MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1918, Page 6

MOTHER COUNTRY.

THE BILLIHG CASE. A REFUTED STATEMENT. Received June 8, 5.5 p.m. London, June 7. Colonel Cripps, commanding the Backs Hussars in Palestine, has written a letter to Colonel Burnham, honorary colonel of the regiment, contradicting the suggestion made at the Billing trial that Rothschild and Primrose were shot because they possessed a knowledge of the German Blade Book. Both officers fell under Turkish fire while leading their men with great gallantry.—Press* Assoc. LIBELLING MANIA. London, June 8. Mr. Henry Murray, author, has been fined £IOO for criminally libelling Sir W. Marwood, Secretary to the Board of Trade. Mr. Justice Darling remarked that Murray was evidently suffering from a sort of war mania, which was affecting many people in the country. Murray suggested that Marwood was a subsidised German agent. He, like others recently in the court, was affected by > crazy condition of mind due to the war, otherwise he would have been imprisoned. Mr. Justice Darling evidently alluded to the evidence in the Billing trial.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. LAND FOR SOLDIERS. Received June 8, 5.5 p.m. London, June 7. Mr. Bonar Law, answering a question in the House of Commons, said there was considerable misrmderstanding over the land proposals for Irish soldiers, and he would be making an announcement next week. It was intended to give similar grants of land to English soldiers. —Press Assoc.

FURTHER HONORS. London, June 6. The Gazette contains 1500 names of appointments and promotions in th'e various grades of the British Empire Order far war services. The twelve conferments of Knight and Darae Grand Cross include Princess Christian, the Duchess of Argyle, Princess Helena Victoria, and Miss Agr.es Weston (the sailors' friend). There are 65 Knights and Dames Commanders. who include Hall Caine, .4.R.A., and Major William Orpen, A.R.A. The Commanders include Mr. Alfred Noves. the poet. —Aus. X.Z. Cable Association. The British Empire Order a,wards include the following New Zealanders: — Commander: Colonel Parks. Officers: Chaplain Burton. Majors R. H. Hogg, H. Home and H. Short, Captains H. Richard and J. Z. Hay (Y.M.C.A.). —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. UNION JUBILEE CONGRESS. 5- London, June 7. Owing to the affiliation of the Amalgamated Engineers, General Workers, and the Ironfounders Trade Union, a jubilee congress will be held in September, representing four million members —a record.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. AN ESCAPED PRISONER. London, June 8. Private Badcock, a Tasmanian, who escaped from Cassel prison camp, has readied Holland. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Association. FOOD CRISIS PASSED. London, June 8. In the House of Commons, Mr. Clynes, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Food, made a statement on the food situation. He said that Britain carried heavier burdens perhaps than any ally. She is responsible for her own food, also for assisting other nations. The benefits of national trading could now be seen. It was probable that we would never be reduced to the shortage and confusion that prevailed at the end of 1917.

The Ministry's aim was to encourage home production. The control of the wholesale distribution of milk had become a national necessity. The bread subsidy must be continued. If the exist' ing discipline and self-sacrifice was maintained we should be able to feel absolutely safe from starvation. Mr. Clynes, continuing his speech, said the whole British fruit crop must be reserved for the jam manufacturers. It was unlikely that there would be any surplus of fresh fruit available for the public. The Government had purchased the whole of the 1917 bitter orange croft in Spain and Sicily for marmalade. Twofifths of the output would be required for the troops. The manufacture of margarine in Britain had increased fourfold, compared with the pre-war production, and we were now entirely independent of foreign Imports. Our cold storage capacity had increased from 32 million cubic feet to 35 million. An additional 5J million was nearly completed. By the end of the year the cold storage space would be increased by 25 per cent, over the pre-war amount. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Association.

AN INSATIABLE LABORITE. London, June 6. Mr. Gosling, in his presidential address to the National Transport Workers' Federation Conference at Newcastle, said the tendency of organised labor was to create industrial councils to obviate disputes and bring about a radical improvement in the lives and conditions of the workers by amicable means, but lie hoped trade unionists would not slacken their efforts, because their hopes were based on creating these organisations. He fact tirat employers werel anv'KHis to meet them nowadays was ■d.ue to the increasing sterngth of tie trade inritm moTOHieni. « Ttare was not any limJt to be jj&eed; on the total wcaU aiaSaHe for 4i&- j tnfentfen sairoifflfß(t lie Taxiooa <dasaes of! ifche conmnnriity„ ■flrersffare lc swforfaesl fIU • to set fflffiir tftandaxZl as SigU as pos-- j aftfe, amS,, -when ®*e standard isas fceacU-1 I ■el, to nose flte istimaaia again.—Ana. j NZ. <&MB assoc.