ENVOYS FROM 'FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 87, 7 January 1919, Page 8

ENVOYS FROM 'FRANCE

THE CITY'S WELCOME / .TOWN'HALL DEMONSTRATION •/A NATION'S ORDEAL 'GENERAL,PAU SPEAKS OF .VIOLATED frf: ~':';:;■; FRANCE-;^ ' MESSAGES OF GRATITUDE / — —';'' ' _. ' Never before have visitors lo this city received such a.welcome as was accorded to the members of the -French Mission at the civic reception in the Town Hall yesterday. The big ■ Town Hall- was crowded everywhere, and many , people had to stand throughout the whole of the lons ceremony. Wh.e.o the party, led by the Mayor in his robes of office, filed up '■. to the platform they passed through a: crowd almost every person in which was ; cheering—cheers or welcome—and waving • flags, hats, or handkerchiefs. The- hall ; : was gaily decked with bunting, and pride ! of place among the flags.was given to thej Tricolour of the great Republic. ' . • The'.central -figure of the party in the ] ... interest of tbe people was the head of ! the mission, General Pan. A very striking ! .personality he appears to be in hisuni-! 'form of horizon blue, relieved only by! _ the orders he wears on hie-breast.' Only j .- the shako is conspicuous, for it is red ■ with gold braiding. In one- striking particular the General's dress was 'out of .accord, with practice in our .Army—he "'.' wore''a. tiny posy of sweet peas on his, left breast. '.General. Pau does not speak | English,- and- his words of - acknowledge j ment had to be interpreted, to the as- j semblage by another member of tho } party. Dr. Siegfried, who speaks the Eng- ! •-..;' Jisli language almost without an accent,- 1 and who interpreted tho -speech' of his ! ../chief with.the utmost fidelity.. / I First .the company sang the National i . 'Anthem-of the British, ar.d • then the j .....national song of the./ Republic of France, ."The-Marseillaise.". -.. .-'• ' :. -.'•'■ A Great Soldier: . ,'■'■ I ...Mr; Luke said that the present was one I " of the'most memorable- occasions' in the j . : history ..of Wellington. -.'ln the-ages--of'j nations. New Zealand was a young eouri- i •. "try,, and a small' country, but Welling- j •ton could yet extend '-a. very \ hearty i /.welcome to one who- had done , so j •.much for France and so much for thej cause of humanity; .All. who had read | : the history, of Franco would vemenrber | Eomething-of the,deeds'of the great sol- j dier who was their distinguished guest. I. ' (Applause)'. Mr. 'Luke'went.on' to sketch '..the military; career of General Pau, pay-1 •fug .particular attention to his deeds'in j the great war. of 3370,. in which he was | '.' grievously" wounded.: But' these." wounds j .-'. did not prevent, him firom carrying on his i ylife-.workaaa-sdldier of France.' One of - v:the, greatest tributes': that bad ever been, paid to'this distinguished soldier was in 1913, when, after, his l retirement from the ■; active list, he wasjcalled upon to address .'the'..Senate.of..'the Republic oii certain ' contemplated legislation for 'the protec- ; tion of the-land from iggresaion by the implacable enemy across iho • border. .'■ General Pau spoke in advocacy of a mili-; • tary system which was then adopted, to extend to three years the period of .training of the citizen soldiers of France. In •all Franoe he was acclaimed as the man .best able to advise the Legislature on . this measure then under consideration. , .. j .- "Kindness of French-People. :, Now the people of Wellington were-as- , sembled to. do honour to this soldjerof ''France, only'on behalf of our people Vnere, but on behalf of our boys who ware ,-. fighting!, abroad. No greater love and rkindness could have been shown by any -than,.had..been shown by. the '.people of France to our hoys fighting in .."■'.theu'..country. Some men and women .-iiimthe company must have soos.now lying /'.iburied/.in. France. But. tho' mothers and of France were taking the places ■/.ot-the. mothers and.'sisters of New Zealand \in /paying".visits week by week to "'the places where New Zealand boys lay '.: buried. Thousands df the/boys,of our country are day by. day.experiencing the hospitality and love of the French people. He-.wished on behalf of the people of Wellington, and of the.people of all New •Zealand, "to .bid welcome to General Pau ■and the members>of his ,mission. (Ap- / plaiise.)'.The dseires of the French people and of. .tbe British. people were one— .. peace and prosperity and happiness for j (i their, peoples for all time. /He hoped ■that the l visit-- of their distinguished . guests would result in the cementing of the friendship made between the two nations in,recent years, and so making for «i>the"lasting prosperity of the two na- - bj-tidns^'(Applause.);...',"' ',; ~ Sir James AMen's Greetings. ; t y/.;Sir J antes Allen, who was next called ur>on to spjeak, was .received with, pro...longed .'cheering. The Minister began by on behalf of the Government "'a hearty welcome toi.the representatives ...of France, and by expressing also symmission.for the loss they tvi'nad.'iustairied. in : tho-.death of the former '--leader ofthe mission, M. .Metin.who had •;-'died.'in- San Francisco;'.-Now- that. the ■/mission had come,here, he thought that. s.th'ey.. .would find, our country interesting, /..'.'and ho''believed '.that they would find it .-Some of the beauties of New -JiZealahd'would be-.shown to them, -but JV he: regretted that tirao would not permit ■-"of.their being shown more.of them. But they had not come .only to. see, our coun„.txy. .They had fome to see'what trade ' we could establish between the two 'coun- : -tries in the years to. come after'the war. 'He was sure that every help that could l)e given by our people to establish a .trade with, France would be readily given. .(Applause.) • '].;.'■■ Cruel Devastation, ■;, "And now," said the Minister, "J, want- . .'■ to r pass.;from. reference, to their visit, and . to"speak of, that other subject which to a large extent is a thing of the past. I allude to the last four or five years of -devastating war. Every New Zealunder 'is grateful to know that in- this'fight for freedom -we were fighting alongside" the men of France. There is nothing that we deplore more—and wecunnot realise it fully in New Zealand—than the -dreadful devastation wrought by a spiteful and, cruel enemy on Belgium and on France, and I think that if New Zealand were asked on the! point the answer would be that the harm that has been done should be repaired by those who have done it. (Applause.) We know not What the result of the Peace Conference may be, but if we have interpreted the sentiments of the Allies so fnr as they have been expressed, we believe the"ultimate result will be, that Belgium will be fully- restored by those who have devastated it, and that France will be equally treated. I want to assure you, General Pau, and the members of your ', mission, that you come to a country loyal to its oun. ; Motherland, and to a "country which has the very deepest .regard for France and tho 'French people (Applause.) Our sympathies have 'been deeply touched by the sufferings of Belgium and .France' during the past. ■ four or..'fivo.years. Those sympathies 'liave not been 'expressed merely sentimgntafly. Wit practically ns well. You wiir find here many good friends of 'France—men and women who have given : timo and energy to sympathetic work for the French people. You-will find, also, that the New Zealand Government has : been-sympathetic to those of your people Who have" suffered. Possibly you know that at Etambrieres the New Zealand -Government is supporting a hospital for your French repatries—those French women ; and. children who •■■ have been driven from their homes by the cruel enemy who invaded your land.' We arc . only too glad to, be able (o give assistance aiid sympathy In those .who have ~ suffered ..so"'much." We look to the . day when these lands won back for France and Belgium will be restored to prosperity again, to the time' when life mid light and good living shall exist in these lands once more. I hope "hat the ■•" result of the 'fighting of our armies .and jours will be a peace of such duration as may suffice, to bring your country v-lmck:.to r a higher state of prosperity than existed before the war, and that there may be contentment in tbe land, without fear of aggression from a horrible foe. (Applause.) You have'our hearty

welcome to this country l from New Zea- 1 landers, and wherever you go I promise you a splendid reception. (Applause.) "The Spirit of France." Captain Barclay, president of the French Circle, was asked by the Mayor to speak. He referred to an episode in the fighting career of General Pau which revealed the implacable courage of the man—the episode of his refusal to accept internment in Switzerland when the French force on the border was cut oil', and his preference to risk his lifo in a forlorn hope (which proved successful) of winning his way back to his own;country. He declared that General Pau was in himself the embodiment of the spirit of France. Captain Barclay then proceeded to speak at some length to General Pau in the, "French language. Afterwards he appealed to the people to join with him in the French cry "Vive In Franco." ~ General Pali's Response. General Pau was received with much chewing when he rose to speak. "My first duty," he said, "will be to express to you my profound gratitude and the gratitude of the French Mission for this magnificent welcome to your city. I.nare say that to a certain extent we expected it, considering the charming welcome we have found'awaiting us in New Zealand since the day we landed on your shores. It is a pleasure for nie to thank the dif- • ferent speakers for the kind and charm- ; ing way in which they have spoken of ; my country—that old and beloved country ] of France, which had been so long : calumniated by its enemies. (Applause.) • I will .first tell you the thanks" of the French Mission, and a little later I will . tell you the thanks of France herself. | But before that, ladies and gentlemen, we ; want to emphasise that we fully realise ! that' your courtesies to our modest per- ! sons go to our great country of France. • Let me protest to you, Mr. Mayor, and to I you, Captain Barclay, that you have given too great praise -to my poor person. You have spoken of this military career of mine, which began in a terrible war and ended in 1913, to be renewed in another terrible' war. . What I have been ! all my life mostly and essentially is a ! soldier—a devoted and modest serVnnt of • France. (Applause.) The young officer I of lS7o,does"hbt exist now any more. Now i new groat chiefs have come who have put j'me in the shade; but if there is any- > thing of which I am proud it is that to ia large extent I have been the master j and teacher of the great French chiefs ! of to-day—(applause)—and that now I re- | main, though a 'disciplined subordinate, I their personal and devoted friend. I ' The Duty of the Mission. , I "Now I come to our main duty, and j I wish to fulfil it in the name of my j friends and colleagues of the French I Mission. As to.' the. programme of this mission—first of all, laoies and gentlemen, l this mission is a missiuu'oi thanks/ of j gratitude, of gratefulness to New Zeai land. When we leit France peace did I not yet seem near, although we I'elt sure | of victory. Indeed, from the first day i we felt certain that great victory would I come to us. (Applause.) Now that the triumph has come, now . that peace— | and i hope a lasting peace—is near, I wish on behalf of my, country to tell you I that we have realised since the first day j the great part bonie in this war by your ■ brave soldiers of New Zealand. From the first day we have appreciated the remarkable war qualities of your soldiers. They have helped to make famous .that great nanie of Anzac, which already belongs to history. We are full of admiration foi" your citizen soldiers, wiio have come from a great democracy, and who have immediately shown the greatest qualities of.warriors—bravery and discipline. (Applause.) And we do not admire your men only as Wave. soldiers. We love them also because they have ] been good to our own people. (Applause.) As president of the French Ked Cross, I ] have been called often to the front and I behind the front, and I have 'been told 1 very often by our civil population how i good the boys of New Zealand have been to j them. The hoys of New Zealand have I treated the.poor population of the invaded I parts of Francs! as friends, as brothers, i Very often these poor psople' would liot i have been able to get av?.y from the in- j vaded territory, or woxirt .not have been j able to save their few pieces of fumi-1 turfj and. effects,. or *«n their families j and/children, if they had not had help j from New. Zealand soldiers. Do" not be i .astonished,., then, if in their, letters to you,, your soldiers' tell you-they.are well treated by the French, or that they ai'e j treated,by the French like brothers, or, I dare sny, like members'of the Wrench j family. It. is so because the French have learned that in the soldiers of New Zealand they have. really pood friendsfriends always ready to help the poor and the destitute. (Applause.), _■ •• . j Thanks to the Nurses. | ''We 'wish; ales .to tell you our thanks j for having sent to France so inany of j your women of New Zealand to help us | in the war work. Of course the women of France have all done their duty . (Applause.) They have endeavoured to do their best, biit the number,of wounded was such that all the time it was felt and found that our women wevoinsufn--cient in number to do what ha.d to be done. And then.it was that with grati- . lude we received the help of your nurses, sent in such numbers by the British, and especially by New Zealand, .to help'us in these four years through which we' have just passed. Well Bestowed Charity. . "And that is not all,.- We have also to thank'you for the tangible help you have given to us by your charity. We know what this country bos done for France in reFpect of charities, and T wish to emnhasise that we do not forget that on'this very platform are several men who have fpoken N and done much to help France from -a charitable wont of view. But your.help has been most useful, because the ruins Accumulated by war. the loss. of life, the loss of health consequent upon tho war, are such, that there remains an immense work to be done. Think of what France has suffered. Think of the several departments of ..the invaded territory, in which industry, has boon suspended for over four years, think of all the men ond women whoso health has been touched by the war, think of those prisoners' of war who number, tens of thousands who ' have been brnl;"n in health by the practices of the Germans. We look forward with fear to the time when so manv will come bock to us disabled by tuberculosis. It will be many years before we can rer.nvor Trnm . the consequences, of thi« war. It will be years before the health of I he pioplo will recover. That i« whv v\-> are so grateful to you for the heln eiven r.ot only tn France, but also to im, becausq the two countries are in the.same position. Both have shared th? dangers of the war. and both must sham "he help of the Allies necessity to both of us. • . Common Bond of Suffcrinfl. "The common sufferings <f our two' nntions durinir the four yc.ir* "f war, tho common glory of our victories, tho jov we experienced two months ago when the armistice was siirned. have created between us ties of friendship which cannot be ?»vercd. There is another reason why Franco and New Zcalind havo a lasting friendship before them. Tt is this: because we have the same ideals.- the s-nme civilisation, the some respect for those ?reat ideals of liberty and democracy. For those ideas' of reined for iustice and ri"]it have been the cause'.for which we hn<-e both fnnjlit in \this war. T. hone lhal. the blood of. our soldiers which has lyen ?jir»nfl at the same time on the same bnttlpfie'ds will create between us' a friendship that will be everlasting. Of course I remember, and I am not afraid to mention it. tliat for conturies . tho sok'iors of our two nations have met on the samo fields, but not on the rame side. Wo have fought against each other, 'but wo havp foucht like gentlemen—(applause)— so that the momo'rv of those pasl deeds loaves behind nothing venomous, but on the contrary lenves on both sides a strong feeling of respect and este»m for a former adversary who has now become an ally and a friend forever. (App'ausc.) Your applause, Indies and gentlemen, shows that you uurlcrstond, as wo dp onrsolros. the friendship between the two nations. The Trade War. "We do not forget that in the past economic, reasons hnve verv often led to wars. That is why in the future wo must work togetlmr in order to settle every economic difficulty between ns, and even to make our economic Hations a stronger reason for friendship between us. The prosperity of this country and the prosperity of Frnnce go together.' and we must study the best, way in which each

- 1 of us can prosper arid develop our re- : sources without doing any harm to the interests of tho other country. _ If we can do this we must do it, and in doing so we shall be working not only in the ! interests of France and the British Ini-- ' pire, but in the interests of the whole 1 of humanity. (Applause.) ■ "The time that we havo to spond in f your country is unfortunately very short, i but we have found everywhere, and i especially with the Government and tho : Acting-Prime Minister, such kindness to > help us to study youj- country that we • hnpo to bring back to France information i about the future relations of this country I to Frnnce which may lead in the future f to. a closer, relationship, if possible, and ■ to closer ties, not only from the point i of view of commercial matters, but from . a social and intellectual point of view. i We are very anxious to got in this coun- ! try information about social problems which New Zealand has treated and studied not only theoretically, but practi- . cally, the fame of which had gone to 1 Europe and to' France. ' | "And now let me terminate by apologis- ' • ing for this long speech, which I have ' i bur;' compelled to make in French owing '; to my ignorance of the English lan- : ! giiuse." (Applause and cheers.) 1; . The people sang the National Anthem ! : before dispersing, and last of all gave 1 three cheers for the members of the ' mission. • A BUSY DAY. ; PRELIMINARY INQUIRIES. I The members of the French Mission . had a very full day yesterday. In .the j early hours of the forenoon they made . the usual official. calls to the. Actingj Prime Minister, and the Naval Adviser, ; the Governor-General'being out. of town, ■ the French Consul (Mr. James Macin- . tosh), and in receiving the return calls, i Later the several members prepared for s the inquiries they have to make about • the trade and industry of the country. ' They had preliminary interviews with ' representatives of Government Depart- ■ ments likely to be able to furnish them with information of value for their purt poses, and in most cases arranged for ' other' interviews on their '.return visit ' hero next week: During the day meiu- ' bers of the mission had interviews with ; / the Hon. D. H. Guthrie and the head of " the Imperial Supplies Department, the ' chairman of the National Efficiency '. Board, the president of the Trades and ' Labour Council, the presidents of the two ' Chambers of Commerce, the'heads'of the ' Customs Department, of the: Mines Department, aiid the labour Department. I i RETURNED SOLDIERS' RECEPTION. ' j Arrangements have been made by the . [manager of the local Returned Soldiers' i I Club (Mr. J., ; L. Fox) to give General , i Pan and the French Mission a returned :.i soldiers' reception, to be held at the • | clubhouse, prior to General Pau's de- ! ; parture from New Zealand. ; General Pau and staff, en route from : Palmerston North on Sunday, stopped ■ ' for afternoon tea. at the Paekakaviki ; i Hotel. The Quests present welcomed . ! the party, and gave them a hearty send- • off. ...