DESERTER AS DAIRY HAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 November 1929, Page 5

DESERTER AS DAIRY HAND

A FRENCHMAN’S ADVENTURES 3 (Special to “Star.") ’ , AUCKLAND, November 8. • ■, A passenger to Sydney by the Maheno to-day was Jean Dazayous of ! the French navy. ; Jean saw Auckland for the first time when the cruiser Tourville was this ■ | way. The night before the cruiser ; sailed for Wellington Jean bid a few of his intimate companions good-bye, dressed in.his best naval uniform, clambered through a porthole, and marched away. Jean carried a musket with him, not that he had any idea of going deer-stalking or using it for an ulterior purpose, but merely to confirm the impression about the waterfront that he was at the time on guard duty or something. • In broken English, with occasional lapses into his national tongue, Jean told the story of his adventures to a Star representative this mdrning. He said that he laid low for a day or so in Auckland, and answered an advertisement for a farm-hand. He walked to Pukekohe, where he got a job with a dairyman, and soon began a quite new experience with jersey cows and calves. Although an electrician, he took well to the new occupation and

appareuLiy igavu suiisiciuuuii. “It - was difficult, so difficult, Monsieur, and some of the cows were most terrible’’ said Jean. “One was horrible. It attacked me.” As he related that, he rubbed the back of his leg reminiscently. Jean stayed on the farm for three months and earned enough money to buy a suit, but it was lonely. “So lonely, Monsieur,” he said, “I could not talk to a soul, although everyone was so kind to me. I long for France every night when I lie awake.” Fortunately Jean made the acquaintance of a young Belgian lady. “She was most delightful and gentle,” he said enthusiastically. The marine lapsed into pure French in the endeavour to do full justice to the young lady’s charms. “Ah!”, he said, with arms outspread, “She was magnifique.” In spite of this solace Jean found life at Pukekohe began to pall. He decided to come to Auckland to give himself - up. He took lodgings, pawned a suit to assist his somewhat meagre finances and once more donned a white uniform

and red tassled hat of the French navy. Yesterday, arrangements were made to ship Jean to Sydney, where he will join the French boat. Jean is a bit hazy about the future and has some misgivings that some explanation will be required later on. “I have no regrets,” he said, as he stood at the Maheno’s rail. “Thp kindness I have met with has been incomparable. New Zealand is tres spendide. Such charming ladies.” Jean flung his arms wide open, metaphorically to embrace them all. ■