MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1916, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

THE NEW MINISTRY , MINOR APPOINTMENTS (A. and N.Z.' CalSe Assn. uul Router). London, Dec 15. The appointments of Parliamentary secretaries are as follows: .. Munitions.—Messrs. Evans and Keilaway. Admiralty.—Dr. MacNaniara.

Civil Lord of the Admiralty.—Mr. Pietyman. Parliamentary Secretary of tlip Board cf Trade.—Mr. 0. Roberta (Labor) Under-Secretary to the Board of Trade.—Sir R. Winfrey. Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the War Office.—Mr. Macplierson. * Financial Secretary to the Wi-.v Office. —Mr. Forster. Lord Steward of the Household.—Lord Farqulmr. Treasurer of the Household.—Captain .Tames Craig. Comptroller of the Household—Sir E. A. Cornwall. Captain of the Yeoman of the Guard.— Lord S'nlfleld.

Lords iu Waiting.—Lords Kenyon J.r.c'. U'alentia. Parlirfmentary Secretary to the Air Board.—Mr. Baird. Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury—Lord E. B, Talbot and the Hon. Neil Primrose. Junior Lords of the Treasury—Messrs. J. F. Hope, Walsh and Pratt. The other officials are unchanged. Received-Dee. lfi, 5.5 p.m. London, D<\, 15. Sir William Lever has been aiipfiir.ted Financial Secretary to the Treasury. NEWSPAPER CRITICISM. Received Dee. 10, .1 p.m. London, Dec. 15. The Nation (the Liberal paperi savs the nfiw Government lias no intelligible sense of Liberal administration. The inner strength of the Government lies in the war directorate, composed of Mr. Lloyd George, a Tory Protectionist, two Tory Imperialists, and a Labor member. Five Secretaryships of State and the Secretaryship of the Navy are allocated to Unionists, with a sprinkling of Liberal under-Ministers. Really, the Government is not a Cabinet, but a collection of heads of great administrative departments, grouped under the Prime Minister in what virtually is a committee of Parliament. The inner body is a kind of cabal. How long Parliament will tolerate so irregular and futile a separation of dignity from responsibility remains to be seen. We are surprised to learn that the 'Prime Minister, in the gifted person of Mr. Lloyd Cjeorge, is suddenly enabled to confront the double task of running a War Ministry, whereof Mr. Asquitli was incapable, IMPENDING STRIKE ON IIMSH RAILWAY. Received Dec. 17, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. lfi. Apparently a strike on the Irish Great Southern and Western Railway system is inevitable. The men have refused the owners' offer of 2s weekly increase, and demand (is. The notices expire to-night, and the company has notified tlio discontinuance of goods traffic. PROMPT ACTION BY GOVERNMENT. Received Dec. 17, 5.15 p.m. London, Dee, 10, Mr. J. H. Thomas, M.P., has announced that the Government has decided to take over the Irish railways, and that the men must not stop work. This will enable immediate negotiations to be. opened. A strike would be fatal to the men's interest^.

HARDER WORK FOR POUCH. Received Dec. 17, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 1(1. The releasing of 5000 of the Metropolian police for military service on January 1 will probably result' in the extension of the hours of duty in the force from eight to twelve, also an extra day's duty fortnightly. BOILERMAKERS BROUGHT TO SEASON. Received Dec. 17, 5.5 p.«T. London, Dec. 1 IG. Mr. Hodges' ultimatum to the Liverpool boilormakers orders them tfl resume work on Monday. The War Council has endorsed his action. Official. —In response to Mr. Hodges' telegram, the Liverpool boilcrmakers will resume on Monday. Mr. Hodge, in a'letter to the trade unions, earnestly and confidently appeals |to the workmen's leaders, and equally employers, to consult him before any industrial crisis is reached. He points out it is almost impossible for the Ministry to investigate or conciliate successfully once the cessation of/ work has occurred. ! RESTRICTING FOOD CONSUMPTION. I Received Dec. 17, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 18. An order fixing Thursday as a meatless day is expected to be made shortly. It will operate from January. Other orders are in preparation, enforcing sugar tickets, and inaugurating mixed bread, consisting of wheat, maize, oats,or barley, pure wheaten bread being forbidden. Lord Devonport has fixed the retail price of milk at 2d. per quart above the ore-war rat*. " " j

HEROIC NEW ZEALANDCft* * AWARDED THE VICTORIA OSOIf-', i A STORY OF VALOB. { London, Do#, If, The Victoria Cross has been awar&tf ri to Colonel Freyberg, D.5.0.. a New Zgfc } lander, for conspicuous bravery and iwjft '■< liant lending a battalion commanded L '.V his splendid personal gallantry iw i. tarried the initial .attack straight through the enemy's front system oi trtuehe?. ' Owing to the mist and heavy fire ot ) all descriptions Colonel Freyberg's colli' mand was much disorganised after the . t , capture of Hie first objective, and he personally rallied and reformed the men, ' including the men of other units who bad become intermixed with them. He inspired all with his own contempt for danger and, at the appointed time, led ? ■ Die men for a successful assault on ■'* srCjOnd objective, capturing many prison* ers. . : During the advance he'was twfeQ Wounded, but .again rallied and reformcd those with iiiin and, although on* " supported and in a very Advanced pod- ■'> tion, held the ground for the remainder of the day and throughout the nifplt under heavy artillery and machine-gun firt. i. I When reinforced in the morning Col- ' • cue] Freyberg organised an attack on! * T strongly fortified village, and showed ft' line-example of dash, personally leftdtagi* f;| tie as'sault and capturing 500 prisOMtfß, ; Here he was again wounded, and liter * " v in tho afternoon again severely wounded, but refused to leave tho line until he hftd *■ ifsud his final instructions. '* VJ The personality, valor and utter eori» tempt of danger on the part of fhil ■ . single officer enabled the lodgment in the most advanced objective of the coipe to be permanently held, and on tide point d'appui the line was eventually formed. ' '

IRISHMEN AT THE FRONT. JYILL CEASE TO EXIST WITEOUt REINFORCEMENTS. London, Due. 18. v Tn the House of Commortß, Major Willie Redmond, supporting the credit vote, mentioned that it was remark' able tlmi. the kindliest relations existed under all oircitinstances between the ' troops from Ulster and those from the lost of Ireland who came into cloM contact. He declared that he had COBM to the conclusion that an understand* ir.g between northern and sou them lite*' land® was quite possible. There wag nd tt'lk of separation in the trenches. There was enly f.ueli talk in Ireland., Let them suppress th-Xr memories and hope for a brighter future. , Major M'Calmont said that if recruits vere tint forthcoming from Ireland in the next few weeks the Irish regiments I would cease to I Mr. lionar Law re-cehoed Major Willie. Lulmond's sentiments, and declared that the desire for a new Ireland was not coifined to Irishmen. It was a great thing that, despite the rebellion, the official Nationalist Part) supported tha Enioire in' the war. MINISTERS' SEATS. London, Dee lit. Th» Bill relieving Ministers from no eiectioji liaf passed all its'stages in thg, PRINCE ALBERT'S MAJORITY. • London, December 15. ■ The King has con/erred the Order of the Garter on his second son, Prince •AU'er'" « the latter attaining his m&v jcritv