NEW ZEALANDERS ON PARADE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3027, 14 March 1917, Page 8

NEW ZEALANDERS ON PARADE

INSPECTION IN FRANCE BY THE COLONIAL SECRETARY A MESSAGE TO THE , DOMINION ' The following special dispatch has been received from tho iS'ow Zealand iWar Correspondent (Captain Malcolm lloss): — March 9. An interesting historic event took place on the British front to-day, when •Mr. W. H. Long, Secretary of State for the Colonies, accompanied by his .Parliamentary Secretary, paid a visit to the New Zealand Forces in the field. One brigade, and representatives of all the other units, were drawn up on a tree-lined road in Northern France. On arriving on the scene, Mr. Long, accompanied by v General Sir Alexander Godley. was met by Sir Andrew Russell, officer coininandini; the division, and the party proceeded on foot along the line. ifr. Long keenly observed each uuit, and , shook bauds with all the officers, down to the company commanders. • Afterwards the lengthy column' marched past to the ■ music of the bands, making a highly impressive sight. The men were in full marching .kit, and looked splendid. During the parade a Boche airman, flying unusually low, attempted to come over the load, but a perfect fusillade from the anti-aircraft giyis blocked his progress, and one shot, bursting close, made him xetreat hurriedly. We could hear the cases of the shells whistling down into the adjacent field. The party afterwards visited the divisional baths, which put through from a thousand to fifteen ' hundred men per day, and the washhouse, where .150 Frenchwomen are constantly employed in washing the clothes, shirts, and towels of the division, and the mending and drying rooms. A field amhulanoe corps> and the pioneers, including the Maoris, were also inspected, and finally the party saw the. dentists arid dental mechanics at work. Our dentists have already made thousands of stoppings and dentures. All this proved highly interesting.

In conversation afterwards. Mr. Long freely admitted that he was greatly affected by the thought that a little country like New Zealand should send such a splendid force so many 'thousand miles to fight in a foreign land. He gladly gave me the following message for the people of New Zealand: — : "I was enormously impressed by the 'fine physique and fitness of all ranks, ■ and the grim determination that is the 'secret of, success. I. am sure if the ■people of New Zealand could see them ,as I saw them to-day ,■ they would feel, ■ as I did, that, the Empire that can command such resources must have not .only victory before it but; even a greater place in the world than ever before." , Speaking generally, he added: "I feel perfectly confident that with the troops we have, led' as they are led, our efforts ,can only end in one way. The end has been postponed because the German is a determined fighter, but the immense .resources he is up against, and still. More our determination, must convince Jiim that he must suffer defeat. In my judgment, our resources are infinite, and sooner or later the enemy will realise this. Tho great cause that has brought us together in defence of our Empire and of freedom and justice and protection for. minorities, is already receiving almost world-wide recogni- I tion." ■