BACK FROM AFGHANISTAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 9

BACK FROM AFGHANISTAN.

COLONEL T. E. LAWRENCE

MYSTERY OF ACTIVITIES.

NEWSPAPER DEMANDS TRUTH

Australian Press Association-United Service. (Received February 4. 11.45 p.m.)

LONDON, Feb. 3. ■Aircraftsman Shaw," otherwise Colonel T. E. Lawrence, of Arabian fame, persoveres in his rolo of mystery. On arriving in England to-day from Afghanistan he avoided would-be interviewers by landing at. Plymouth in a naval pinnace before the other passengers, although he had travelled as an ordinary third-class passenger.

Many people, including journalists, awaited Colonel Lawrence's arrival at Paddington station, London, but ho crossed the rails to another platform, engaged a taxicab and was driven by a roundabout routo to his flat in Kensington. There he refused to be interviewed. The Daily News recalls the fact that the Afghan authorities put a price on Colonel Lawrence's head as the world's arch-spy. It urges Parliament to demand the truth about him.

The paper says is no secret that with Lawrence as a figurehead Britain is credited abroad with maintaining a subtle, all-seeing secret intelligence service in the East. We have been assured he is no more than " Aircraftsman Shaw," but why should this most distinguished man, who held a high and important position in the British army at the time of the war aud whoso exploits are known all over tho world, be allowed to serve as a siniplo Air Forco mechanic It is a curious and extremely irregular proceeding whatever the explanation may be, says tho paper. We are certain it is not in the interests of the discipline of tho service or in the interests of the public that Lawrence should continue to masquerade as " Aircraftsman Shaw when his real identity is notorious and his activities a matter of undesirable speculation in almost every country in the world. SITUATION AT KABUL. REBEL LEADER AS KING. INDIAN RESIDENTS SAFE. Australian Press Association —United Service. LONDON, Feb. 3. A message from Peshawar says l'efugees who have arrived there from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, state that the Indians there are s;;fe and the Hindu temples and rest houses have not been touched.

The rebel leader, Bachai Sakea, has been acknowledged as King, and claims the allegiance of 5000 men at Kabul. The other tribesmen have gone home and are preparing to meet Ali Ahued Khan, formerly Governor of Kabul, who at present controls Jalalabad.