Abergavenny Chronicle

Poplar trade union an-d Labour organisa- tions have decided to run a Labour candi- date at the General Election. Sir A. W. Ye-o, Liberal, is the present M.P. An Italian, Mario Fava, was fined £ 50 at Marl borough-street for keeping a gaming house in Greek-street, Soho, and selling in- toxicating drink without a license. Serbia's Parliament has sent a message to the British House of Commons expressing admiration of the British Army's heroic re- sistance to the German owlaught.

BRITISH AIRMEN DOWN SIXTY MACHINES IN ONE DAY. —— — ENEMY TROOPS BOMBED. I The following reports from Sir Douglas Haig of the work dofto by our airmen in FTanee have been issued by the Press Bureau: Saturday, 8.50 p.m. On the 12th instant atmospheric condi- tions were favourable for flying, and a great concentration of our aeroplanes was effected by us on the battle Front. Large numbers of low-Qyimg nmclúns were employed in bombing and sweeping with machine-gun fire roads packed with the enemy's troops. Thirty-six tons of bombs and over 110,000 rounds of ammunition were fired by us While theee attacks on ground targets were in progress, other formations, flying at a greater height, engaged the enemy a aero- planes, which were extremely active in this sector. Other machines reconnoitred the battle area, bringing back information as to the positions of our own and the enemy's troops. On the remainder of the British Front the nsual work in co-operation with our artillery was carried out, and a very large number of photographs were taken. In air fighting forty German machines were brought down by our aeroplanes, and twenty other hostile aeroplanes were driven down out of control. In addition, two of the enemy's machines were shot down by anti-aircraft gun-fire. Three hostile observa- tion balloons were allo destroyed. Twelve of our aeroplanes are missing. After dark the incessant bombing carried out by us during the previous twelve hours was continued until dawn. Over twenty-two tons of bombs were dropped on different targets, including the Don and Donai rail- way stations, two important railway junc- tions between Mazieres and Rheims, and roads leading up to the battle front in the neighbourhood of Estnires. Sunday, 8 p.m. On the 13th inst. clouds and mist pre- sented flying extfept at a low height from the ground. Our low-flying machines recon- aoitred the battle Front throughout the day, ind dropped over 1,200 bombs on the snemy's troops on roads leading to the Front. Only a few fights took place, and results were indecisive. One of our machines is missing. DAY OF-CLOUD AND MIST. I Monday, 8 p.m. On the 14Hi inst. era aeroplanes recon- noitred the enemy liaes on the Lys battle Front, and were again obliged by clouds and mist to carry out their work at a very low height. Bombs were dropped and nmehine-gux fire was opened from the air on the enemy troops in this ai;oa. All our machines returned. Monday night's French aviation report said i— During April 13 and 14 four German aero- planes were brought down, two of them by the fire of our machine-guns. Our bombing machines dropped 3,000 kilo- grammes (three tons) of bombs on the enemy establishments and convoys in the region of Montdidier.

ACCIDENT TO EXPRESS. I A Is ortli-Eastern express from Northaller- ton to Leeds was travelling at thirty to forty miles an hour on Monday when, from some unknowu cause, it left the rails at Maunby crossing. The train broke in two, the engine and the first two carriages run- ning nearly a quarter of a mile before being brought to a standstill on a bridge- running over the River Swale. The last Beven carriages followed for some distance. ploughing up the permanent-way badly and coming to a halt on the top of a steep E'm-: bankment. The only portion of the train which did not leave the metals was th< engine and tender. There were over 100 I passengers on the train, but no one watr seriously hurt.

I IMPOSED A CONDITION. The King's Bench Divisional Court on Monday gave an important decision under the Food (Conditions of Sale) Order, 1917. Mr. G. C. Welch, local manager 'of the Home and Colonial Stores at WooLston, had been fined .£10 and costs at Southampton for imposing conditions of sale contrary to the regulations. The evidence was that a customer endeavoured to purchase a packet of tea, but the manager declined to supply it on the ground that he had registered for sugar elsewhere. For the defence it way submitted that the manager was acting within his rights in reserving his supply of tea for registered customers. The Court dis- missed the appeal.

r A, ONE-MAN MINE. j t Mr. George James Beardsley, a young man of twenty-five, and married, who has just been exempted, is the manager, owner, and only employee of a colliery at Nether Heage, near Matlock. He mines twenty to twenty-five tons of coal a week, and his output for 1917 was 1,000 tons. The pit, which is expected to re- main productive for fifty years, is worked entirely by Mr. Beardsley, who labours on an average eleven hours a day.

I BOLSHEVIST CONSUL ARRESTED. I At Glasgow, on Monday, John McLean, Consul for the Russian Bolshevist Govern- ment, was committed for trial, charged with making speeches to the workers urging them to violence against the authorities. It was aUeged that the accused declared the workers ought to seize the public offices, ships, and ooal mines, and asserted that, un- less the Government followed the example of the Russian revolutionists, the workmen should down tools.

I ) YOUNG MEN AND HIGH WAGES. I At Thames Police-court on Monday, three young men were fined for insulting be- haviour in the street. Mr. Cancellor, the magistrate, ,said: "The heads of many of you young men are nowadays turned by the enormoua wages you earn, and you think you. ?an go about making a nuisance of your- selves and insulting people. One of these lays there will be a fine riot through you people."

I "SETS WET GRASS ON FIRE." "Thermite, the explosive used on this country by Zeppelins, causes molten blazing iron to fall through the air, of a tempera- ture of 5,000 degrees," said Mr. J. Young, of the Woolwich Royal Military Academy, at the Society of Arts on Monday. "It is used in incendiary bombs and shrapnel, and sets even wet grass on fire."

SIR J. MACLArS SON KILLED. 1 Lieutenant Ebenezer Maclay, Scots Guards, eldest son of Sir Joseph Maclay, the Shipping Controller, has been killed in France. He was twenty-eeven years old.

A record pike for the river Neri, landed near Peterborough by Mr. Charles Baines, weighed 271b., and was 43in. long; and it is said that for many years it had eluded keen anglers, who knew of its existence. For supplying bread to German prisoners, William Morgan, a baker, was fined £ 1 at Ongar, and the Bench issued a warning to all food purveyors. Captain W. Loder-Symonds, of Hinton Manor, Beenham (Berks), who recently escaped from a German camp, has married Miss MellQney Mary Waring, of Beenham House.

A I Night-soented Srtock.-Masbiola bicornis deserves a place in evory garden. It thrives in most soils and situations, grows up to 1ft. high, and is particularly useful in small gardens. Sow now in lines or patches where the plants are to blossom. As the popular name suggests, the lilac flowers are de- liciously fragrant, pervading the air with their strong scent. #- Increasing Perennials.—This is a suitable time to propa-ate many hardy perennials by cuttings. These include phlox, Michael- mas daisies, Sedum spectabile, border chry- santhemums, gvpsophila paniculata, the shasta daisy, and solidago. Take off the shoots betow the' surface of the ground with an old table-knife, insert them in pots of sandy soil and place in a handlight stood on the greenhouse stage. ,e. Hints About Seed Potatoes.—The first im- portant point in potato culture after ob- taining the "sets," is that of placing them W boxes or trays and exposing them to light for the purpose of sprouting. It sometimes happens, through neglect or other cause, that this work is deferred till planting time has arrived. If the potatoes have been in a heap, and perhaps oovered, they possess long, straggly shoots. The best way of dealing with. these is to cut them off just above the fix-A joint. New sprouts will form, and much more quickly than an entirely new shoot, whilst their vigour will be greater. » Convolvulus. — This climbing plant is sonietimea sold as the Japanese Morning Glory. As fast-growing climbers for com- paratively warm and sheltered gardens they are unsurpassed, giving a profusion of richly coloured blossoms. Sometimes raised in pots in a greenhouse or frame, the seeds of convolvulus may also be sown where the plants are to flower. They are excellent for a summer screen or axbour, and are also attractive in the border, supported by pea- sticks. ""Markers."—"Marker" is the term applied in gardening to a quick-growing crop which is made use of to define the position of another slower-growing crop; the method is more generally practised by growers fot market than by amateurs. Seed of a vege- table that germinates quickly, e.g., radish, is sown in the drills with a slow-germinating one, as parsnip, carrot, onion. The radishes, SOWli thinly come into use before the prin- cipal crop has made much progress. Use of such "markers is particularly valuable on ground where weeds are troublesome, as it enables one to keep these in check by using the hoe between the drills, which would not otherwise be defined so easily. This con- staDlt stirring warms the soil and hastens germination of the principal crop. < Cystisua racemosus.—This, the Genista of the florists shops, will by now have passed out of bloom. When this happens all old see d pods should be cut off. and any over- grown shoots shortened back. If the plants need repotting it should be done now, and if Iwt. an occasional stimulant will be bene- ficial. If stood out of doors during the sum- mer, the plants will flower all the bettei next season. Protecting Early Potatoes.—Those who possess a warm border and have used if for the purpose of securing an early erop of potatoes will be well advised to bestow need- ful attemtion as soon as the growths appear above ground. The first thing is to use the hoe between the drills for the destruction of weeds, and aa a means of aerating and warming the soil, thus helping to counteract frost. As danger from sucn is not yet over, it is well to draw up a little soil along each side of the row, covering the tops entirely for that matter as a protective measure. If properly done and repeated when necessary it eaves the labour attendant upon putting on other protective material. Double White Primula.-This variety of the Chinese primula, which is valuable jfor many purposes, does not produce seed. It is therefore increased by layering, or rather by a modification of this process. When the flowers are over the old ?eaves are cut off, leaving the stems bare. Some fibrous soil is then piled around them, and into this the buried portions of the stem will soon push forth roots. When this happens the plants may be divided, and each e rooted shoot put into a small pot. Red Spider.—In hot, dry positions goœe- berriea are liable to be seriously troubled with this pest. Unless some means are taken to prevent and check the insects a lot of damage may soon be done. Dustings of soot are useful, but the best method of dealing with redspider is to spray or lightly syringe with a reliable wash. Of these washes several are advertised, and if applied ac- cording to instructions will be found effec- tual. 0 « The Week's Work.—Calceolarias are now growing freely in the frame and must be movz to a position where more space is available. A suitable position is a shel- tered south-west border, where temporary covering can be placed over them on cold nights. About this date we plant out of doors the pentstemona propagated from cut- tings last autumn, and cover them for two or three weeks with a movable cold frame. About the middle of May we expect to have nice plants to transfer to the flowering posi- tions in beds and borders. A commence- ment must be made with disbudding peaches. Begin at the top of each tree and do a portion at a time. In this manner there is less risk of a check to the trees than when the whole of the work is done at once. T hese remarks apply to nec- tarines also. Examine the peach treee, and if the foliage is found to be galled or blis- tered, such leaves as are attacked should be removed and burnt. Spraying with liver of sulphur will do good,, but the remedy now most commended for this disease is Medeola, a proprietary article. Much damage is quickly caused if the trouble is not dealt with at once when discovered. Dc not fail to find room for a few rows of leeks, and if seed has not been already sown, do not delay a day longer Sow only on rich soil, and scatter the seed thinly. The Lyon and London Flag are good varieties for ama- teurs. Gradually harden off celery plants intended for the earliest rows. Avoid coddling, a cold frame being far better for the plants than a heated greenhouse. < Spraying Apples.—It ts of importance that trees known to* be troubled with apple sucker or aphis should be sprayed. Get the work done before the flowers open if pos- sible if attacked aa they emerge from the eggs the pests are more vulnerable than later. In bad cases spray before and after flowering. This season, with material so dear, there will be some difficulty, but for the sake of securing a crop of best fruit, an effort should be made. Quassia and soft soap will be found effectual for aphis, bnt something stronger must be found for apple sucker. For the latter, one of the washes advertised will be most suitable.

I TO INDUCE SLEEP. I The most effective position for sleep is to keep the head low and the feet slightly elevated, says a well-known doctor. Failing this the body should, at any rate, be hori- zontal, so as to irrigate the brain well. The habit of sleeping with head low and feet high is, he continues, a remedy for brain troubles and some internal maladies. It can be adopted gradually.

ADVANCE IN PALESTINE. —— I VILLAGES CAPTURED. Palestine.—Early on the morning of Mon- day our troops west of the Tul Keram- Ramleh railway advanced our line to a depth of one and a-lialf miles, on a front- age of five miles, capturing the vil- lages of El Ketr and Rafat, despite a stubborn resistance by the enemy, whose counter-attacks were broken up by our artillery and machine-gun fire. The prisoners taken include a few Ger- mans. TURKS' FUTILE ATTACK. Palestine. Early on the morning of Apml 10, after a short bombardment, the enemy assumed the offensive against the coastal sector of our Front. Fighting lasted .throughout the day. Turco-German troops who penetrated our advanced positions in the directions of Beru- kin and El Kefr were ejected Êy counter- attacks, and our lines were advanced at several points, substantial losses being in- flicted on the enemy, and a few piisoners, both Turkish and German, being taken. On April 11 a Turkish attack directed against our positions on the east bank of the Jordan, m the vicinity of El Ghoranib, broke down with heavy losses under our artillery fire, and our mounted troops rpur- sued the retreating enemy to within a snort distance of fShunet Nimrin. An attack directed against our positions astride the Jericho-Na is road west of the Jordan was also repulsed.

ZEPPELIN RAID. —— 0- INCONSIDERABLE DAMAGE: TWENTY CASUALTIES. It is officially stated that four Zeppelins participated in the raid on this country on Friday. Two of them penetrated a few miles inland. Of the other two, one reached the midlands, and the other nearly reached the north-west coast. The raiders traveiled at a great height, and showed no inclination to attenmt to penetrate defended areas. Most of the bombs were dropped in the open country, and, apart from the demolition of four houses at one place, the damage was inconsiderable. The casualties total twenty, and included five killed (two men, two women, and one child), and fifteen inj ured (eight men, six women, and one child).

HOARDING CHARGE FAILS. I At Westminster Police-court on Saturday, Mrs. Eleanor Hambley Rowe, of Eaton- place, London, S.W., was summoned under the Food Hoarding Order, in respect of sugar, preserved meats, sardines, flour, tea, and coffee. Mr. R. D. Muir, for the defendant, said the sugar was bought long before the Order was made, and neary all the goods had been accumulated for the entertainment of wounded soldiers. It was monstrous said counsel, to think that this lady, who bought this sugar for charitable purposes alone, should be brought to court charged with the odious crime of hoarding food..There has Loon in many parts of the country a perfect orgy of hysterical prosecutions under this Order. The summons was dismissed. V ♦ —————

OSTEND BOMBARDED. BERLIN, April 13. German OfficiaL-During Thursday night English sea fighting forces, consisting of monitors, torpedo vessels, and aeroplanes, attacked the coast of Flanders. Ostend was bombarded with guns of heavy calibre, and bombs were dropped on Zeebrugge by' aero- planes. The attacks were repulsed without difficulty by our batteries. No military damage was caused anywHt?e. An enemy torpedo-boat hich approach? Ostend was shewed and set on fire, aban- doned by its crew, and afterwards captured by us with its full equipment.—Admiralty, per Wireless Press. [The Admiralty states that one small motor-boat is missing. The relatives of the crew have been informed.] ————— —————

t DEATH IN BATH. I Death from misadventure was the verdict of a Marylebono jury on Saturday on Mrs. Flora McKay Petersen, fifty-five, the wife of a Mr. -William Petersen, a shipowner, who was found dead in her bath at Portland- place, London, W. Mr. Petersen said that his wife was sub- ject to heart attacks, and had been cau- tioned about her habit of taking a hot bath daily.

A FAMILY'S SACRIFICES. I At Thames Polioe-court on Saturday a soldier with only one hand was charged with being an absentee. It was stated he had been in hospital for twenty months, and that forty pieces of female flesh had been grafted on one of his legs. Defendant was an old Grenadier Guardsman, and had wai; an old Gren, four sisters, each of whom had lost her hus- band in tho war. > ————— —————

"OUR GLORIOUS ARMY." Viscount French has sent the following telegram to Sir Douglas Haig. "My heart and thoughts are with you and my old comrades in this time of trial. and I feel confident that the lustre which has illuminated our glorious Army in every phase of this campaign will continue to ahine as brightly as ever."

PRISON FOR EMBEZZLEMENT. Louis Jacob Lithaner, thirty-seven, stored keeper, at the Middlesex Sessions on Satur- day, was sentenced to eight months for em- bezzling money belonging to his employers, Messrs. Handley Page and Co.. Ltd., aero- plane manufacturers.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL A. ASQUITH. I The Minister of Munitions has appointed Brigadier-General Arthur M. Asquith, D.S.O., to be Controller of the Trench War- fare Department of the Ministry, in succes- sion to Majer-General G. T. M. Bridges, employed on special duty.

HEARD IN CAMERA. I I A cha?e a?&inet a man named leter Iiii.  marnock for damaging1 war material was | heard in camera at Stratford Polioe-court on Saturday. Defendant was fined £25 and Elo 10s. ceste.

MUCH-USED SEASON TICKETS. I At the London Guildhall, Nathan Schwartz, a furrier in the City of London, and his wife, and Mrs. Dora Roneau and her daughter Fanny, were fined X6 7s. each for illegal use of season tickets to Maidenhead and Reading. The prosecution alleged that thousands of aliens had left London for places some little way out, and it had been discovered that seasou tickets were not only used by < -r members of the owner's, family, but tl.at they were also borrowed by friends. Applicationg for the return of the tickets were im each case refused.

Boot factors or retailers, pawnbrokers. drapers, and others having stocks of new boots, shoes, or slippers are required to make a return to the Director of Raw Materials, Imperial House, Tothill-street, S.W.I. Since the war began 669 head of deer from Witley Park, Lord Pirrie's Surrey residence, have been kiUed to increase the nation's food supply. The herd, which now numbers only 160, is to be further reduced.

I ■NEUVE EGLSSE.  DESPERATE FIGHTING IN STREETS AND BACK-YARDS. AND BAC:- Y AIDS. "PLACE OF HELLISH BATTLE" The story of the fight for Neuve Eglise is told by Mr. Philip Gibbs in a dispatch to The village? change d the Daily Telegraph.. The village changed hands several times, remaining eventually, according to Sir Douglas Haig's report on Monday morning, in the hands of the enemy. Mr. Gibbs says: The attack on this place was really begun further back, when the enemy struck up through Plug Street on April 10 and drove forward every day since towards this goal of Neuves Eglise. All the time he was faced and resisted by. troops from Wiltshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Lancashire, while other Lancashire troops, along with Northumberland and Worcestershire men and others, were holding up the line of the Lys and fighting rearguard actions round Croix-du-Bao as I have told before. A body of Wilts, Cheshire, and Staffs men held the east of Plug Street Wood when the attack burst upon them, and kept their lines intact for two days and nights, though the enemy had pierced behind- them and west of the wood, against other troops fighting back under overwhelming pressure towards Neuve Eglise. The situation became serious when the enemy broke into Plug Street village and made a nest of machine guns there which could not be routed out by fierce Lancashire counter attacks. Some of our own machine gunners on the west of the wood acted as in- fantry and charged the enemy outposts, and when the Germans thrust forward again to a hamlet called Ramorin and a huddle of houses called Lea Trois Pipes they were pioneers of the South Wales Borderers, not trained for fighting, who attacke4 them most gallantly. But the enemy poured up to this place, and there was severe fighting there for hours. Meanwhile, on the night of April 11 the men holding Plug Street Wood were ordered to abandon this dangerous position, in which they were nearly surrounded, and fall back to a line in front of Neuve Egliee and La Nieppe. They did this in face of the enemy, and the last men in the wood were two subalterns, who were entirely sur- rounded by Germans. They gathered some bombs together, made their way down an old trench in the darkness—there was the glare of fire through Plug Street Wood, where in old days I used to visit friends on summer days when snipers' bullets came whisking off the leaves-and by the light of this they made their way, and at last made a dash through the enemy lines and so escaped. Some other officers were not so lucky. On the way back to the line outside Neuve Eglise a colonel with a machine-gun section led his men against a body of the enemy in possession of a ruin called La. Grande Munque and killed a number of them before getting back wounded with a little party of his surviving men. Later, or about this time, the enemy broke through to the neighbourhood of an old estaminet called Kort Pyp (the Short Pipe), and round here a body of our infantry fought almost to the last man in a desperate action. Another party of the same regiment suffered heavily in an heroic action to check the enemy south of Neuve Eglise, towards which they were pressing in great strength. The night before last our line fell back from near La Creche an-4 swung round in the loop south of Neuve Eglise towards R-avelsberer Farm. It was then that Neuve Egliso itself became a place of hellish battle. The enemy broke through into its ruined street, and small parties of Wiltshires, Wor- cestcra and others sprang upon them and killed them or were killed, and fought I desperately in back yards and over broken walls and ill. sell-pierced houseau wherever they could find Germans or hear the tattoo of machine-gune. Several times the enemy was cleared out of most of the town and our men held the hollow square containing most of the streets, and defended it as a kind of fortress, though with dwindling numbers, under a heavy fire of shells and trench mortars and machine-guns. The enemy was savage in his attacks against these men, and from behind the German commanding officers sent up fresh troops with stern orders to have done with the business and destroy our men, whom they vastly outnumbered. But they could not take Neuve Englise by direct assault, and last night our troops made a counter-at- tack at Crucifix Corner, won ground, and brought back five machine-guns and left there many German dead. It was an astounding feat of grim courage. But Neuve Eglise was given up by us for the reasons I have stated. The enemy, unable to get it by infantry assault, shelled it fiercely by the fire of many guns, and made it a death-trap, as now it is for them. Without yielding to direct assault, our men obeyed orders and stumbled out of the cursed place silently and unknown to their enemy, and took up a line further back. m

I BELGIAN COAST SHELLED. I Admiralty. Vice-Admiral, Dover, reports:—Between 11.12 and 11.23 p.m. on April 9, a few shells, apparently from German destroyers, fell on La Panne and in the vicinity of it. They were widely scattered, and most of them fell short and in the sea. Nothing was sesen ex- cept a few gun lfashes. No damage reported. German Official Report.—German torpedo- boat forces in Flanders, under the command of Commander Albrecht, on the evening of April 9 took copiously under their fire the. military establishments near L6 Panne. The coastal batteries returned their fire without result. No enemy naval foroee were sighted. —Admiralty, per Wireless Press.

I PRISON FOR FOOTBALLER. j At Liverpool Police-court, George Ander- son, the former Manchester United foot- baller, was sentenced to eight months' hard labour for conspiracy in connection with attempts to "square" football matches. j The judge, in his summing-up, said the broad question for the jury to decide was as to Anderson's allegations that the evidence of the eight players given in the case was false, and that he had incurred their hos- tility as the outcome of the case of West v. the Football Association. 0

BEQUEST OF A CAT. Major John Marlowe Turner, 3rd Royal Middlesex Militia, of Cliff House, Paignton, who died on February 5, leaving estate of the gross value of Y,23,396, has bequeathed £ 50 and his cat to his nurse, Sarah Crocker. He desired that his dog should be destroyed, "unless Elizabeth Roberts would like to have it," in which case he left it to her.

SYRUP PRICES CONTROLLED. The Sugar Commission gives notice that on April 22 the retail price of all ayrup will be lOd. per pound in bulk and 19. 9d. per case where the case contains a full 21b In localities in exceptionally unfavourable situations an addition of id. on the above price may be legitimate. ————— —————.

VIOLATED PAPER ORDER. At Marlborough street Police eou rt, Henry Pitet was fined .£45 and P.5 costs for sending out advertising circulars connected with a "new map of Europe" competition, in violation of the Paper Restriction Order. For printing the circulars two other defen- dants were and £ 5 oosts each. o

THE TOWN OF ESSEN. Essen is not r modern town, although its great prominence has arisen through the growth of Krupp's munition works. It pos- sesses a ninth century church of great anti- auarian interest,.

HOME RULE SCHEME AGREED TO BY MAJORITY. SENATE AND COMMONS. The Irish Convention has agreed, by a, majority, in favour of an Irish Parliament, consisting of a Senate and a House of Com- mons, the supreme power and authority of the Parliament of the United Kingdom re- maining unaffected and undiminished. These conclusions were adopted by the Con- vention by 51 votes to 18. The report of the Convention was accom- panied by a letter from the chairman, Sir Horace Plunkett, to the Prime Minister. The chairman states that the scheme of Home Rule was agreed to by a majority of, Nationalists, all the Southern Unionists, and) -j five, out- of the seven Labour representatives' ■■ It was not found possible to overcome the i objections of the Ulster Unionists. "The Convention," Sir Horace wrote, » "has laid a foundation of Irish agreement '■ unprecedented in history." ) Details of the scheme, agreed to by vary" ing majorities, follow: The Irish Parliament will have no power to make laws on the following matters: Crown and succession. Making of peace and war (including con- duct as neutrals). Army and Navy. Treaties and foreign, relations (including extradition). Dignities and titles of honour. j Any necessary control of harbours for j BavaJ and military purposes. I The Imperial and Irish Governments are ,I to arrange jointly for the unified control of the Iridh police and postal services during the war; afterwards these two services shall become automatically subject to the Irish 1 Parliament. The Senate is to consist of sixty-four mem- bets, includ-ing four Roman Catholic Arch- bishops and four Archbishops of the Church of Ireland. The constitution of the House of Commons will be as follows: Elected members 160 Nominated by Lord-Lieutenant 20 Additional M.P.'s elected by Ulster constituencies 20 Total 200 The twenty nominations by the Lord-Lieu. tenant are to be made with a view to the "due representation of interests not otherwise adequately represented in Leinster, Munster and Connaugnt." The twenty additional members to be elected by Ulster constituencies are for the purpose of representing commercial, indus-- trial and agricultural interests. The Convention accept the principle that 40 per cent .of the membership of the House of Commons shall be guaranteed to Unionists. Disagreements between the two Houses are to be solved by joint sittings. Forty-two Irish representatives shall be elected to the Commons House of the Parlia- ment of the United Kingdom. An Irish Exchequer and Consolidated Fund are to be established. All branches of taxation other than Customs and Excise are to be under control of an Irish Parliament. The Lord Ijieutenant is not to be a politi- cal officer. He shall hold office for six yearfr4 and neither he nor the Lords Justices siall be subject to any religious disqualiifcation.

"TO THE LAST MAN." .—— 8- SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S NOBLE APPEAL TO HIS ARMIES. Sir Douglas Haig has issued the follow- ing Order of the Day To ALL RANKS OF THE BRITISH ARMY m FRANCE AND FLANDERS: Three weeks ago to-day the enemy began | his terrific attacks against us on a fifty-mile .]] front. His objects are to separate us from. ¡ the French, to take the Channel ports and 1 destroy the British Army. In spite of 4 throwing already 106 divisions into the j sacrifice of human life, he has as yet made little progress towards his goals. We owe this to the determined fighting; j and self-sacrifice of our troops. Words fail me to express the admiration which I feel for the splendid resistance offered by all < ranks of our Army under the most trying circumstances. Many amongst us now are tired. To those I would say that victory will beloag to the side which holds out the longest. The French Army is moving rapidly and in great force to our support.. There is mo other course open to us but to fight it out. Every position must be held to the last man; there must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall and believing1 in the justice of our cause each one of us must fight on to the end. The safety of our homes and the freedom of mankind de- pend alike upon the conduct of each one of "08 at this critical moment. ♦

M.P. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. At Bow-street Police-court on Saturday Mr. Noel Pemberton Billing, M.P. for East Herts, was committed for trial on a charge of having published an obscene and criminal libel on Miss Maud Allan, the dancer, and Mr. J. T. Grein, the dramatic critic. The alleged libel was contained in a para- graph in a periodical called the "Vigilante," conducted by the accused. It had been in- tended by Mr. Grein to produce, through: the medium of the Independent Theatre, a plav called "Salome," by the late Oscar Wilde, and that Miss Allan should take the title part and give a dance. Mr. Travere Humphreys, who prosecuted, said the paragraph in the "Vigilante" coupled Miss Allan's name with the perform- ances of the Independent Theatre, and suggested that there was some connection between these performances and certain tractioes which were referred to m 'the eadline to the paragraph. In a statement defendant submitted that there was no libel on Miss Allan or Mr. Grein. He had taken action, not as a public man or a member of Parliament, but -as president of a society that had been founded to fight for the purity of public life. What- ever the consequences to himself that fight would go on. Defendant's recognisance of £ 500 was ac- cepted. ♦

CALF CHEAPER THAN FOWL At Ormskirk Farm Produce Market, West. Lancashire, a farmer, illustrating the oom- Elex nature of the food orders, stated that he had had to sell a three?day-old bull caJf to his butcher for 10s., while for a fowl he had obtained lis.

The King has sent his annual subscription of E25 to Sir Arthur Pearson's Fresh Air Fund. The American Red Cross has given £ 100,000 to the Canadian Red Cross for its work overseas. Temp. Major Sir John Simon has been gazetted to the Royal Air Force. At the funeral at Ashford, Kent, of Mr. J. Rossiter, the mourners included seven wounded sons-in-law, who attended from various hospitals. Two others are abroad on service. The Director-General of National Salvage states that the shortage of paper is still very grave. Householders arc asked to save every scrap of paper, which is needed for making munitions. The American War Industries Board ha.- concluded an agreement by which the Go- 1 vernment's requirements in lead products, amounting to 6,000,000 tons per month as a minimum, will bfj furnished at prices- &ver?iog at 3?d< per pound. j I