MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

I$& BRITISH SHIPPING. ALU OTHER NATIONS SURPASSED. ADMIRALTY HAS FIRST CALL. Received May M, 5.15 p.m. London, May 10. Viscount Curzon, speaking in the House of Lords, reminded the House that the Admiralty had the first call on ship'building when the war was over. Our naval tonnage, he said, surpassed that of all other nations. The figures for merchantmen wore as follows: For June, 1914, the Empire's shipping, over 100 tons gross,, 10,12* ships, tonnage 20,623,000. For December, 1916, 9757 ships, 19,780,000 tons. The figures for all other countries before the war were M,320 vessels and 24,889,000 tons, and for December, 1910/ ships 13,740,, tonnage 24,003,000. Thus the British proportions of the world's tonnage were, respectively, 45.3 per cent, in 1914 and) 45.2 in 191(1. Lord Curzon added that as regards vessels of over lfiOO tons, the British vessels prior to the war were 3900, of a, tonnage of .16,900,000, which was more than half the world tonnage, whereas at the end of March,, 1-917, there were 3500 i ships, with a tonnage of almost 1'6,000,000.

The loss of neutral tonnage had been heavy, especially of Norwegian, but Japan and America were increasing their mercantile fleets. Their success would depend on the duration of the war and submarine risks to shipping. The Minister's programme envisaged an output of 3,000,000 tons annually. Our fleet would be in a better position than it waß prior to the war.

BUILDING NEW SHIPS.

ALLIES 5 RACE AGAINST TIME. GERMAN VESSELS REAMY FOR USE. Vancouver, May 1. Lord Eustace Percy, a member of the British Commission, told the Associated Press that the present rate of British, construction of ships, and the present estimated American rate, might possibly not keep pace with the present rate of destruction by submarines. He added that the balancing figure in the "world struggle might be the extra tonnage the United States could arrange to supply. "The shipping issue dominates everything else u and is very grave indeed," Lord Percy added. "Both BrTtish. and American construction must be speeded up considerably if the seas aro to ibe kept open. The war has resolved itself into a race between the efficiency of the British and American shipyards, and the German submarines. With the aid of the United States shipping the present military service and food supply could be continued. This is a most vitally serious problem, which cannot bo exaggerated. America is one of the few coiintries absolutely self-sufficient. The shipbuilding problem is not only a matter of tonnage, but equally a matter of how fast that tonnage can bo used. Every method possible is being used to save shipping for vital purposes and keep away from non-essentials. Over all the Entente transports is a general Shipping Board sitting in London to harmonise the demands on shipbuilding and direct it to the most efficient use."

Telegrams from Washington report that Mr Lansing, Secretary of State, has announced that the Government had handed to the Entente the HamburgAmerican liners Pisa, 4967 tons, and Clara Mennig, 1085 tons, at New York. Twelve of the seized German merchantmen will be ready for service within a week. The Shipping 'Board reports that seven are in New York harbor and the rest in Pacific ports.

LABOR DISPUTES. TO BE DEALT WITH CONSTITUTIONALLY. , A. & N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. Received May 11, 6.40 p.m. London, May 10. The Press Bureau states that a conference of the representatives of 50 trade unions connected with the engineering and shipbuilding trades, Mr A. Henderson (a member of the War Cabinet) presiding, it was resolved that all disputes in war time should be dealt with constitutionally, and that tho conference deeply deplored the existing unauthorised strike. The conference appointed a committee to confer with the Ministry,, with a view to suggesting possible amendments to the Munitions Bill.

IN PRAISE OF THE DOMINIONS. LORD DERBY'S I'MPEBIAMSM. A. &.N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. Received May h\ 55 p.ni. London, May 10. Lord Derby, speaking at South Kensington, said it would be under-estimat-ing the number to say that we had 11 AIHob, because we could no longer look upon the Commonwealth and Dominions as dependents of Britain. They were the finest allies any country could have. They were 'kept together, not by Downing Street or by politicians, but by the monarchy and the King, to whom this country and our .great dependencies looked as the proper bead of this great country. ) ALLOTTING AVAILABLE TONNAGE. ' London, May 10. [ In the House of Commons Mr. Bonar Law said that of the availabla tonnage 92 per cent, had been allotted to the Food Controller, War Office and Admiralty, and Minister of Munitions. LABOR-SOCIALIST CONFERENCE. London, May 10. The National Executive of the British Labor Party refused the invitation of the Dutch International Socialists to attend the Stockholm conference. They decided to arrange for an Allied. LaborSocialist conference in Lcndon in June, IAI4.

SHIPS WITH VALUABLE CARGOES. QUESTION OF LANDING AT FIRST PORT. BOTORUA'S CAPTAIN WARNED OF DANGER. k; , _.;....;. Received May 11, 8.5 p.m. London, May 11. In the House of Lords, the Earl of Meath said the Eotorua's captain had been informed of the danger. ; Lord Lytton (the representative of the Admiralty in the House of Lords) said that the Rotorua was torpedoed in the Channel on the night of Marcli 22. Where necessary, steps were taken to ensure that ships with valuable cargo should be discharged at the first Home port. He only knew of one other sinking in similar circumstances. It was impossible to unload foodstuffs unless storage and handling facilities existed. If a cargo were unloaded' at Plymouth the greater part of it would be lost.

PREMIER'S REVIEW, TO SECRET SESSION, RECENT WESTERN OPERATIONS , SATISFACTORY. Received 'May. 11, 10.55 ,p.m. London, May 11. v The Press Bureau report's- that at the secret session of the House of Commons, Mr Churchill dealt with the general naval and military situation, especially Russia's position, the development of the struggle on the West front, America's strength, tho submarine campaign, and Balkan problems, and inquired as to the marine losses and food supplies. Mr Lloyd George dealt fully with Mr Churchill's pointy and commented on Austria's internal situation, Germany's military position in relation to reserves, contrasting it -unfavorably with ours, and contrasted the Anglo-French military chiefs' satisfaction with the results of the recent operations on the West front, explaining the proposed methods' were satisfying, and the War Qiffice's demands for further reserves. Mr ILloyd George gave figures as to British tonnage sunk monthly since August, and an encouraging account of the methods adopted to meat the attack, also tho tonnage/building in the next 13 months. He pointed out that with productivity of Home supplies, there .as no fear of starvation of Britain. He jodded: "We will be selfsupporting in 1918. It is unnecessary to restate the Allies' war aims, which are well known."

Mr Asquith expressed full agreement with the Prime Minister, but deprecated the secrecy. (Hardly anything had been said which could not be said openly. He invited Mr Lloydi George to publish the bulk of his speech.

GRUBAN« ACTION. London, May' 10. In Grafton's action, Dr. Addison, Minister of MunitionSj, gave evidence that he, as under-secretary, sanctioned the appointment of a supervisor over the firm, because it was alleged that it disobeyed instructions and made overcharges. He did not speak to the supervisor appointed. He sanctioned the reference to the Home Office of certain complaints regarding Gruban, with a view to his possible internment. Mr. Handel Booth had nothing to do with this. Dr. Addison declined to produce confidential papers, and denied inducing Booth to secure Gruban's removal from the company. Booth gave evidence denying Gruban's allegations.

MR. MASSEY AT BRISTOL. London, May 10. Mr. Massey, in receiving the freedom of Bristol, said that everyone agreed that the Empire's commercial interests sftould be better represented in. the Dominions. He hoped the Dominions would soon send' .representatives to the chief contents of the kingdom. THE IRISH .PROBLEM. London, May 10. The 1 Irish members of Parliament are perturbed at the clerical manifesto which asked that Home Rule should he granted to an undivided Ireland. Unionists point out that all the Protestant Bishops who signed were outside 'Ulster. Ko Presbyterians, Methodists, or Congregationalists signed. Unionists recall the action of the Catholic Bishojis in 19] 6, when they destroyed Mr. Lloyd George's proposals after they had been accepted by the Nationalists and tho Convention at Belfast. The general impression is that the manifesto will help the Sinn Feiners and make the task of Mr. Redmond most difficult. The Unionists insist that they have already made two great concessions, first in not further opposing Home Rule,, and secondly in surrendering three out of the nine Ulster counties. Thus far the Home Rulers have conceded nothing.

I SERVICES OP THE CLERGY. London, May 10. Since February the bishops have released 060 clergy. The majority have volunteered for chaplaincies, while 2012 have offered themselves for National Service' AN IRISH BY-ELECTION. London, May 10. ' In the South Longford election the voting was:— M'Guinness (Sinn Fein) <?.. -.-;.; 149S M'Kenna (Nationalist) 1461 [At the general election a Nationalist candidate was returned unopposed.] THE-ROME CONFERENCE. I London, May 10. j The third conference of the Allies' Parliamentary and commercial commitittes opens at Rome, next week. It is expected that all will'be represented ex* cept America, which is doubtful. Ths conference discusses Btandardisedjweightg and measures, Customs methods and Customs nomenclature, company legislation, laws relative: to post-war rehabilitation, and also 1 oommeMial! arbitration, laws respecting the falae-desorip-tionofaoadiu '"'.*""■

LONG WAR PROBABLE. COLONEL REPLVGTO.VS PROPHESY. Times Servire. Hereived May ll 1 , (J. 40 p.m. ' London May 10. Colonel Repington writes that there are nb military reasons for an early end of the war,, and the Empire must legislate for a long war. The deciding factor will now he the resolution of the belligerent peoples. Will the British democracy alow history to say, "They failed at the eleventh hour"? It all depends on their answer.

ABOLITION OF RACING. Received May 11, 9.30 p.m. London, May 11. At a meeting of racehorse owners, breeders, and trainers, it was contended that the Government had not adequately considered alternatives. The meeting supported a proposal that, in order to promote horse breeding, racing could bo carried out under Jockey Club rules with a maximum of 800 horses in training.