MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 May 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

ENGINEERS' STRIKE. CHARGES 'AGAINST LEADERS WITHDRAWN. Renter Service. Received Hay 24. 5.5 p.m. London, May 23. The charge against the engineers' strike leaders has been withdrawn upon their undertaking to abide by the recent agreement. The Attorney-General warned them that if any further deliberate attempt was made to interfere with the production of munitions the offenders would be prosecuted with the utmost rigor. INDENTURED INDIAN EMIGRATION. Received May 24, 5.5 p.m. London, May 23. Mr. Austen Chamberlain (Secretary for India), in a statement regarding India's admission to tho Imperial War Cabinet, announced that indentured emigration from India would not be revised. ®ATMEAL PRICES FIXED. .Received May 214, 10 p.m. London, May 24. Lord Devonport has fixed the maximum retail price for oatmeal fill the ISth .of June at od per lb in England and Ireland, and i%& in Scotland. LARGE EXPLOSIVES FACTORY ABANDONED. Received May 25, 1 a.m. London, May 24. The War Cabinet has decided to discontinue the erection of a large explosives factory at Bristol owing to the United States' entry into the war. REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS. Received May 25, 1 a.m. [ London, May 24. ' The reform of the Houes of Lords is foreshadowed by Mr. Walter Long's statement m the House of Commons that the Government was so impressed by the results of the Speaker's electoral conference that it has been decided to establish some possible conference to discuss the report upon the Second Chamber. THE FRANCHISE BILL.

Received May 24. 8.40 p.m. London, May 23. In the House of Commons, Mr. Sanders' amendment to tho Franchise Bill was defeated by 329 to 40, and the Bill was read a second time. MEANINGLESS DEMONSTRATIONS. London, May 23. The local strikes in Sheffield, Liverpool, and elsewhere have degenerated into meaningless demonstrations against authority. In a number of ctißes when the shop stewards ordered the resumption of work another body of strikers established pickets, who attempted to persuade the men not to resume work, saying that those who resumed were playing the game of the capitalists. Mr. Clynes, M.P., speakers at the Dockers' Union Conference, said trade unionism must avoid the institution of mob law. The body of shop stewards could not be allowed to have more weight than the men's properly established authority in the trade unions.