MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 January 1919, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

THE DEMOBILISATION TROUBLE. MEN REFUSE DUTY. London, Jan. 8. A deputation of 4000 Army Service men at Park Royal waited on the General, demanding immediate demobilisation and an assurance that they will not be sent to Russia. The General said the men would be demobilised at the earliest possible moment: those having work to go to would be demobilised in' a flay or two, but regarding Russia tliey must obey ordon. The men were dissatisfied with the reply and refused duty. They marched in a body to Downing Street. ttiuiii' officers mingled with, the men urging them to return to the depot. Eventually an official from the Premier's residence asked the men to proceed to the Horse Guards, where they formed a hollow square and promptly obeyed an order to stand to attention, yielding to several Generals who met the men. Meanwhile the gates at the Horse Guards were closed and a Btrong force of mounted j police appeared, but the men were most orderly in their behaviour.—Aus. K.Z. Cable Assoc. RETURNING STEW ZEALANDERS. ■ Received Jan. 10, 11.5 p.m. London, Jan. 9. The Ruapehu ombarked at. Plymouth tlireo hundred New ZeaUmders, mostly convalescents. Crowds cheered the deI ■parting ftroops, who boarded the vessel I in a storm. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

'AN INQUIRY PROMISED. London, Jail. 7. At Park Royal General Fielding said thct if the men would wait a little General Sir William Robertson would come and .personally investigate '.their grievances. Sir William Robertson motored to the scene and summoned <a deputation, with which he had a half-hour interview, the officers afterwards informing the \men that the interview was satisfactory. Sir William Robertson promised tc' send a General to Park Royal to investigate the complaints. hundred men at Westerlmm nerodrom f conferred with "their colonel, and later .Vmt a ueputation to Whitehall deto be sent homo pending demobilisation. —Aus. N.Z. Gable Assoc. ; assurances given. \ London, Jan. 8. An officer i addressing the Park Royal men, conclu-tad: "I want you to form ! up and go to iiinner>" The men shouted: "What about terms? We are not going ■•until they are' known. 1 ' The deputai.Vm told the sien that Sir '"William Robertson gave certain assurances as regards l oversea drafts, and that the interview was satisfactory. The men* then clwered', formed up, ami "toafehed to camp.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

INEW ZEAIiANBERS ENTERTAINED. Londoh, Jan. 8. Sir Thomas Mitelconaie entertained 250 repatriated New .Zealanders at dinner. He assured them the warmest welcome upon their retvni home. He pointed out two of New Zealand's shell-holed flag's, presented by Jfow Zealand women, draped on the columns of the diningroom, (Cheers.) Colonel Myers deplored '(Turkish brutality, and instanced New Zealanders suffering from severe fractures .being ! transported in a springless cart while i women 6v Toute thumped the .injured patts. Many of the wounded vere lodged in hospitals the condition of -which which made them unfit to house amft'als. Prisoners in Germany, with noUiMe -exceptions, received fair treatment Colonel Fitnherbert said that .of the total of 497 New. Zealand prisoners 25 iverp on OaliSpoli, 12 in Egypt, 10 d.t'd in Turkey,"2o were-Jepfctrnted to.EgyjA. and 7 had arrJrcd in England. In 3?rani".* there were nine officers and 451 other.-'. Two officers Mid -'7 men died in imprisonment; 373 tad arrived in Ireiitoul. and 48 still in Germany voukl shorty be repatriated. Vo othev division lntd put up a better record. There was noinstance of a m,n> surrendering without a fight. The prisoners represent 7 per cent, of the casualties. —Aus. Cable Aasbc.

THE' NEW ZEAi.jCsT) LICENSING (POltu. 'Jkmdoii, Jan. 3. Arrangements are hi hand foi', taking a lioehsins- poll of tlie New Zealand troops in England. Franca, and Egypt in April.—Ats-.iLZ. Cable Assoc. WOMEN WISH TO EMIGRATE. U>ll don, .Tan. 8. The authorities of thti Women's Land Army havo approached Sl : r Thomas Mackenzie with regard to coriditions in Wcw Zealand. Some five thousand women do not desire to return t-o 1 their pre-war occupations, and a large number are anxious 1o work on farms' overseas if conditions are favorable.—, Ails. N./j. Cable Assoc. A SENSIBLE LABORIiYi 1 . London, .Jrfv ■ "• Mr. Will Thome declines to atteii Hho Lausanne Conference owing to the \'<olshevist tendency ■of a section of the IV -T----lin N.Z. Cable Assoc. SEARCH FOR PRISONERS IX > GERMANY. Londoli, Jftn. 8i The Government lias begun a thorough search for British prisoners in Germany. A commission has been dispalched o insisting of twenty parties equipped wjlth motor ambulances and doctors, maki fcua; Berlin and other leading towns theftr headquarters. Prisoners will be centralk ised and afterwards entrained toV France.

The JVench Government is undertaking a similar scheme.—Aus. NiZ. Cable Assoc. DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF RELEASED MBN. Paris, Jan. 9. Genera! Mangin, commanding the 1 French at Mayenee, heard of SUO reteased .'British prisoners some miles Within Germany, travelling to the Shine, broken down and exhausted. General Mangin sent an ambulance with the white flag, and fund them in a (deplorable condition lying on the roads. They were demobilised like dumb animals, the German authorities and civilians giving no

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S PROTEST GRIEVANCES NOT REDRESSED, Received Jan. 10, 11.5 p.m. London, Jan. 9, The Daily News reasserts ihat flii Douglas llaig refuse# to accept further honors until the Government redres»e» certain grievances of discharged offictM and treatment of slaiii officers' dependents. The principal allegation is a falli:ft to recognise hardships. —Aus. NJK. Gable Assoc. •FRENCH CROSSES FOE NEW ZEALANDERS Received Jos. 11, 1.10 a.m. London, Jan. 10. The French War Cross has been awand* ed te three New Zealanders —Aug. and N.Z. Cable Aaaoc. and Reuter.