POSITION REVIEWED.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 March 1917, Page 5

POSITION REVIEWED.

RESULT OT CONTINUOUS PRES- ' SUM. THE COMING GREAT BLOW. GERMANS PREPARING. Received March 2, 5.5 p.m. J-imdon, March 1. In the lions.- of Commons, llr 11. \V. !<'or.«ler (Financial Secretary to (lie \va. Office), in introducing tlio Array Esliiiiisles, said Hint for *'' the la.it throe months our operations had boen eonI'int'd to minor attacks, the lvswlts of which were of considerable importance. During the last few days, however, as the result of continuous pressure on the Ancre, the enemy had retired on a front of twelve miles to a depth of two miles. We had secured the possession of ten villages and several important positions, whereto the enemy had hitherto clung with the utmost determination, and had impressed our troops that they were defending their positions to the" very end. In view of this the captures could not but have an unfavorable effect on the enemy troops, ami on the German people. Probably the enemy was retiring, not merely as a defensive measure, but ivitli the object of saving strength for a Ureal blow on one or other of the Allied fronts. There is, said Mr Forster, every indication that he will make a tremendous effort to end the war in his favor in 10T7, which can only be me. by a corresponding determination of the Allies. Mr Forster announced that flying schools would be established in Canada and Egypt, and that 4000 miles of railway had been constructed to serve all the war theatres for the transport of big guns and supplies. HEALTH OF TROOPS. Apart from malaria in German East Africa, the health of the troops was most satisfactory. Enteric had almost disappeared. The eases of typhoid during the war period among British troops in France totalled 4571, as compared with 00,000 with 8227 deaths in the South African War. The cases among the uninoculated were fifteen times higher than among the inoculated, and the death rate was seventy timqs higher. The percentage of venereal diseases was not higher than in peace time. As regards food, we were endeavouring to make the expeditions self-support-ing, chiefly as regards vegetables! Crude glycerine for explosives had been extracted from the camp refuse, which had supplied enough glycerine for 12, 500,000 eighteen-pound shells. ENEMY FOOD SHORTAGE. Lord Cecil (Minister of Blockades) stated he had reason to believe there was a serious shortage of foodstuffs and certain important materials in enemy .countries.

ROLL OP HONOR. CASUALTY LIST. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, March 2. Reported died of sickness: —Gunner A. G. Low. Declared by the Court of Enquiry reasonably supposed to be dead. —Rifleman P. K. Ross. , Reported diedj of sickness. —Gunner A. Gilbert, Privates H. B. Barter aud.E. Boyce. HOSPITAL AND PROGRESS REPORT. Reported dangerously ill:—Corporal R. B. Bell, Private J. G.'Finlay, Riflemen J. Emmerson, E. J. Gibbs, T. J. T. Shand, Gunner W. G. L, Mackay. Removed from dangerously ill list: — Private J. S. Lumsdcn. Reported seriously ill:—Privates A. Croft, L. Simmonds. Removed from seriously ill list: —Sapper P. -K. Kingdon, Rifleman W. McLean. Reported as severe cases:—Privates B. J. Annabel, C. T. Chamberlain, U Dunning, H. Jones, J. S. Lumsden, Corporals W. J. Jerram, E. Gr. Nelson, Riflemen W. McLean, T. J. Morice, Privates J. S. Rarity, J. A. Rhodes. Not reported as severe cases:—Sergeant W. C. Cameron, Privates H. Chapman, H. Clarke, G. S. Davis, J. G. Duncan, J. .0. Eskett, Drivers G. Fowler, P. C. Harrison, Gunner D. H. Humphries, J. J. Kerineen, Privates M. F. Hudson, R. Johnson, J. Kcig, G. A. J. Summcrsby, Driver G. A. McDonell, Trooper T. McMillan, Temporary-Corporals G. D. Morris, A. G. Pratt, Privates J. E. Sass, W. Small, 11. Spackman, P. E. Spects, W. Squires, T. 11. Waite, Riflemen J. R. Walter, A. P. Williams. Reported progressing satisfactorily:— Major W. S. Pcnnycook. Reported as seriously ill.—L.-Cpl. H. J. Johnson; Privates W. Greaves and W. J. Shaw. Reported removed from dangerously ill list.—Sapper Cotterill. Reported removed from seriously ill list.—Privates R. L Little, S G. MeCallum Not reported as severe cases. —Privates 11. Arnold, A. Dovle, P. J. Hayman, J. W. Eastwood, T. E. Lacy, C. H' Maddison, R. Molyneux, E. A. Richardson, A. G. Rowlands, T. Telfer; Rfm. E. B. Bindon, E. Cook, L. G. Gothard, A. K. Henderson, L. Hunt, D. McDowell and A. A. J. Marshall; Sappers H. Harland, A. Hill, H. Mcllroy; L.-Corps. T. E. J. Fraser, L. T. Keely, Cojps. W. E. Brown, S. Osborne; Sergean! W. Garth.