MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1918, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

AN INFAMOUS RECORD. SIEMAX TREATMENT OF BRITISH PRISONERS. CALCULATED TO SEND A SHIVER THROUGH THE CIVILISED WORLD. tandon, April 11. Justice Younger"* committee of inquiry into the Herman treatment of war prisoners behind the lines has issued its jeport. It says that the British and German Governments agreed a year ago not to employ prisoners within thirty kilometres of the firing line, but the Germans have broken the agreement, whereas the British have observed its letter and spirit. The Germans employed British prismer-i of war at work ir. Cambrai ami Lille under pain of death. Many were killed and wounded by British guns, end many died from starvation and overwork. A private who was starving feu" out of the line in order to pick up a morsel of bread on the roadside. He was shot and killed by the guard. The comm'tte* secured a great amount of incontrovertible evidence, confirming the stories of ill-treatment, including nwntiness of rations, cruelty, inadequate lodgings, absence of fires in winter and insanitation.

The report declare*: "The amount of preventible suffering can hardly be exaggerated. The prisoners' lot was intolerable. The record of calculated illtreatment win send a shiver throughout the civilised world, and steel the heart of every Briton never to rest until the KM* of savage beasts is crushed."

THE MAN-POWER BILL. FURTHER DISCUSSION* Received April 12, 7.15 p.m. London. April 11 In the House of Common* Mr Dillon Srotested against the Government plan to ispose of the Irish clauses of the Bill on Friday as outrageous, and confine the debate to a single day. He charged the Government with deliberately withholding the Irish Convention* report until after the Irish debate. Mr. Bonar Law denied that the Government was delaying its publication. The delay was due to the printers in Dublin.

Mr Healy suggested allotting another day for the secret session, and added: "We can tell you something of the truth you have not yet beard regarding conscription in Ireland.

Mr. Bonar Law moved the guillotine to the motion allotting three days for the committee stage and another day for the report and the third reading stages, also prohibiting dilatory motions. He said this was the first occasion the Gov eminent bad so acted since the war. The urgency of the measure was its justification The military authorities urged the Government to summon Parliament , for this special purpose. Mr. Holt moved an amendment giving four (lays for the committee stage. Mr Bonar Law accepted the amendment, but proposed that Parliament sit on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. The amendment and proposals were carried.

A COMPLICATED PROBLEM. THE WIDEST RANGE OF CHOICE. Sir J. W Spear moved to reduce the age limit to 48. '

Sir Avddand Geddes stated that if the Oonrumit went much further in the tilting of men of the present military af» it would seriously hamper the country's war effort- He implored the Commons to realise they were dealing with a complicated problem in taking all the Situ of the present military age. The Government only proposed to take 7 per eeat between 40 and SC this year, leaving 93 per cent, in civil life. The right course was to give the widest range of choice

Sir E. Carson appealed to the Hoiisi to pass the Government scheme unanimously, which was based on Sir A. Geddes' careful and conscientious inquiry into the whole problem.

REDUCTION OF AGE LIMIT NEGATIVED. • q Reuter Service. Received April 13, 1.30 a.m. London. April 12.

<n the Honse of Commons, in committee on the Man-Power Bill, an amendment substituting the age limit at 48 lor 51 was defeated by 28206*

THE COMBLNG-OUT SCHEME. Reuter Service. Received April 12, 7.5 p.m. London, April 11. A conference of South Wales miners voted 2273 to 7t!2 in favor of allowing the federation to supervise the military eombing-out scheme.

THE COLONIAL WOOL CLIPS. Received April 12, 7.15 p.m. London. April 11. In the House of Commons Mr. Forster (Financial Secretary to the Y.'ar Office) stated that there had not yet been any negotiations regarding the purchase of the colonial wool clips of 1!)18-1!).

MEMORIAM SERVICE TO NURSES London. April 11. An impressive service was held at St. Paul's Cathedral in memory of nurses who had died from various causes during the war. The attendance included Roysiltv. The roll of honor included the names of nurses*, in the Army Xursing Services of Xew Zealand and the other Dominions.