MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1918, Page 3

MOTHER COUNTRY.

FROM WAR TO PEACE. WINDING UP, A GREAT DEPARTMENT. SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF MU-NilXl^NsS. London. Dec. S3. Air. Winston Churchill (.Minister of Munitions], addressing a conference oi the Trade Union Advisory Committee and the employers, said that when the tiring ceased on the West front six weeks ago the Ministry of Munitions was at the top of its form and had reached the culminating point of its output. They had a vast aeries of terrifying novelties in readiness, for the 19x9 campaign, and suddenly the task was swallowed up in the victory The Munitions Department's effort, he added, culminated '.u the discharge, over IS successive days on the Weßt front, of 12,000 tons of shells daily upon the reeling, quivering German front. The average shellproduction for October was 47,C00 tons per week. The Ministry was now gradually relaxing its control and stimulating alternative production j? avoid putting masses of workers out of employment. Its task was threefold—liquidation of contracts, assisting firms to convert war into peace industry, and disposing of the material stores 'in the war theatres, which were worth £1,000,000,(>00 sterling. The Ministry was now reducing its head- ■ uarters personnel and relinquishing the ommandeered hotels- it was estimated

hat by the end of next week 230,000 workers would have left the Munitions Department Already 20,000 were out. The inspection staff of between 40,000 and 50 .K 3 women were released within a few days of the armistice- The majority of the resfnetions on materials have been swept away to enable the diversion of industry to peace yjrposes. The Government, during the war. had used practically all the availably steel, and therefore dislocation of the engineering shops would be inevitable for some months. Tftere was no reason to apprehend any shock or set-back lor the steel industry The British steel works were already fully occupied. The fixing of home prices, coupled with the gradual removal of the subsidies, had steadied the iron and steel trades. Large Government stocks oi non-ferrous metal* would be placed on the market at fixeJ prices, which policy was calculated to encourage the trade. The Ministry wa» doing its utmost to develop altjrnativs industrial production during the transitional period. An effort was be : ng made to obtain orders from the Government Departments and also the Dominions. He urged every man to find a pence job. "If." he concluded, ''all pull together with the same loyalty as during the recent period of great anxiety, W great industries will soon resume their natural activity."—Aus -N.Z. Cabiee Association.

ZEALOUS NEW ZEALANDERS. TRIBUTE BY CAPTAIN OP THE HERMIONE. Received Dee. 24, 5.5 p.m. j Loudon, Dee 20 Captain Boothby, in command of the Hermione, has written Sir T Mackenzie expressing his appreciation of all the New Zealand officers and ratings who passed through their courses aboard the Hermione, all having proved keeu and capable.—Au.-N.Z. Cabic Assn. SOUTH AFRICA, j j WAR CASUALTIES. London, Dec. 25. It is estimated that the South African casualties in the war, comprising the rebellion, East, West, Central Africa, and .ve.-seas, totalled 6800 killed, of whom >3O were killed in Europe Wounded ilid gassed totalled 11.500. —Reuter. RUSSIA; FINLAND'S BID FOR FREEDOM New Yori:. Doc. 23. The Washington correspondent of the \>v.' York Times says it is officially announced that Finland has apparently thrown off German rule, and relief shipments will bo sent from the United States.—Aus-N Z. Cable Assn. ON THE SEA. FATE OF THE GERMAN "FLEET. THE "SINKING RUMOR Washington, Dec. 23. Mr. Lansing (United States Secretary of State), learning of the rumor that the United Slates desired that the German I fleet should lu sunk rnther than divided among the Allies, denies that the Ameri can Peace Delegation lias any such idea. —Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc.