MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 March 1919, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

OBJECTION TO CONSCRIPTION. STATEMENT BY MR. CHURCHILL. Received March 8, 5.5 p.m. London, March 6. In the House of Commons Mr. Thomas moved the rejection of the .Naval and Military Service Bill, which empowers the retention of the fcrces considered necessary until 1920. Mr. Thomas said the Bill was a breacn of the Government's non-conscripticn pledges. If Britain became conscript, the war would leave us vanquished, and labor would accept the challenge. Mr. Churchill, in reply, said the Government did not want to maintain conscription, and was doing its utmost at the Peace Conference to abolish conscription- throughout Europe, but had not yet succeeded. We stood almost alone there. Mr. Thomas' amendment was rejected by 304 to 71, and the Bill was read a second time.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. GALA PEACE PERFORMANCE. Received March 10, 12.45 a.m, London, March 9. It is stated thi't the King has cabled to Madame Melba asking her to sing at the gala peace performance at Covent Garden Opera House, in May.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. Received March 0, 5 5 p.m. London, March 7. The imports for February increased £8,044,321, and exports £7,815,200, reexports £2,379,255, compared with the previous February. Lead imports amounted to 26,386 tons and exjjort-3 nil. -"Aus.NjZ, ' " ~