From Belgium

NZ Truth, Issue 1148, 1 December 1927, Page 6

From Belgium

pROUD of his scarred and warJL ravaged country — very proud of her fighting record— and more than bucked" about her "come-back" as a gracious civilizing influence and manufacturing country is M. Armand Nihotte. Consul-General m New Zealand for Belgium. After an intensive training m the Belgian diplomatic corps, Nihotte saw consular service m Australia and did his bit towards cementing- an entente cordiale between that country and his own Belgium by inducing a daughter of a prominent Commonwealth civil servant to murmur "Yes" to him.

He will tell you without reservation that he really liked Australia; but its big wide open spaces and seemingly 'imitless distances— well, it wasn't exactly the "homey" atmosphere of his little Belgium. And he will go on to whisper that he has not searched m vain for that atmosphere m New Zealand and at Wellington— where he Is domiciled — m particular.

Quite a youthful- looking consul this, but withal a well-set-up, pleasant, srentle-mannered chap. A quaint, rather slurring accent— not unpleasing — marks his otherwise faultless English. Nihotte has a well-stored mind and is going to be popular m this country. An<3 he ought to be successful m promoting big business between New Zealand and the . little country that sends us our main supply of at least one everyday necessity — the automatic telephone.