THE FRENCH MISSION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 84, 3 January 1919, Page 4

THE FRENCH MISSION

— ♦ —— A LIST OF APPOINTMENTS. Ihe members of the French Mission will probably arrive in Wellington by motor on Sunday. They will'leave the, Main Trunk train at Tauinarunui 011 Saturday morning at 8 o'clock, and will come south to Wanganui by, the river tnat day. On Sunday they will come south from Wanganui by motor, and it • is. believed—although on this point'there is some doubt—that they will make an endeavour to reach Wellington the' eanio evening, visiting Marton and Palmerston on the' way. There was some suggestion that they should go throughUho'Wairarapa. If they <io this then they will probably not, arrive in Wellington until Monday. , . . The only appointment of a public character made for them in Wellington is a - civic reception at 11 a.m. on. Monday at the Town Hall. An invitation was given to them to accept the hospitality of' the city at' a luncheon,-but tliis invitation they had- to decline owing to pressure of other engagements. The several members of. the party interested in different subjects will probably make some of their inquiries ou Monday morning .before or after the reception. Some of them will wish to meet officers of tho Agricultural Depart- •' ment, and it: is probable that some of, them will meet representatives of the' Chamber of Commerce. In tho after-' noon they will leave for Christchurch. I On the following day, January 7, theywill be in Christchurch all day. On the next day they go by motor to Long Beach, one of the most highly-improved farm areas in New Zealand. On, tha lie.vt day, January.9,'they will visit the old French settlement at "Alcaroa, where thero still remain, descendants of the , first French colonists that came to this country at a time .when it seemed likely that this land would be lidded to the dominions of France. The mission will .come back to Christchurch on January 10, leaving for Wellington on the'evening of -January 11, and arriving here on Sunday, January 12. On the following day there will be a reception and a dinner, and on Tuesday, ■ January 14, they, intend to leave for Auckland to join the Niagara. If tho sailing time of the Niagara is altered the arrangements outlined above may be suliiect to considerable modification. Perhaps, if there is time, the mission may go further south than Christchurch.