THE DOMINION'S CREDIT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9632, 26 October 1909, Page 4

THE DOMINION'S CREDIT.

Sir Joseph Ward must remember that newspapers and public men do not write and speak with the object of injuring the credit of the country,' but with tho sole object of endeavouring to brinsr about a safer system of finance than that which has been followed with abandoned recklessness for so many years, says the "North Otago Times." If Messrs) Massey and Allen were to cease to raise up their voices, the Opposition newspapers would continue, and the unsatisfactory condition of the country's finances would still be know.

UNREST IN AFGHANISTAN. Reuter's report, as recently cabled, that the importation of arms into Afghanistan via the Persian Golf is causing anxiety to the Government of India, and that the Waziris committing outrages has a sinister significance. The re-arming of the troops of Afghanistan proper was reported some weeks ago, and it was made clear that the Ameer Habibullah Khan was also allowing arms to filter into the territory of the so-called independent tribesmen Waziris, Mohmands, Afridis, Zakka Kels and others, who, inhabit the mountainous region between the northern frontier of British Ir.dia snd the "Durand line," which inarlcs the boundary of Afghanistan. Although the tribesmen owe no allegiance to the Ameer, he has on more than one occasion been suspacted of encouraging them in their sporadic risings, and incursions into British territory. If it is true that the Ameer has caused arms to be distributed among tbem, as well as among his own troops it may portend serious trouble on the frontier which is already deeply dyed with the blood of British soldiers. The internal politics of Afghanistan have been in an unsettled state ever since Habibullah came to the throne on the death of his father. The cause of the trouble is the insecure tenure which the occupant of the throne possesses by reason of the multiplicity of other claimants. Nasrullah Khan is full brother to Habibullah and is moreover the leader of the advanced Nationalists whose watchword is Afghanistan for the Afghans. A crusade against the British by the fanatical Nasrujlah who has always been under the influence of the Mollahs, is an ever present contingency. Then there is the late Ameer's consort, Bibi Halima, an intriguing and strong-minded woman who Is so anxious to secure the throne for her son Mohammed Omar Jan Khan, that Habibullah has kept her imprisoned in a palace ever since he became Ameer. Finally, there is Habibullah'a own son, Inyat Ullah Khan. With so many candidates in the field, anything is possible in Afghanistan, particularly sinie each and all of them can see that the surest Did for the support of the Afghan army, which is fanatically Moslem, is to promote hostile operations against the British infidels who rule in the adjoining territory.

Happily, Lord Kitchener's re-diatri-bution of the British forces in India has been lately completed, and they are now officially declared to be ready for any emergency.