KING OF THE AFGHANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19940, 8 May 1928, Page 9

KING OF THE AFGHANS.

SOVIET LEADERS' GUILE. REMINDERS OF THE PAST. BID FOR CLOSER RELATIONS. Times Cable. LONDON. May 6. The Riga correspondent of tlie Times says Kalinin, in the course of a speech at a reception given in honour of the King of Afghanistan, remarked that Afghanistan and Russia had fought a common enemy in 1919 and both countries had emerged victorious. They would both be bound more tightly by the ties of friendship because they had escaped the same oppression.

In replying King Amanulla expressed his pleasure at visiting his great, friendly neighbour. The Commissar of War, Voroshiloff, on bohnlf of the Military Council presented to King Amanulla a sabre and a dagger, and to Queen Souriya a rifle. In the course of an article contributed to the Soviet press by the Commissar of Foreign Affairs, Tchitcherin, tho latter says that from the days of Alexander to those of Napoleon Afghanistan was the gateway to India. The British followed but Amanulla had waged a victorious war against Britain and sword in hand had forced her to recognise his country's independence. The decision of tho Soviet leaders to postpone the presentation of the Red Army's aeroplanes " to another holiday," seems certainly to have been due to King Amanulla's refusal to take part in an anti-British ceremony. TWO TRUNKS MISSING. FURS AND DRESSES GONE. LOSS TO THE ROYAL PAIR. (Received May 7, 5.45 p.m.) United Service. LONDON, May 7. The Warsaw correspondent of the Daily Mail reports that when King Amanulla's train arrived in Russia two trunks filled with most costly furs and dresses were missing. Russian railwaymen are suspected of having stolen them. FEARS FOR MONARCH. THREAT AGAINST LIFE. PRECAUTIONS BY SOVIET. LONDON. May 2. The Riga correspondent of the Daily Mail states that owing to the Russian workers' unexpected opposition to the visit of King Amanulla, the authorities fear an attempt will be made to assassinate him.

Accordingly they are doubling the bodyguard of secret police which will be responsible for the safe-keeping of the King when he visits the factories at Moscow and Leningrad. The strongest precautions will be taken at the Putilob works, where the workers howled down a speaker who was urging them to contribute toward a tractor which the Soviet intends presenting to King Amanulla.