AFGHAN TROUBLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10284, 20 May 1919, Page 5

AFGHAN TROUBLE

CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES SOUGHT

RHSrFF I'O AFGHAN COMMAN T DER-IN-CHIEF.

D>- i'aleiranli —Press Associatioa—Copyrfst'"' ' Reuters Telegram. J (Received May 19, 7.40 p.m.) ..'.' '; SIMLA, May 15. ',' ~j The Afghan Commander-in-Chief has sent a letter to the Afghanistan Poli-- . tical Agent a; Khybor-"asking -for >o"cessation •of • hostilities-/ stating "that : British officers commenced an unlawful j war without any declaration of war on any side, .and by this aggressive stop i inflicted heavy lossses on the civil popu- i lation and army of Afghanistan by- i uirowing bombs froni»aeEoplanes. «i*.»t i

Tli© letter proceeds : —' 'ln consequence of the receipt of .a letter, bj*Ml&c* ■ jiajesty the King of the independent ' kingdom' of Aigaaai«taii irdni the Viceroy of India, lam ordered to suspend ' the war. thus'unlawfully begun by your _ side . until (further order. You are ?"£•-,'"' J cordßngly 'iilfoirhif-d' font'__ the . I, ' ar,i i|*,'" < Jl! suspended until a Knal""decision been' reached between his Afghan .Star f ■ jesty and the Viceroy." Tile 'impe'i'tinwWe ' of' this Ictt<:r 'if" only exceeded by its unblushing men-**' dacity, for the Amir's • violation of ' British territory, which precipitated ", hostilities, was entirely' wanton and unprovoked. The Agent at Khyber has •been .instructed •tu - send a message tc the--Afghan -commander-that if he wants to sue for peace he should address the officer commanding the operations.

INDIAN MAGNATES OFFER, SERVICES TO VICEROY.

Reut»r's Tplecrnro. (Received May 20, 12.30 a.m.)

Hle~Mirs of. Hunza and Nagar and the "Governors of-Yasin, Paniala, -Ish komari, and the' Ghirz Gilghit Agency have placed all their services' arid resources, at the disposal of the Viceroy against the Afghans. A party ot Afghans established themselves, > few miles above Arrawai on the river, hutwere driven withiri®Afghan limits, leaving, .several dead. .■..,-.'>«■••* • • •■ •< - Despite the Afghans' request for .? cessation of hostilities they are still making every effort to stir up the ; tribes by means of agents and pro- ' paganda. .',' „.