UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1917, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

' GERMAN INSULTS. RELIEF WORKERS HELD JRRISONERS. Received Feb. 15, 5.5 p.m. New York, Feb. 11 Mr. Ackerman, of the Belgium Relief Commission, reports from Berne that the Germans in Belgium compelled Messrs. Brand and Whitloek to lower the American flag at the Brussels Legation, and prevented him from communicating with Washington. The Germans now hold all the American relief workers prisoners, evidently hoping, according to Mr. Ackerman, to frighten the United States and force her to maintain neutrality. ARMING AMERICAN LINERS. CABINET STILL UNDECIDED. Received Feb. 15, 5.45 p.m. Washington, Feb. 14. Cabinet is still considering the question of arming American liners. There are indications that there is a division of opinion on the matter. BRITONS MAY BE CALLED FOR SERVICE. Washington, Feb. 13. According to a British Embassy official, Britain is about to call upon her subjects in the United States for military service.

AUSTRALIA.

FUSION PROPOSAL SETTLED. PROTESTS COUNTED OUT. Received Feb. 1" 8.45 p.m. Melbourne, Feb. 15. When the House met to-day, Mr. Hughes moved its adjournment. He announced that an amalgamation between the Ministerial and Liberal parties had been arrived at. He asked for an adjournment till Thursday, when lie promised to give a statement regarding all matters, including the policy of the new Government. Mr. Tudor protested at the incompleteness of Mr. Hughes' statement, and said that the official Labor Party had been invited te join the new Government, bufcjiad refused to have anything to do with the fusion. Further protests were cut short by Ministerialists and Liberals leaving the House, which was counted out. < Melbourne, Feb. 15. Received Feb. 15, ll.So p.m. Though an agreement lias been reached, Ministerialists and Liberals' allotment to Ministerial portfolios is unsettled.

CABLE NEWS DELAYED.

HOLMAX'S POLITICAL PLATFORM. Received Feb. 15, 11.55 p.m. Sydney, Feb. 16. Land-line interraptions are greatly delaying cable news. •Mr. Holman, in delivering a policy speech at Gundagai to-night, announced that he intended to provide a home for each invalided osldier, and to raise his allowance to £2 weeklj; to secure the right to unionists to start undertakings such as newspapers, to raise political funds, and to give individual members the rig Tit to join or not, without losing tneir status; strikes not to be regarded as crimes, except in certain cases; unionists to be free to clioose whether they rely upon strikes or arbitration. He also announced that there would be optional leasehold or freehold land tenures, with the right of conversion.

FRANCE.

A FRENCH COMMUNIQUE. London, Feb. 14. A French communique states that between the Oise and Aisne, and in the region of Quennevillcs, we carried out a destructive fire on Hie enemy works. There was a fairly lively artillery duel elsewhere.