to be done wo:iI. be to consult the Allies. Asked whether there had been tiny indirect overtures, he replied. "Ai m time," adding, "It is inadvisai! e to g< any further than that on the question just now." Our relations with the Greek Government, so far as he knew, were t orough- ; ly satisfactory. We were couiv.; with k knotty problem. We were also icquir ing Dutch agricultural produce insteai. of • enabling Germany to purchase the '. same at higher prices. , HONORS FOR THE BRAVE, I London, August 2.!. I . Military medals have been awarded to the fo"owing New Zealand Infantry: Sergeant L. R. Nicholas, Corporal W. D Bell, and Privates F. Brightwell and A. Kennedy. PROLONGING PARLIAMENT. London, August 23. The House of Commons accepted the Lords' amendment to the Parliament Bill, limiting to two years any Parliament elected on the old register. Received August 24, C.40 p.m. London, August 23. Parliament has been adjourned till October Ift