FRENCH SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 27, 1 August 1917, Page 2

FRENCH SOLDIERS

CONCERT AT THE TOWN' HALL',

In recognition of the hospitality extended to them in Wellington, the contingent of French soldiers who are at present on a visit to New Zealand gave a concert in the Town Hall last evening in aid of the Red Cross Fund and Returned Soldiers' Club. The hall was packed to overflowing, and the. programme submitted being a highly meritorious one a ; most: enjoyable evening was spent: .-Among i those present were Their Excellencies the Governor-General and the Countess of Liverpool and the Prime .Minister and Mrs..-Massey. The: concert was" preceded by the playing of selections by the Trenthara Band. Then followed the National Anthem, and tho playing of "The Marseillaise,'' the visi.tors being drawn up on the platform. The Prime Minister, in extending a cordial welcome to the visitors, said he hoped they- would enjoy their visit here and go away with pleasant .recollections of the Dominion of Now Zealand. Since he last spoke ,in the Town Hall he had visited the battlefields of France, and gay Paris, which was now completely sobered and possessed with the sole idea of winning the war. There was no man of military age there who was not in uniform. One and all, including the women and children, were imbued with the spirit of .France!i■'•'ln the' battlefield cemeteries he had seen the graves of tens of thousands of the best and bravest of the British stock, and he was glad to be able to tell them, that each of these graves had been handed over to the British.organisations.for upkeep in perpetuity-Aot for lease-in-perpetuity as we knew it, but for ever. (Applause.) He told the soldiers of France who were with.them that night that the New Zealanders were with them to the end, however far it might be off—whether it was until we got to Berlin or drove the Germans back /behind the Rhine. (Applause.) He also welcomed back the New Zealand soldiers who had returned since he had been away. (Applause.) The French soldiers thereupon sang "The; Marseillaise" with such effect as to win the most hearty applause. ■ Later the sons of France gave the audience a number of their marching eongs, which have spirited many a French army on the way to victory. They were rewarded with the heartiest rounds of applause, and for one particularly stirring ajr were accorded a well-deserved ovation, being twice recalled. Sergt. Musso, one of the visitors, also, gave a. solo, .. for which he was obliged to respond. The rest of the programme was as follows, all the items being encored: — Song, "Softly Wakes My Heart," Miss E. Miller; song, "There's a Ship That's Bound for Blighty," Mrs. H. Wo.od; song, "For the Green," MJss Richardson ; recitation, "Blackpool," Miss Rita •Magee j humorous dialogue, Mr. A. Russell; flute solo,; Miss N. Simpson j song, "There's a Big Lot of Sunshifce Coming Soon," Mr! Hamilton Hodges; song, Miss Sawyers.. . Mrs. H. W. Godier acted, as. accompanist. , Dnring; ■the evening autographed tricolours and several rings made by the visitors out ,oi German shells were auctioned by Mr. A. G. Wallace. One flag realised £78. r A substantial amount was also raised for the visitors' canteen fund on their return, to France.' ■ Ini the interval His Excellency mounted the platform j and,, speaking in French, also extended to the visitors a hearty welcome. The gathering concluded with the singing of the National Anthem. :.-,-.