MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 May 1918, Page 6

MOTHER COUNTRY.

THE KETHEBLAHDS NOTE. REQUISITIONING BUTCH SHIPS. London, May 1. The official British reply to the Netherlands Note concerning the requisition of shipping in Allied porta regrets that allegations have been published in the Netherlands calculated to raise misconceptions regarding the negotiations preceding the agreement, which, however, Holland failed to ratify. •* •Britain's reply attributes the breakdown to German influence, and adds: "A Subsequent effort to arrive at a mutual arrangement was nullified by the Netherlands objection to the employment of ships for military purposes or to their being armed. Thereupon requisitioning, which had already been mooted to the Dutch delegate, hocamu inevitable, otherwise the Central )'o-,ver* would achieve their object nf ]'n'\viii.i::;' the mobilisation of Dutch lonnpw. "The British assurance- tho conditions under which t.h'e Fliipp nro requisitioned are now olearlv n-statrd and reaffirmed. The »ir' r;'n> ••" *»'>- stantial departure lv ' In' i>r'-.'iii.ill,v proposed agreement. i,!i; p.-.li'iid Ihe facilities." The reply spates th:ir lJr:'n n. •. h:t fectly willing to continue m-.,uUiti":: • for an economic agreement.

ILLEGAL PROFITS. HEAVY PENALTIES PROVIDED. London, May 1. The House of Commons passed *he Food Profits Bill, imposing a forfeiture of double the amount of the illegal profit. Mr. Hewit explained that this would be additional to the existing penalties. Whatever other penalty was inflicted was at the magistrate's discretion, but the defendant must forfeit twice the illegal profits. The Minister refused the request by several members that the forfeiture should also be at the magistrate's discretion, and asserted that the clause was the very essence of the Bill. PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM GERMANY. AUSTRALIANS' SENSATIONAL DASH. v London, May 1. Seventeen British prisoners who have escaped from Germany have arrived in London. Two Australians captured on April 4 made a sensational escape. While captives they were engaged in burying the German dead. They helped to inter thousands, and were surprised at the heaviness of the enemy's loss. While imprisoned in an old British compound a shell broke the wire, and they bolted. During eight days they traversed the whole German lines, hiding during the daytime, and when challenged they ran, dodging the rifle shots. On approaching the front lines they came under the British barrage, and then crossed the enemy trenches, which were full of Bosches, rushed over No Man's Land, and ran the gauntlet of fire from both sides. On approaching the Australian lines they pretended to be German surrenderee, but were treated as spies till they established their identity. TRAIN SERVICES CURTAILED.

London, May 1. The curtailed train services operate to-day. The Order-in-Council empowers the authorities to decline to issue or to cancel season and other tickets, and otherwise restrict travel facilities. PARCELS FOB PRISONERS. London, May 1. In the House of Lords, Lord Newton, explaining the cessation of the dispatch of war prisoners' parcels to Germany, stated that it was partly due to the accumulation of parcels, but the dispatch would shortly be resumed. Lord Sandwich stated that lack of shipping was another cause. The British organisation for the supply of parcels was now sending food in more concentrated form, and increasing the supply of bread and biscuits from Holland. MANUFACTURE OF DOG FOOD. London, May 1. The Government has appointed a committee to consider whether cereals should be used for the manufacture ofdog biscuits, and whether the number of dogs in the country should be limited.