THE FRENCH MISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1919, Page 7

THE FRENCH MISSION.

GENERAL PAtPS MESSAGE TO NEW ZEALAND.

On his leaving New Zealand the following farewell telegram was sent to General Pau by the Hon- Sir James Allen, Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Defence: —"On the eve of your departure, permit me to wish you and the members of the French Mission a pleasant voyage and a safe journey to France. I trust that you all enjoyed your stay with us and that you go away :,s*ured of our sympathy and support in your after-war reconstruction problems That pleasant memories of yoiu visit to Ao-tea-roa may remain with you is the desire of all our pakeha and Maori people.—J. Allen." To this General Pan has replied as follows:—"We have been profoundly touched, my colleagues and myself, by your charming telegram of farewell Allow me now, at the moment when the French Mission is about to leava the hospitable shores of your beautiful country, to express to the Government and the people of New Zealand flic French Mission's deep gratitude for the whole-hearted welcome which has been extended to us. The genuine expressions of sympathy, esteem, and admiration for France whioh we have found everywhere on our passage have gone direct to our hearts. We have succeeded in making clear to you the immense gratitude of Francb for the faithful friends who have helped her in the most terrible crisis of her history That New Zealand boys have fought on the sacred soil of France for the defence of a country which was at the same time the bulwark of civilisation -will never be forgotten by the French people. An eternal friendship has now arisen from these titanic battlefields, where the namet of Now Zealand and France, not forgetting other brave Allies, have been for over illuminated by tic prestige of "" incomparable glory. The French Mission is proud to have been even for only b few days a visible link symbolising thifl noble friendship between two noble nations.—General Pau."