THE Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE PUBLISHED Tuesdays and Fridays Established 1868. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1908.

Western Star, 8 May 1908, Page 2

THE Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE PUBLISHED Tuesdays and Fridays Established 1868. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1908.

Tile Indian frontier has always been the abode of those tribesmen who do not appear to be amenable to European methods of Government and to-day the trouble with the Mohmands has assumed a somewhat serious aspect, a s the cables from tdmo to time indicate. There is a growing feeling, in Britain that raids and troubles of this kind must continue unless or until trc tribal country is occupied. '.Lord Curzon, cxVioeroy of India, lately stated that there isievery argument in favour of am ultimate complete occupation of the; tribal territory right up to the Durand line, except that oif present practicability. The (London Times comments itihat the iday of permanent occupation is. still remote, and adds : "Wo cannot a/t present entangle ourselves in a prolonged series of intricate operations, costly and unproductive in character, for the sake of attaining the ideal of administrative control to the borders of Afghanistan. The present system is not ideal, and the exploits of the Zakka, 'Khels show that it is sometimes liable to break down at isolated points ; but litis reasonably cheap, it avoids itho danger of frequent complications, and it does not add to our already overgrown responsibilities in India." According to recent cables, Viscount Morley, Secretary for India, has given the Indian Government a, froet hand, provided that there is no permanent occupation of territory. Regarding the Mohmand rising, it may be mentioned that it was only in -February last that the retirement of our troops from the Bazar Valley began after the punitive expedition against the Zakha Khels, which, with ihe| sott'Jempnt that followed, was considered to reflect great credit en both ,the military and political administration. All the AfridiS/ are good fighting men, but the Zafcha Khels are the most determined of them all. and by the settlement all the tribes were made the rebels' sureties of the peace. So far as the Zakka Khels are concerned, the settlement appears to have held good. But fresh trouble has arisen in a quarter which is ordinarily regarded as much less dangerous. The Mohmands are a peaceful tribe in comparison with the Zakka Khels, but they are now taking up the latter's running with an unpleasant degnee of thoroughness. It appears that when the Zakka Khels rebelled and called on the other tribesmen to respond, the Moh-r mands were not quick enough. Like the Zaklcas themselves they were entirely upset !by the rapidity of General Willcock's movements. They were too late to lend the Zakkas a hand, ibut having got their war paint on,' they thought they might as well have a da id and a fight on their own account. Religious fanaticism has also something to do with the movement which,, with a strong force of the tribe already 'within twenty miles of Peshawar, and thousands of socalled Afghans crossing the Kabul River to 'their support, has now assumed a vary serious air. It wis recently reported that General Willcocks had ito deal with 7 0,000 tribesmen, and it is certain that unless tho disaffection is quelled, ro-inforcenvnts wall be required to maintain the position. A' plain word will also have to be spoken to the Ameer of Afghanistan, who lias done nothing to check the gathering of the clans from his territory, but who, by his inaction, has shown,his indifference to the whioilc matter. In fact, it was reported that war with Afghanistan wa s imminent, but having learnt of some better reasons as the result of military operations in that territory, it may bo taken for granted that Great Britain is to-day in a position to profit by the experiences of the past. By some of the tribesmen, the Ameer is thought to be a too high and mighty a personage for the British Government to offend. The situation is net 'top pleasant but the fact that the. operation® against the Mohmands ate in the same hands as those which settled the trouble with the Zakkas two months ago is reassuring

The Hospiitals and Charitable Aid Boards Bill which will probably be re-introduced this session of Parliament, is one of those measures which would do more BW>d in the waste paper basket. For years ciecsntralisation from provincial to county control has been going on, and one of the last tc see the innovation was Wallace, which had previously been controlled by (he Southland' ablo Aid Board. Wallace has now its own Board and. Trust, and under the new reprime things have flourished. The Bill proposes to abolish a' lot of districts, including Wallace and sot up provincial Hoards, This Vr '

be the aim is toi make each county self-contained, and that areas would not bo too small, the- Government should sea that it dopS not allow too much subdfvjisioa to mak« new counties. The Trust recently considerjld tha Bill, ftnd suggested a nuaxbea oS amendments, among them being, *l>S striking out of fcha clause making! the appointment of a matron or doctor subject to fchß appKoval of thS Minister and the ConidetrnwaiMon of She proposals relating to the election of committees Sn sub-districts on the ground that it would lead to endless friction. What will suit the Dominion, and be best in the interests of charitable aid administration will be to leavp each county to manage its own affairs- without dictation or interference from any outside bodies.