FRENCH MISSION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16406, 28 December 1918, Page 8

FRENCH MISSION.

ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND.

(press association* telegram.) AUCKLAND, December 2*. Tho members of the French MissHa arrived by tho steamer Runic from Melbourne to-night.

On behalf of the National Government, tho Hon. W. H. Herries welcomed tho visitors to tho Dominion. Mr Herrics's speech was translated to General Pau by M. Siegfried.

In replying, General Pau said ho wished to thank those soldiers who had fought side by side with the French soldiers in Europe. Theso New Zealanders had shared dangers with tho iVrcnch in tho cause of right and liberty. Britain and France would always bo brothers in arms. The war had united theso nations, and thero would ever bo an alliance in the hearts of the people. The Mission was also welcomed by tho Auckland Headquarters Staff, and >n replying to Colonel Patterson, General Pau said lie was proud to meet a representative of that army that had mauo the namo of Anzac famous. Ho wished to pay a tribute of admiration to these soldiers.

Tho French Consul, M. Hippeau, also welcomed the visitors, who will attend the races at Ellerslio to-morrow.

Tho Mission is being entertained atthe Northern Club to-night.

THE OBJECTS OF THE MISSION

One of tho members of the mission, interviewed on arrival, summed up tho objects of tho mission as follows: —Wo want to find out how Germany did her trade here, and thon take hor place. He said tho time at their disposal was not long enough to enable them to establish definite trade relations in New Zealand, but they hoped to gather information that would form the foundation of future operations. Another member said France's demand for wool would bo increased in the future, as the result of the return of Alsace, where a largo number of woollen manufacturers are locatod. Referring to soft goods, ho said at present most of the French buying was dono in London, but he thought thero was a good opportunity for establishing direct agencies in tins Dominion. SIR JAMES ALLEN'S WELCOME. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN. December 27. The Acting-Primo Minister tho following message of welcome to General Pau at Auckland: — "On behalf of tho Government and the people of New Zealand, I bid you and tho membors of your mission a hearty welcome. Your stay with us is too short, but everything will be done during your visit to enable you to carry out tne purposes of your mission, and "at the same time see something of the gifts Nature has so plentifully bestowed upon this Dominion. Thus may you carry away pleasant memories of the homeland of those soldiors of ours who, fighting alongside the brave sons of France, nave come to realise the magnificence of tho 6truggle your countrymen have made, and with such gratifying success, for their, own liberty and for the freedom of men and women generally. I hope' to have the pleasure of meeting you in Wellington on your arrival there."

The French Mission, which has 6pent tho past few months in Australia, consists of General Pau, head of tho mission, Commandant D'Andre, attache to General Fau, M. Marcel Mathieu, M. Leclercq-Motte, of Wattrelos, woollen manufacturer. M. Corbiere, of Monant-le-Pin, agricultural engineer and stockbreeder. M. Georges Bader, secretary and accountant, and 3>r. Siegfried, general secretary of the mission. Accompanying them is Mr Meadows Smith, delegated by the British Government. Ho was formerly secretary of the British Chamber of Commerce in Paris. When the mission left Franco 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 Pau. General Pau, who lost his right hand in the Franco-German war, 1870, was a youth when the 1870 war broke out. Ho was terribly wounded three times in the battle of Woerth, but managed to struggle home with the loss of an arm. When his arm was scarcely healed ho hoard M. Bourbaki was organising an army in order to fight on after France was defeated Ho insisted in rejoining and fighting with it on the Swiss frontier. When Botirbaki's army was forced over tho border into Switzerland, General Pau refused'to cross the border. . He made hisl way by night with a party of his men through the German lines back to France. During tho next forty years ho 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 Pau insisted on the law of three years' service in the French army. When told it was very unpopular, he still insisted he knew it wa3 necessary. That- law was passed just in time to save France. At the outbreak of war, General Pau was already on the retired list, but 06ked to rejoin. He was sent to Alsace, when tho French were beaten back there, and He drove back the Germans to the Rhine. By that time the condition of affairs in Belgium was serious. General Pau's last service consisted of bringing the Belgian army down from Antwerp to the French border. Later he was sent on important missions to Switzerland and Russia. He speaks only a little English.

Dr. Siegfried is a professor in the School of Political Science, Pariß. Ho visited Australia and New Zealand in 1899, and is the author of "Democracy in ISew Zoalantl." and "Edward Gibbon Wakefield on the Theory of Colonisation in South Australia.*' He has also written of Canada and the political parties in France. Dr. Siegfried is a son of a former Minister for Commerce. He was with the British Army for three years during the war, and won the Military Medal.

Commandant D'Andre is a professional soldier. He plavod a brilliant part zn the battle of the Marne was and was awarded the 'Cross of , the Legion of Honour. He was a prisoner of war in Germany for two yoars.

M. Louis Leclercq-Motte is a woolmanufacturer, of Roubaix, one of the towns held by the Germans from 1914 nt> to the successful British advance in I'landers. just prior to the termination of hostilities. During the war he acted as ah interpreter with the British Army. He holds the D.C.M. and Croix Guerro.

M Henri Corbiero is a woTI-loura* catt'e and horse breoder, of Normanttr. and is an agricultural expert. Though over ■ military age, ho enlisted at the outbreak of war. and won the Cross of the of Honour. M. Bader, secretary and accountant of the mission, spent 14 years of his life m Australia, being formorly attached to the French Bank in Melbourne, and was also m a wool merchant's employ in Sydney. 1