MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

LOSS OF SHIPS. NO CAUSE' lOR PANIC. FOOD SUPPLIES SAFE. SOME SENSIBI.S ADVICE. Received Jana. SI, fl.2j d m. London, .Lin. 31. Mr Arthur Hill, of tin Marine Department of the Hoar i of Trade, in an interview, said that t'.o continued sinkings need not give any came for panic. Regarding food supplies, our looses of tonnage were not progressive, and Britain's food supply was safe for an indefinite period, provided wo male* the best use of the remaining ships, and launch as many new ones as po'ssi.Yo. Everything depends on the urginisacion of labor. Hundreds of thousands of men are kept on homo defsne?, wasting their time. They ought to be s.mt back to their civil occupations, 'subject to immediate call in the event of an invasion. During 191G Gr.'at Britain imported 40,000,000 tons of cargo, of which only 15,000,000 was food. Our tonnage losses were G per cent, yearly. Therefore, if tile losses were quadrupled we would still be able to bring in the essentials of life. CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONS. filE LIST REVISED. I!.°".eiv°d J an , ' London, Jan. 3.1. The list of certified occupations under the Military Service Act lias been revised by a general raising of the age. A further raising i? foreshadowed. i THE ALLIES' FIRST DUTY. TO WIN VICTORY. SPEECH BY LORD ROBERT CECIL. BLOCKADING ETHICS EXPLAINED Received Jan. 31, 9.25 p.m. London, Jan. 31. Lord Robert Cecil, Minister of Blockade, in the course of a speech at Nottingham, said the Allies did not desire to crush Germany, but wished to inspire Germany with real ideals of nationhood Ho did not underrate the League of Peace, but the first business of the Allies was to carry the war to a successful issue. Some thought that we could get at Germany by the blockade, but he considered that victory must be won on the field. Nevertheless, the blockade had absolutely destroyed Auslre-Ger-many's overseas exports, and had largely diminished her trade with neighboring neutrals. d We heard from many sources that there were food riots in (lie enemy countries. It was established beyond any question of doubt that the enemy had little wool and less cotton, and was making clothes and boots from paper. Some people demanded the blockade of neutral countries. This did not come well from a people who went to war in defence of small nations. It was a problem for the Foreign Office 1o carry on the blockade effectively, while at the same time preserving the goodwill of neutrals. YOUTHS OF 18 CALLED UP. Received Jan. 31, 11.-25 p.m. ljon'don, Jan. 31. Youths of 18 have bc-?n called up, and those born in 189!) have been ordered to report a month after attaining their 18th birthday. WOMEN CARPENTERS GO TO FRANCE. London, Jan. 30. Twenty women carpenters have gone to France and othr.ru arc training and in readiness. They were khaki sweaters, shirts, riding breeches and puttee?. They will bo employed in hut-building for the troops. They work ten hours a nay. Some have husbands fighting rt the front. CANADIAN RIFLE JAMBS. London, Jan. 30. A White Piper publishes correspondence relating to the Canadian Ross Rifle. It shows that Generals French and Huig strongly advised Canada to substitute Lee-EnfieldF, because they were more reliable itr rapid fire and beeaj-ss the men were losing confidence in the Ross. General French instances 3000 of the Ist Canadian Division who, without authority, substituted tii'c Lcc-Hjnfield from their British comrades who hal been put out of action. General French would not send the division into battle until the remainder were similarly armed General Haig pointed out that, after the Ypres fighting in May, 1016, a battalion of the 3rd Canadians applied for lec-Enficlds because the Ross so often jambed during the German attack. General Haig deeded that the wholis Canadian Corps ought to be armed with I.ee-Enfields, and the Army Council adopted the advice.. HOME DEFENCE. i London, Jan, 30.

Tlifi King lias son' a message to country Lord Lieutenants, thanking them for their enthusiastic response to his father's appeal for their assistance in the formation of tie Territorials, v/ho hiid fought shoulder to shoulder vith the regulars in France, Gallipoli, E»yptr and Mesopotamia with equal courn.se or,d fortitude. They are superior to tte enemy's bast. "I cannot forget the prompt and patriotic response to Lord Kitchener's call for troops for garrisons in India. W« must organise a home defence force of volunteers . to replace the territorials. I am confident _,ou will' loyally support ihe organ'isatioa of the defence of your Lii.i.---:»'^~.S, l Vi'y-- '• ■ K-.-.vxi :■■-.-