AUSTRO-GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1918, Page 6

AUSTRO-GERMANY.

COAL STRIKE TN AUSTRIA. Berne, May 3. A strike on the Dornbrowa coalfields began on April 4 and extended to the whole coalfields. The severest repressive measures proved unavailing, and finally the Austrian authorities suspended the entire passenger service on the railways.—Reuter. GERMAN FRANCHISE CRISIS. London, May 3. The Amsterdam correspondent of the Daily Chronicle states that the Prussian Diet's rejection of one man one vote by a huge majority has caused a sensation, and brings Count Hertling face to face with a crisis which is bound to have a serious repercussion throughout Germany. The Government subsequently announced that an immediate dissolution would not be in the interests of the State, and indicated that it is hoped to arrive at a compromise. There is tremendous tension in the country.—Press Association. GERMAN PRESS BULLIES AUSTRIA. London, May 3. The Zurich correspondent of the Morning Post says that the German newspapers in Austria are becoming incrcasinglv truculent, and have practically issued *an ultimatum to Dr. Seidler demanding that they have greater influence and power in the Government, and further demanding the restriction of the freedom of the Czech and Jngo-Slav press and right of assembly—Press Association. INTERCHANGE OF PRISONERS. Amsterdam, May 3. A Franco-German agreement has been negotiated at Berne which provides for the internment in Switzerland of officers who have been prisoners at least eighteen months, and the repatriation of non-commissioned officers and men who have been prisoners for a similar length of time. It is stated that the agreement affects 2500 German officers and 120,000 others. German interned civilians will be permitted to return to their previous places of residence. —Press Association.