WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 155, 28 December 1918, Page 7

WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND

PARTY'S ARRIVAL IN AUCKLANI

(>i mioßAK.—taw imocutioN.)

27th December.

Members of the French mission, including General Pan, M. Andre Siegfried (secretary), and Le Commandant D'Andre, A.D.C., arrived by the steamer Runic from Australia to-night. On behalf of the National Government, the Hon. W.-H. Herries welcomed the visitors to the Dominion. Mr. Herries's speech waa translated to General Pau by M. Siegfried. Replying; General Pau said he wished to thank those soldiers who had. fought side by side with the French in the cause of right and liberty. Britain and France ..would always be brothers-in-arms. The war had united these nations, and there would ever be an alliance in the hearts of.the people. The mission was welcomed also by the Auckland headquarters staff. In replying to Colonel Patterson, General Pau said he was protid to meet a representative of the army that made the word "Anzae" famous. He wished to pay a tribute of admiration to these soldiers. The French Consul, M. Hippeau, also welcomed the visitors, who will attend the races at Elierslie to-morrow, /j The French mission was entertaiked at the Northern Club to-night.'. One of ths members of the mission, interviewed. on arrival, summed up the-objects of the mission by saying: "We want to find out how Germany did her trade here, and then to take her place." He said the time at their 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 be increased in the . future as the result of the return of Alsace, where a large number of Woollen manufacturers are located. . ; Referring to soft goods, he said: at present most of the; French buying" was , done in London, but he thought then was a good opportunity for establishing direct agencies in the Dominion. ■-'