TRIBAL RAIDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 184, 7 August 1933, Page 8

TRIBAL RAIDS.

NORTH-WEST FRONTIER

MR. H. E. VAILE'S DESCRIPTION,

In connection with the special exhibition of Indian; Persian and Tibetan art now being held at the Aucklaud War Memorial Museum a lecture was given yesterday afternoon by Mr. H. E. Vaile on India with special reference to the Nortli-West Frontier.

In the course of his remarks, which were illustrated with lantern slides made from photographs taken by himself, Mr. Vailo said that the 319 million inhabitants of India, were divided into so many groups, by reason of race, language, religion, custom and caste that tho country was far from fit for selfgovernment. The removal of British power could lead* only to internal strife and bloodshed, and to endless raids by tho warlike peoples who lived beyond the North-West Frontier.

Mr. Vaile, who has visited the NortliWcst Frontier, said: "It is only the constant vigilance of a large force of British and native troops that prevents serious trouble. As it is, hundreds of raids occur every year. The Patlians, warriors of tho hills, invade British territory whenever they sco tho opportunity, and also indulge in blood feuds among themselves. They live in a poor and arid and have never been tillers of the soil. They are fighters by instinct, and have been accustomed to obtain their supplies by raiding the fertile plains of India. I wish that people who advocate tho abolition of aerial bombing could visit the North-West Frontier and see conditions for themselves. Ample warning is always given to the tribesmen, and there is rarely much damage done, except to property. It is surely better to apply such a remedy than to allow raids to continue or to undertake military expeditions of the ordinary kind."

City of Barbed Wire. Mr. Vailo said tliat somo idea of the conditions prevailing in the frontier city of Peshawar could be gathered from the fact that all Europeans were obliged to live within a cantonment surrounded by walls and a belt of barbed wire, which was constantly swept by searchlights. In spite of such precautions tribesmen sometimes managed to enter and to murder people. He referred to the Ivhyber Pass, through which the British havo built three parallel roads, one for military purposes, one for caravans and the third* for other traffic.-• Two further lectures in the series will bo given; by Sir. E. G. Tisdall next Sunday on Persia and Mesopotamia, by tlio Rev. E. Palgrave Davy on "Dwellers Under the Himalayas" the Sunday after next.