THE CHIC QUEEN

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1928, Page 1

THE CHIC QUEEN

ABOUT HERSELF. (By Sir Percival Phillips.) Special Corespondent of “The DailyMail,” who met the King and Queen of Afghanistan in India and accompanied them to Europe. A Queen who until three months ago had never showed lier face in pub-

lic will go about London in tile next few days as freely and naturally as any Englishwoman. It. is difficult- to realise that this charming lady has, according to our standards, been virtually a prisoner all her life. No man save her husband and immediate relatives, ever saw her face. Sho lived in the strictest seclusion in Kabul. Yet from the moment she appeared unveiled among her fellow passengers on the voyage from In-

dia the Queen has conformed to Western ways as easily as though accustomed to them all her life. London will he surprised to find that her beauty is European rather than Oriental. She is fair, with brown

eyes and a complexion that needs none of the artificial support so universally adopted by Eastern women. She lias an attractive personality and a strong sense of humour, and she is very- ob-

servant. It as no secret that she rejoices in her new freedom or that slic looks forward with regret to returning to the seclusion imposed on her by the religions conventions of her husband kingdom. The Queen is deeply interested in every aspect of life in Europe, particularly the position of women in social and business affairs. Handicapped though she is by her inability to converse freely in any language except Persian and Pushto, she has acquired a great deal of information from tho women she lias met at the various European Courts. If the lot of tho. women of Afghanistan is in any way improved it will bo due largely to her influence. Her Majesty is a great admirer of Paris fashions. Her new wardrobe is the envy- of less fortunate women who have been permitted to view its many treasures. Before tbe royal party left Kabul, a French dressmaker who bad been in the service of tbe Queen wont ahead to Paris to lay the foundations for this collection of gowns. The most elaborate have been kept lor the visit to Etigland. One dress for ceremonial occasions is said to bo of gold tissue covered with precious stones.

Tho other ladies of tbe royal household wlio have acceonipained theii Majesties to Europe are Princess Noor-ul-Siraj (sister of the King), Mine. Bibi Kliurd (sister of the Queen), and Mile. Ndaja Begum (half-sister of the King). The first-named is married to Sardar Miilinmad Hnss.an Khan, who is aide-de-camp to the King. 'The royal party is in some respects a family party. The Foreign Minister, Tnrzi Khan, is the King’s father-in-law. Ali Ahmed Khali, the Governor of Kabul, is married to a sister of the King.

The King has as his personal bodyguard two powerful officers in khaki who arc never far from the royal presence. They arc said to bo fine revolver shots, and, although they speak only their native language, they have a fairly clear idea of all that is going on, and wherever the King is there they are also, hovering watchfully in the background. Tho little Prince Rhamatullali is thoroughly enjoying the tour. He is in charge of a female nurse and a male attendent, to- both of whom he is very attached. He is a slender, rather delicate lad, very- quiet, hut with an absorbing interest in everything around him. Many mysetrious bales and boxes have accompanied the' royal party from Afghanistan containing presents for the Courts of Europe. Four beautiful Afghan hounds were also passengers from Bombay', and it lias been rumoured that they will he left in England. The King personally supervised the selection of gifts for his official hosts. He insisted on souvenirs of Afghan origin, and in addition to many valuable rugs and carpets. products of the Kabul, Herat, and Kandahar looms, he chose line. Specimens of the work of until e craftsmen. MUNICIPAL LOANS. “Civis,” writing in ilic “Preston Herald,” makes a suggestion on the serious incubus of repayment of old loans: “Here we are. the present generation, struggling to pay off old debts, and at tlio same time constantly incurring new debts, which ue, in turn, charge ns capital expenditure, and hand on to the next generation. The snag is, of course, in the interest. Do ratepayers, as a body, realise that when a ■ corporation gaily borrows, say, £10,900 for sixty years, that tbe equal annual payments throughout those sixty years will, with interest at nearly 5 per cent, come to £525? Whereas, if the period of years was reduced to thirty, the annual charges on the rates would be only £650 per annum? At sixty years a total of about £31,000 is taken from the rates, whereas for thirty years tbe amount is only £19,500.”