Admiral’s F are well

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 424, 4 August 1928, Page 13

Admiral’s F are well

“Japan of the South " KIA ORA AND AU REVOIR “Kia Ora” and “Au revoir” says Vice-Admiral S. Kobayashi, commander of H.l.J.M.’s training squadron, which left this morning for Suva. His farewell message is as follows: “On the morn of departure from Auckland and thus from the Dominion of New Zealand, might I express, on behalf of all the personnel of the Japanese Training Squadron my deep gratitude to the citizens of Auckland and Rotorua, and also to the whole of New Zealanders, for the heartiest welcome they extended to all the ranks and ratings of the squadron. “We have seen your beloved and beautiful country, although necessarily a very small part of it, and we are particularly glad to find a ‘Japan’ in the Southern Pacific kept and developed in the British manner both utilising and beautiful. We are very gratified indeed to have come in direct contact with the splendid people of New Zealand, including the Maori tribes, who, on this occasion also, have added lustre to their tradition of wonderful hospitality and of genuineness of heart. "Brief as our stay was, we enjoyed every minute of it, and have seen, certainly not enough of your country,, but your wonderful hospitality sufficient to make us great lovers of this land and people. W'e are taking a lingering leave of this land, and I assure you, with our memories filled with the sunniest recollections and our hearts with tender feelings of love and gratitude. On our return home we shall never be tired of talking about your kindness to our families, friends and people, and thus repay you for it in a way in contributing to the strengthening of friendly ties existing between our two countries. " ‘Kia ora’ and ‘au revoir.’ ”