MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 June 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

I . . INDUSTRIAL CONSCRIPTION. ATTITUDE OF WORKERS, Received June 22, 5.5 p.m. . : . London, June 21. A conference at Westminster of -'TO delegate railwaymen and transport .workers passed a resolution to .summon a special conference to discuss industrial conscription if the Government introduced the ■same; also affirming that the conscription of wealth should have preceded the conscription of men. Mr. Sinillie, who presided, said the Tripe] Alliance had hitherto acted defensively, and they must await a more favorable moment for a more aggressive policy. He believed that a general stopplage woij'rt be unnecessary, a mere threat being sufficient to obtain their demands. A RAILWAY FERRY. ACROSS THE CHANNEL. _ fe Received* June 22, 8 p.m. London, June 22. in the House of Commons Mr. Bonar Law stated that he was considering a cross-Channel railway ferry. WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE. CARRIED BY DECISIVE MAJORITY. t « tt London, June 21. in the House of Commons an amendment was moved removing the age limit of thirty years for women voters in order to discuss the whole question which classes of women ought to be enfranchised. Opponents to the sufrage generally supported the amendment. Sir George Cave said the Government considered they must take a definite line and appealed to the House to reject the amendment, otherwise the Government would be obliged to reconsider the whole Jposirion. The amendment was negatived by 201 votes to 25. Sir George Cave opposed an amendment conferring the Local Government Vote on women whose husbands already possess the vote. He said it involved a drastic change, adding five million voters. The Speaker's Conference specially recommended that husband and wife should not be enfranchised in respect of the same property. Supporters of the amendment declared that women were chiefly concerned with municipal affairs, and the. amendment would benefit working women. The amendment was withdrawn. Mr. Hunt charged the Government with a breach of the political truce by introducing women's suffrage. The clause embodying women's suffrage was carried by .214 votes to 17. Received June 21, 5.5 p.m. London, June 21. The House of Commons, by 281 to 25, agreed to the thirty years of age qualification for women voters. LORD NORTHCLIFFE'S APPOINTMENT, London, June 22. In the course of a discussion in the House of Lords on Lord Nwthclifl'e's status, Viscount Curzon announced he was in no sense Mr. Balfour's successor. He was sent for the purpose of co-orr dinating British and American depart' mental affairs. His mission would prevent a conflict of interests besides loss of energy. Earl Crewe described the appointment as unfortunate, as the duties would have been better undertaken by great business men whose services had been voluntarily placed at the Government's disposal since the outbreak of the war. AMERICA DETERMINED TO GO FORWARD. London, June 21. Mr. Balfour was the guest of the Empire Parliamentary Association. Mr. Asqui'th said Mr. Balfour's was a business and not a sentimental visit to America, Wc would soon see a concerted application of the immeasurable resources of both countries for a common purpose. Mr. BaTfour, replying, said he was convinced that America would not turn back, but was determined and would not flinch from any effort or-sacrifice to pursue the policy whereon depends the whole trend of' international civilised evolution. INCREASED PRICES OF FOOD. Received June 22, 5,5 p.m. London, June 21. At the annua, meeting of a large catering firm, the chairman stated that the increase in food prices since the beginning of the war was on the average 97 per cent. Meat had advanced 140 per cent., butter 80, and milk 100, VOTES FOR SOLDIERS AND SAILORS. LondoTi, June "21, Sir George Cave, in the House of Commons, said that soldiers and sailors would give a vote whether at home or abroad. Soldiers from the Dominions would be qualified after six months' residence. , INDIAN WAR LOAN. i London, June 21. ' The Indian war loan has totalled 36 millions sterling, more than double,the estimate, kefobjTof THE~LORDS. Received June 23, 12.15 a.m. London, June 22. In the House of Lord* Lord Curzon stated that, the Government would deal with the reform of the House of Lords as promptly as possible. The composition of the conference, would be largely on the lines of the Speakers francliis'e conference, but obviously the Lords were entitled to a larger representation at the conference to advise as to the composition, functions and powers of the new second chamber. EMIGRATION AMD EMPIRE SETTLEMENT. Received June 25, 1 a.m. London, June 22. The Evening Standard states that the Committee of Emigration and Empire Settlement has completed its report, and will recommend the appointment of an Imperial emigration commission, comprising representatives of the Colonial Office, the Dominions, and the Local Government Board, the Board of Trade superintending the whole Empire enu-

EAST END VICTIMS.

PATHETIC SCENES. | London, June 21. There were pathetic scenes at the memorial service to the infant school victims in East London. Sixteen coffins; covered with flowers, were placed in the church over night. A touching incident was the entry of 12 tiny class mates of the victims. The King and Queen sent a message assuring the parents that they were thinking _of the saddened homes. The early ending of young and innocent lives was the more pathetic in these cruel and tragic days. The Bishop of London preached. He said he had never witnessed a more touching sight. He mentioned that the school children of a country village had sent him a wreath. He did not believe the mourners wanted 16 German babes to lie dead in order to avenge their own, but they must demand strong naval and military action, and that the strongest punishment should bo meted out to the and designers of the raids who had murdereTl these children. NEXT AMBASSADOR TO PARIS. Received June 23, 12.15 a.m. London, June 2!f. The Central News Agency states that Lord Hardinge or Mr. Asquith are mentioned as a possible Ambassador to Paris. NEW ZEALAND'S STATUS. Received June 23, 12.15 a.m. London, June 22. It is reported as likely that when the next vacancy occurs in the governorship of New Zealand of New Zealand the status will be raised to a governor-gen-eralship. FIT, THOUGH REJECTED, Received June 23, 12.15 a.m. London, June 22. The House of Commons debated the examination of discharged soldiers and rejected men, Mr. Macpherson declared that re-ex-amination had proved there were many fraudulent rejections. Ho had expected to get sixty thousand recruits. He now believed he would get sixty thousand men for the A classes and sixty thousand others. The Government was willing to appoint a committee to examine the working of the re-examinations. Mr Bonar L"aw mentioned that over seventy thousand soldiers could be released for the. trenches by the substitution of the less fit. NEXT ALLIED COMMERCIAL CONFERENCE. Received June 23, 1.10 a.m. London, June 22. The Government has decided to hold the next Allied commercial conference in London in lfllS.