A GRATEFUL NATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1919, Page 5

A GRATEFUL NATION.

GENERAL PAD THANKS SEW* ZEALAND. In his speech at the civic reception given to the French Mission in Wellington ou Monday, General Pau Baid: "First of all, ladies and gentlemen* this mission is a mission of thanks, of gratitude, of gratefulness to New Zetland. When we left France peace did not yet seem near, although we felt sure of victory Indeed, from the first day we felt certain that great victory would come to us. (Applause.) Now that the triumph has come, sow that peace—and I hope a lasting peace—is near, I wish on behalf of my country to tell you that we have realised sinee the first day the great part borne in this war by your brave soldiers of New

Zealand. From the first day w» have appreciated the remarkable wax qualities of your soldiers. They have helpod to make famous that great name Anzac, which already belongs to histoid.: We are full oi admiration iot your citizen Holdiera, who have come from a gr<*t democracy, and who have immediately shown the greatest qualities of warriors —bravery and disciplina (Applaus*.) And we do not admire your men only as brave soldiers. We love them also because they have been good to oar own people. (Applause.) As president Of the French Bed Gross, I have been called often to the front and behind the frost, and I have been told very often by onr civil population how good the boys of* New Zealand havo been to them -He boys of New Zealand have treated tke poor population of the invaded parts of France as friends, as brothers. V«y often these poor people would not have been able to get away from the invaded territory, or would not have been able to save their few pieces of furniture and effects, or even their families and children, if they had not had help from New Zealand soldiers. Do not be astonished, then, if in their letters to you your apldiers tell you they are wall treated by

the French, or that they are treated by the BTench like brothers, or, I dare a»y, like members of the French family It is so because tho French have leaned that in the soldiers of New Zealand they have really good friend*—-friends alw»yg ready to help the poor and the destitute. (Applause:) "We wish also to tell you, our thanks | for having sent to France so many of 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 endeavored to do their best, but tho number of wounded was such that all tho time it was felt and found that our women were insufficient to do what had to be done. And then it was that with gratitude 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 lave jttst passed. "And that is not all. Wc have also to thank you foi the tangible help you hava given to us by your charity. We know what this country has done for 'France in rcsp'ect of charities, and I wish to emphasise that we do not forget that on this very platform are several men who have spoken and done much to help France from a charitable point of view. But your help has been most useful, be-

cause the ruins accumulated by war, the loss of life, the lo9s of health cnnseqir -> t upon the war, are such that there remains an immense work to be done. Think of what Prance has suffered. Think of the several departments of the invaded territory in which industry Jigs been suspended for over fou? years; think of ail the anen and women whoso health has been touched by the war; think of those prisoners of war, who number tens of thousands, who have be6n broken in health ljy the practices of the Germans. We look forward with fear to the time when so many will come back to US disabled by tuberculosis. It will bg many years before we en recover from the consequences of this war. It will W yerfts before the health of tha people will recover. That is why we are so grateful to you for the help given not only to France, but also to Belgium, because the

two countries aro in the same position. Both have shared the dangers of the war, «nd both must share the help of the Allies, necessary to both, of us. "The common silverings of our two nations during the four year* of war, the common glory of our victories, the common joy we experienced two months ago when the armistice was signed, have created between us ties of friendship which cannot be severed. There is another reason why France and New Zealand have had a lasting friendship before them. It is this: Because we have the same ideals, the same civilisation, the same respect for those great ideals of liberty and domocrocy. For these ideas of respect for justice mid; right have been the cause for which w# have

both fought in this war. I hope that tlie blood oi our soldiers wjiich has been spread at the same time on the satue battlefields will create between us ft friendship that will be everlasting. Of course I remember, and I am not afraid to mention it, that for centuries the soldiers of our two hp. ' loio have inet at the same fields, but not on the same side. We have fought against each other, but we have fought liks gentlemen—(applause)—so that the memory of those past deeds leaves behind nothing venomous, but on the contrary leaves on both sides a strong feeling of respect and esteem for a former adversary who haa now become an ally and a friend for

ever. (Applause.) Your applause, ladies and gentlemen, shows that you understand, as we do ourselves, the friendship between the two nations. "We do not forget that in the past economic reasons have very often led to ware. That is Why in the future we must work together in,order to settle every economic difficulty between us, and even t<J make our economic relatione a stronger reason for friendship between us. The prosperity of this country and the prosperity of France go together, and we must study the best way in which each of us cap prosper and develop our rejSWircea without doiny any harm to the interests of the other country. If we can do this we must do it, and Jn doing so we shall be working not only iu the interests of France and the XMtish Empire, but in the interests of ffie whole of humanity. (Applause.) "The timo that we have to spend to your country is unfortunately very short,

but we have found everywhere, and especially with the Government and the Actog-Priwe Minister, such kindness to wllp iu to study your country that we hope to bring back to France information about the future relations of this country to 'France which may load in the future to a closer relationship, if possible, aud to closer tieajjßot only from the point of view of commercial matters, but from a social and intellectual point of view. We are vcry anxious to gat in this countrv information about social problems whidh New Zealand"haa treated not ■ the