MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1917, Page 2

MOTHER COUNTRY.

[ THE WAR CABINET. • OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES ATTEND. AN IMPERIAL COUNCIL PROBABLE. Received March 4, 5.5 p.m. London, jVlarch 4. The War Cabinet sat 'for two hours. Sir R. Borden, Sir (jco. Perley, iUi Massey and Sir Joseph Ward were pros* ent. Although tin? overseas delegate*, when they all arrive, will devote their main attention to the War Cabinet, there is likeiy to be, in addition, a meeting of delegates something akin to : Imperial Council, where matters not immediately connected with the war will receive consideration.

1 NATIONAL service. HALF A MILLION WANTED. Received March 3, 5.5 p.m. London, March 2. Mr. Chamberlain announced at Cardiff that 100,000 volunteers for national service had been enrolled, but the Government wanted half a million. CRITICAL STAGE OF WAR. MORE MEN WANTED., COMBING OUT PROCESS. . A. & N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. Received March 4, 5.5 p.m. London, March 3. The Army Council has ordered a general revision of certificates of exemption of all men under thirty-one. The Government impresses oil tribunals that the war is reaching a critical stage, and that it is imperative to obtain more men for the army. Exemption is in nowise justified on the grounds of employment or hardship, unless there are most exceptional reasons. It intimates that the special arrangements postponing the calling up of religious workers and students has terminated.

VESSELS IN AUSTRALIAN TRADE. COMMANDEERED BY GOVERNMENT. - TO BE RUN BY OWNERS. Received March 4, 5.5 p.m. London, March 3. The Controller of Shipping has noli fled the requisitioning of all vessels in the Australian trade. Blue Book rates will form the basis of remuncfation, subject to adjustment of various charges. The Government desires to interfere at- present as little as possible with existing trade arrangements at home. The intention is that the owners shall run the vessels as for themselves, though actually for the Government, who confidently look for the conduct of the business as zealously and carefully as if their own interests were alone involved. Owners are asked to appoint a small committee to examine into the requirements of trade in relation to tintonnage available, and submit for the Controller's approval suggestions for the outward employment of the individual vessels, also to pay special attention to ascertaining whether any tonnage is in excess of outward requirements or is available for employment in other trades.-

QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE. IMPERIAL WAR CABINET POSTPONED. CONTROL OF FOOD. STRINGENT REGULATIONS, WASTEFUL COLONIALS. London, March 2. Sir R. W. Essex asked why preference was given to party leaders. Mr. Bonar Law admitted it v(«s a new precedent, but considered it right that the leaders should know of the omissions. They did not all'ect the substance of the report nnd were not made in anybody's interests. Mr. Dalziel asked if the leaders would be allowed to communicate the omissions to their colleagues. Mr. Bonar Law said the completOufeports would be confidential. The Manchester Guardian protests against the publication of the censored Dardanelles report, saying it would perhaps be better to withhold it till after the war. The paper asks whether the Government has power to withhold the full report from the House of Commons and suggests that the Commissioners' consent be secured before tho wording is altered; otherwise it will not be the Commissioner's report. London, March 2. Representatives of the overseas Dominions attended to-day's War Cabinet. The special Imperial War Cabinet is postponed for the time being. London, March 2. The Food Controller has decided upon compulsory rationing of hotels and restaurants as existing- regulations, based on the number of courses, have proved useless to reduce the consumption. Meat rationing \yill be based on the scale which Lord Dcvonport asked the nation to accept voluntarily. Lord Devonport is taking active steps to prevent retail prices increasing beyond last week's level. Owing to import restrictions, particularly of tea, whereof a rise of twopence per pound is announced, many labor organisation!! are in favor of compulsory rationing. The system is growing in favor in the House of Commons, It is understood that a scheme hats been prepared whereby ration tickets will be supplied through post offices. The chief objection of the Governments.to its immediate introduction is due to the enormous number of extra officials required. London, Maroh 8. i

In tlic House of Commons Mr_ Pars+j ter said that no doubt there was waat-ff ■ age of food at the Salisbury Fteiltj Camp. It was probably due largely ttf the Colon in 1 troops, who were morel highly paid than the rest. He pBD\ raised to endeavor to prevent waste. ' DOMINIONS COMMISSION". London, March 2.,. The Dominions Commission state* i that there is a strong under-current of' opposition to emigration to Canada it is now carried on, particularly among the wage-earners in cities. The Commission agrees that the dbi jeetion to creating a surplus of labor in the cities is well founded. ' Ton much attention lias hitherto been devoted to attracting immigrants and' too little to equipping them. The report emphasises tfte growing shortage of agricultural land avaitabtv for settlement in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. If the demand tot land after the war was equal to that before the war it would exhaust the available Government land within four years. The New Zealand Governments sub* sidising of steamship services bad considerably assisted trade boiween and New Zealand. It was regrettable that BrHSA aHpr ping companies to Canada sometime* charged lower freights on foreign good* than on British goods in the same but- carried a longer distance. The Imperial Government should le* pose control of rates upon the catda companies before renewing the lauding licenses. The existing press rates from Canada to the United Kingdom were too high compared with the Angto-Ausfera-i lian press rates. Canadian newspapers* the Government, and the cable oompaiH ies should recognise the press service.' The Commission was greatly intflu ested in Mr. W, G. Conley'a suggestion" made in Winnipeg that the AustrallMi and Canadian newspapers should unit* in a new service which tie AustrallMi Press Association should supply to Altyh tralian and New Zealand newspapers. The Commission dealt with a controlled Atlantic cable in the next report. . Manchester is alarmed at the pro* posal to increase the Indian cotton du' >■ ties. Opponents of the scheme say thai Lancashire must be protected against the attempt unduly to favor Indian manufacturers. They say that the na-i 1 lives will not benefit and' that the Bonn bay mill-owners alone will gain, unless the increase is balanced by a counter- • vailing excise duty. -»