BACK TO TAHITI

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2938, 25 November 1916, Page 9

BACK TO TAHITI

FRENCH COLONIAL- SOLDIERS. i Some French colonial soldiers, natives of Tahiti, are quartered in "the Wellington Drill-shed at the present, time,, on . their way home from the battlefields of France., Tlio island of Tahiti has supplied many contingents of soldiers during the present ivar, arid the Islanders have fought.-well in tlio service of tho. land to which- they own. allegiance,They, have gone .into action, .shoulder, to shoulder---rath.' '.the, "poilus" ■ of France. • Unfortunately, many of them, have found! the European climate oversovere, and their ranks ...have been thinned bv sicknoss even more than, by the bullets of -the ..Germans. . .The Tahitian's are proud to have played their-part in the> great war, and to have'; seen .something of the re- , publio from which their .rulers draw . authority. But <they- will- be, glad to get. back : to their own pleasant land, where ■ their .kinsfolk, await them:-aiid -where the'rigours- of-, winter- aro-.-iuiknown.. The chief- impression they hays', brought back with, them, one gathers, is .of the greatness and'might of-France. They. ' saw : huge armies, stupendous 'armaments; ,and -great cities, teeming .witli war activities. They heard from their comrades in 'arms of -.-the', blows, that ! were Tieing dealt the Boches,.and of the great day-, that was.. coming, when tlie enemy-would- bo. driven .in sliabieriiig defeat from, French -soil.They .would . have.-liked to stay, in Franca until, the,, day • of- ■ Tictory, ,bufc they. were, ordered home; and so. they -will wait, for the. ' news.-in,their-own home..-"Going back" Otehaite," they -say. gleefully. "Vive la -Franco -■