MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1918, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

«FL ASQUITH'S CHARACTER. KXNDICAIED BY HIS POLHK3AE. OPPONENTS, 1 Beoeived June 10, ILK pjn. London, June 9. Mr. Asqnith received an ovation at Oxford on Saturday, where he delivered the Romanes lecture on •'Some Aspects pf the Victorian Age." Lord Canon, who presided, evoked a (torn of enthusiasm by declaring that among the aspects of the past Victorian age, then were none which the university >nd every section of the public regarded with such abhorrence and disgust as the gross and gratuitous defamation of the character of public men. Lord Selborne, in a speech, referred to the Billing trial, and asked whether. evea supposing the alleged Black Book existed, we were going to the German Oovfnunent for a compilation to find the troth about Englishmen and Englishwoven. He added that his party repudiated as an "abominable lie" the suggestion that Mr. Asquith's life was not clean and noble, or that he was not ft leyal and devoted servant of the King and N.Z. Cable Assoc had Renter.

SHIP REPAIRING FRAUDS. SENTENCES OF IMPRISONMENT. Received June 10, 5.5 pjn. • ' London, June 9. Sentence was passed on several persons concerned in charges against Eric Brotharton, manager, and Walker, assistant manager, of the Immingbam Dock Company, of defrauding the Government by means of false representations regarding repairs to vessels. Brotherton was found guilty on three counts and sentenced to twenty months Imprisonment, and Walker to sis months, Smith, a timber merchant, reKiting eight months. Another accused (Lottey) was discharged.—'Press Assoc. WAR PRISONERS CONFERENCE. SROCEEDTNGS OPENED. Seeeived June 10, 7.60 pjn. The Hague, June 9. Ik* Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs opened the war prisoners conference. Sir George Cave, on behalf of Britain, thanked Holland for all she had dene for the prisoners. M. van Vredentargh then presided.—Press Assoc.