LATE CABLES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 104, 4 May 1922, Page 7

LATE CABLES.

ANTARCTIC TERRORS. SCOTT'S LAST WORD. "VERY NEAR THE END. j" DECIDE TO DIE NATURALLY."' j /By Cable.—l'ress Association.—Copyright. , i (Received 2.30 p.m.i LOXDOX, May X Sir James Barrie has been installed as Rector of St. Andrew's University. In an inaugural address on the subject of "Courage, -, he read a hitherto unj published "letter which Captain ?eott j wrote to £ir James from the Antarctic. "We are pegging out in a comfortless spot. I write you a word of farewell. We are in a desperate state. Feet frozen, no fuei, and a long way from food, but it would do your heart good to hear our songs and cheery conversations."' Later, Captain Scott wrote words which are difficult to read, "We are very near the end. Had intended to finish ourselves, bin decided to die naturallTf" Thie letter wns found beside Scott's body.—(Router.) RED RUSSIA. BOLSHEVIK INEFFICIENCY. BREAKDOWN OF TRANSPORT. fßeceived 1.30 p.nO SYDNEY, this day. Professor Meredith Atkinson, who has just returned from a visit to Kussia. declared that the general policy of the Bolsheviks was cruel, and their conduct of business every whit as inefficient as it had been said to be. As a government they were far more incompetent and much more addicted to red tape and pettifogging interference than was the Czarist regime.of the Russo-Gcrinan pact reported from Genoa. Professor Atkinson declared that it would surprise no one on the spot, for it was openly discussed in Moscow ac the obvious line for the Soviet to take when he was there in February. He added that Germans especially were getting back into Ruaeiß. The only relief work the Germans were doing was endeavouring to discovered at their laboratory in Moscow a serum against typhus, which was ravaging the country. Describing the utter breakdown"* of transport, lie said trains had always been several days late. He saw one arrive from Turkestan three weeks bvhind time. It was given up as lost, the assumption being that all aboard had died in a f-nowetorra. Twenty-fire passengers died on the journey, and their bodies were thrown into the snow. Asked if the Bolsheviks would remain in power. Professor Atkinson ea'.d he believed they would so long as they had the Red Army and its rations under their control and are prepared to enter upon one strategic retreat after another, giving up point after point of Communism as they find it impracticable. Tie declared that Soviet agente had been deputed to follow him and refute his statements. He had evidence of this ■wherever be lectured. He would never ■be allowed back in Russia siniplv be-