FRENCH MISSLON.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16407, 30 December 1918, Page 7

FRENCH MISSLON.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR VISIT TO CANTERBURY. The Acting-Prime Minister (Sir James Allen) has telegraphed to tho Mayor (Mr H. Holland) stating that the itinerary of the French Mission has now been revised. .The mission will arrive in Lyttelton from Wellington on Tuesday, January 7th. It will visit Longbeach. on the following day, returning to Christchurch that evening. On tho afternoon of January 9th tho miss'.nu will proceed to Akaroa, returning to Christchurch on the following day. It will be in Christchurch on Saturday, January 11th, until tho evening, when it will leave for Wellington. Mr rlciland stated that he is trying to arrange for the mission to visit Kuiapoi on tho ocersion of the reopening of the new freezing works there on January 9th. EXCHANGE OF GREETINGS. -*»KSS ASSOCIATION- TKT.EOKAM.) V> ELLINGTON, Decomber 23. General Fan has ie;iiied to tho Act-ing-Prune -Uinisler's greeting as follows : — our cordial telegram, which by a delicatc attention was delivered to us by a pilot in the Auckland harbour, was liie first message of welcome to reach us. '-'Viin oeforo we had set foot oil the soil of your beautiful Dominion. On behalf or tho I) rench Mission I desiro to thank you most heartily. We are worry taat unfortunate circumstances have delayed our arrival, and apologise for the trouble which this dolsy may have caused yon. May I say that we are delighted to be able to coine at last by the first boat which has reached New Zealand since so many weeks from Australia. Let me hope that tho friendship created between our two countries by the common fights of our brave soldiers on so many battlefields may be strengthened by our visit. We are proud to bring you the deep and hearty thanks of France." The Mayor of Wellington has sent the following telegram to General Pau: — "Thecitizens are greatly honoured by your visit. In their name I heartily welcome yourself and tho members of the Mission. The bonds of friendship and mutual goodwill formed on. the battlefields of France will never be weakened. The illustrious French and the British people will march on side by side in the cause of peace a<nd freedom." General Pau replied as follows: — "On behalf of tho French Mission I desire to thank yott, and through you the citizens of Wellington, for your cordial telegram of welcome. The ties between our two countries, created by four years of common ordeal and glory, are such as .can never be severed. The French Mission will deem it an honour to convey to New Zealand the deep and sincere gratefulness of France." TRIBUTE TO DOMINION TROOPS. (press association telegram.'* AUCKLAND, December 28. Visits were exchanged to-day between General Pau, of tho French Mission, and the Deputy-Mayor (Mr Entrican). Replying to the welcome, General Pau said tho members of tho Mission greatly appreciated the hearty reception given them on landing, and the expressions of welcome they ha<J since received. They had been commissioned by the French Government to visit New Zealand, and on the cessation of the influenza epidemic they had taken the very earliest opportunity of sailing for tlio Dominion. On arrival they found that a programme had been laid out for them, and they expected a good deal of pleasure from it. Individual members also desired to carry out the duties entrusted to them; These included enquiries tending to form a closer bond between France and New Zealand in social, commercial, and other fields. He had to express the warmest thanka of the French nooole for the great assist-, once given by New Zealand in the war. The neople of France hnd learned to appreciate tho New Zealand soldier, not onlv for his bravery and soldierlike qualities, but for the consideration which he had always shown to the civil 1 population with, whom he had to deal.

DUNEDIN EXCLUDED FROM ITINERARY.* (SPECIAL TO "THE PnESS.") DUNEDIN, Docember 28. Sir .Tames Allen stated to-drv that General Pau and the French Mission will be able to come no further south than Christohurch, as they sail again on January loth.