MISSION FROM FRANCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1920, 28 December 1918, Page 3

MISSION FROM FRANCE.

The French mission, which has spent the past few months in Australia, and is now in New Zealand, consists of General Pan, head of the mission, Commandant D'Andre,-at-tache to General Pan, M. Marcel Mathicu, M. Leelerq-Motte, of Wattrelos, woollen manufacturer, M. Corgiere, of Nonant-le-Pin, agricultural engineer and stock-breeder, M. Georges Bader, secretary and accountant, and Dr. Eiegfried, general secretary of the mission. Accompanying them is Mr Meadows Smith, delegated by the British Government. He was formerly secretary of the British Chamber of Commerce in Paris. AVhen the mission left France it was headed by M. Albert Metin, a Labour member of the Chamber of Deputies, and former Minister for Blockade, He, however, died in San Francisco, while the mission was on the way to Australia, and the leadership was assumed by General Pan.

General Pan, who lost his right hand in the Franco-German Mar, in 1870, was a youth when the 1870 war broke out. Ho was terribly wounded three times in (be battle of Woerth, but managed to struggle homo with the loss of an arm. AMien his arm Was scarcely healed he heard M. Bourbaki was organising an army in order to light on alter France was defeated. He insisted in rejoining and lighting with it on, (lie Swiss frontier. When Bourkaki's army was forced over (lie border' into Switzerland, General Fan refused to cross the border. He made liis way by night with a party of his men through the German lines back to France. During the next forty years he served a good part, of his time in the. French colonies. Finally he reached a position on the superior war council of France. Realising the manner in which the Germans were increasing their army, General Fan insisted on the law of three years’ service in the French army. When told it w<m very unpopular, be still insisted be knew it was necessary. Thai law was passed just in lime to save France. At the outbreak of war, General Fan was already mi the retired list, but asked to rejoin, lie was sent to Alsace, when the French were beaten back there, and he drove back (he Germans to the Rhine. By that time the condition of affairs in Belgium was serious. General Fan’s last service consisted of bringing the Belgian army down from Antwerp to the French border. Later lie was sent mi important missions to Switzerland and Russia. He speaks only a little English. Dr, Siegfried is a professor in the School of Folitical Science, Fan’s. He visited Australia and New Zealand in 1899, and is the author of “Democracy in New Zealand, ’’ and “Edward Gibbon Wakefield on the Theory of Colonisation in South Australia.'’ He lias also written of Canada and (he political parlies in France. Dr. Siegfried is a son of a. former Minister for Commerce. He was wjlb the British Army for three years during Hie war, and won the Military Medal.

Commandant D'Andre is a professional soldier. Me played a brillianl pari in llie Ha I lie of the Marne, was wounded, and was awarded (he Cross of the Legion of Monour. Tie was a prisoner of war in Germany Tor (wo years.

M. Louis Lcdercq-Mol I e is a wool-manufacturer, of Ifoubaix, one of the (owns held by the Mermans 1 rom 101-1 np to the successful British advance in Flanders, just prior to the termination of hostilities. During (he war he acted as an interpreter with the British Army. Me holds the D.C.M. and Croix de Guerre. M. Henri Corbierc is a well-known cattle and horse l breeder, of Xormanby, and is' an agricultural expert. Though over military age, he enlisted at the outbreak’ of war, and won (he Cross of the Legion of Honour.

M. Bader, secretary nin I acoonntnnf oP Ihe mission, spent 14"yonis of liis life l in A list rnlin, ln'iny formerly iiifaoboil lo (lie French Bank in Melbourne, and was also in ■>,

wool merchant’s employ in Sydney