MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1916, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

A QUIET CHRISTMAS. M'lo TO HIGH PIUCES AND ECOXOMY. I.Midon, Pec-ember ?.i. The quietest Christinas for many ye:u', was experienced. The high juices of food, in conjunction with the newspaper-' appeals for a simple Christmas, curtailed the festivities. A response 'was made to the appeal not to travel, and railway traliie was consequently -mall, c.specially over long distances. Many Christinas trains I'iat were schednled »■[';■( not needed. The festive programme at luxurious hotels was moditied.

SHORTAGE OF LABOR WXERAL* DELAYED London, December 25. Sixteen funerals were held up at Xnnhcad cemetery on Saturday owing to vi'.'-<:--.'e of labor. The services ivere cmuir.ctcd and the coffins were in ij;p cemetery chapels and crypt pending tin completion of'the graves, BRITISH MUNITIONS, AX IX/CREDIBLE INCREASE London, Dec. 25. A month ago the weekly production of the British IH-pounder ammunition was ferry-three times the weekly production of June, lilln: and medium guns and howitzers "i-i and (ill times. In re-

L-avd t.n heavv howitzers the total output. f(.r one week in November was 3D per ti'iit. more than the entire reserve stuck at the i)i-(,-ii!!iiiifr of the war. The monthly output of medium nuns in November was nearly* forty times the' monthly average of the first year, anil that of the heavies about twelve times. For every ten: of explosive used in Reptemboi', IHI4. over eleven thousand tons wore used iu 101 (i. COAL CRISIS SETTLED. (Renter). London, Dee. 2.1. The coal crisis has been partly settled. Three thousand men will be sent to the mines. The freight tax will be abolished and the British Government has become the sole transporter of stores, The ships have been divided into three groups, namely: Local. Commissiariat supply, and fleets proceeding to different ports convoyed by warships.