WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 June 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

WEARING OSTEND BRITISH WITHIN NINE MILES. Received June 28, 1 a.m. 'London, June 25. The headquarters correspondent states that the British at "Lombaertzyde are within nine miles of Ostend. i GERMAN RESERVES. KAPIDLY DWINDLING. Times Service Reecived June 25, 10.40 p.m. London, June 25. Colonel Repington, reviewing the spring offensive during the six months 01 1317, says the Anglo-French armies on the West front captured 70,000 prisoners, nearly 500 guns, masses of trench mortars and machine-guns, and disposed of some 300,000 German fighters. The enemy's reserve on the West front at the beginning of April was fifty divisions. Two months later it had decreased to twelve. Reecived June 25, 8.30 p.m. London, June 25. A French communique states: By a sharp counter-attack cast of Vauxhillote We recaptured the greater part of the salient etill held by the enemy northeast of Moisy farm. An artillery duel is active at the Hurtebise sector, on the left of the Meuse. PATROL ENCOUNTERS. ACTIVITY ON FRENCH FRONT. London, June 24. Sir Douglas Haig reports patrol encounters southward of the Scarpe. Hostile artillery is active at Croiselles and Messines. A French coflimunique states:—There was violent recoproeal artillery fire in the region of Hurtebise and Craonne. We silenced a violent enemy bombardment south of Juvincourt and dispersed assembling infantry. ENEMY RAIDS. Received June 25, 8 p.m. London, June 24. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy Unsuccessfully attempted raids south* east of Gavrelle and Armentieres, The enemy artillery is active near Haoriggcourt wood, northward of the Scarp* and Messines. GERMANS KEEP PRISONERS IN FIRING ZONE. Paris, June 24. Tie Petit Journal contradicts the German statement that prisoners are no longer employed in the firing zone. It states that a British prisoner who has just escaped was kept for five days in a German support trench and compelled to carry trench mortar shells over open ground exposed to British gunfire. RECONSTRUCTS RUKED DISTRICTS. London, June 214. The Observer's Paris dorrespondent says that the intervention of the United States and the fact of Russian inactivity threatens to prolong he war. This has resulted in an international movement to commence the reconstruction of ruined districts and the economio energies of France without awaiting the conclusion of peace. There is no real scarcity of labor in tbe industrial world, for 14,800 firms which employed 1,470,000 men and women, employed only 1,622,000 before tile war. Agriculture, however, lacks 200,000 men, and the mines 60,000, while 30,000 men are wanted to repair the havoc in the liberated territories, 100,000 are required for army work upon the Toads and railways, maJcing a total deficiency of 400,000. France hopes that America will send either laborers or sdldiers, who will enable the demobilisation of Frenchmen above 45 to take place. THE GERMAN VERSION. London, June 24. A German official report states:—We repulsed English reconnoitring advances southward of the Scarpe. Our fire compelled the French to evacuato ground gained from June 18 to 21 eastward of Mount Cornillet. , HUNS DIVIDING BELGIUM. Amsterdam, June 34. The Germans have divided Belgium and have appointed an administrator of the Flemish territory stationed at Brussels and an administrator of the Walloon territory stationed at Namur, in order to get a closer grip on the peoples.