A congress of the Constitutional Democratic party, which is a strong political organisation, has opened. The president appealed for the support of the authority of the Provisional Government until a convocation of the constituent assembly had been held.
After other speakers had advocated the party principle of favouring a constitutional monarchy, the congress unanimously resolved that Russia should be a democratic and parliamentary republic, with adherence to the watchward ''War until final victory.''
Sympathetic reference was made to the Allies and the entry of the United States into the war. The French headquarters correspondent at Salonika states that all Russian troops on the Balkan front have acclaimed the result of the revolution, and taken the oath of allegiance to the Provisional Government.
President Wilson has sent a message to Russia stating that America is overjoyed to learn that Russia has become merged into the mighty democracies.
•London (April 8): A wireless German official message states: Yesterday we destroyed 13 enemy aeroplanes. Our enemies lost in March, on all fronts, 161 aeroplanes and 19 balloons, of which aerial attacks destroyed 143 aeroplanes and 19 balloons respectively.
We lost 45 aeroplanes. It is authoritatively stated that the rumours that we are outclassed by German aircraft are unfounded. Our air service is liable to heavy losses, because it is doing especially heavy reconnaissance work.
Everything possible is being done to augment the supply of the latest aircraft. Seventeen successful bomb raids were conducted on the enemy aerodromes and ammunition depots and railways for a long distance in the rear. There was intense fighting between large squadrons.
Twenty-eight of our machines are missing. Many are known to have been shot down. Fifteen hostile machines were actually seen to crash, and 31 others were driven down damaged. A large majority of these will undoubtedly be destroyed.
•The gold nugget of 87½oz which was found in the Moonlight district has been purchased by the Bank of New South Wales. The only nugget of larger size ever found in New Zealand was the ''Roddy M'Kenzie'', found near Ross.
It weighed 99oz. Some years ago a nugget weighing 78½oz was found in the Moonlight district.
- ODT. 10.4.1917
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