ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 December 1917, Page 5

ITALY.

A HEAVY SNOW FALL. SUCCESSFUL ITALIAN ATTACK. ENEMY'S PREPARATIONS UPSET. Received Dee. 24, 0.15 p.m. Romf, Dec. 23. Heavy snow fell on the Seiten Communes plateau and ! the Grappa ridge. Unfortunately the temperature is mild, and there is a possibility of rain, which will melt the snow. The Italians made successful attacks between the Brenta and the Cesilla valley, which synchronised with the enemy's I withdrawal of worn-out troops and their replacement with fresh. The ' Italian initiative disarranged the enemy's preparations for the resumption of an offensive, which is now required for defence. A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. WAR TO CONTINUE TO VICTORY. Rome, Dee. 23. The Chamber voted confidence in the Government by 345 to 50, and approved of the continuance of the war to a victorious conclusion. ITALIAN DEFENCES BROKEN. COUNTER-ATTACKS PROGRESSING. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Ueuter. Received Dec. 25, 11.30 p.m. London, Dec. 24. Italian official: The enemy ye.sterdav morning, on the Busso-Mount Valbello sector, broke our defences. We stopped him in the rear positions. Our counterattacks are progressing satisfactorily. We drpve the enemy to the left bank of the Piave Vecchia, southward of Grade, nimo. ITALIANS REPULSjE ENEMY. London, Dee. 23. Italian official: Despite adverse atmospheric conditions in the Monte Asoione region we made progress and repulsed a counter-attack. ITALIANS REPULSE STRONG PARTIES. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. London, Dec. 23. Italian official: Local encounters have taken place on the whole mountain front. We repulsed strong parties at Posina, south-east of the Asiago-Frenzella avlley, and on the southern slopes of Tassarosso, GERMANS CLAIM FAILURE OF # ENEMY. Wireless German official: The Italian thrust on the heights westward of Monte Asolone failed. DEFAULTERS FROM SERVICE. • NOTICE TO ABSENTEES. The following list of men wlio have failed to report after having been called up for service is published in a Gazette Extraordinary: Butler, Thomas Edward, dentist, New Plymouth. Cathro, Kenneth, carpenter, Stratford. Fischer, .Tames, mill hand, Te Kiri. Hennigen, James, ftborer, H.M. Prison,

New Plymouth. Lory, Herbert Holland, tailor, New Ply-

mouth. O'Neil, Patrick, buahman, Jehu. Reid, George, laborer, New Plymouth. Walpole, Samuel, milker, Palmer Road, ■Kaponga. 'Welsma.il, Stentiford Allen, station hand, New Plymouth. Windsor, John Elie, laborer, Mahoe.