BY SNOW CRUISER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 306, 28 December 1939, Page 10

BY SNOW CRUISER.

TO THE SOUTH POLE.

EXPEDITION'S HOPES. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, this day. Two jumps ahead of the North Star there arrived in Dunedin Mrs. Richard Black, wife of the second in command of the Byrd Expedition. She arrived in the Mariposa at Auckland, and is to spend a few days with her husband here. Discussing the work of the expedition she stated that two main bases would be established. The east base would be in charge of her husband, while Dr. Paul Siple would have charge of the west base. There would be four 'planes with the expedition, inclusive of one on the snow cruiser and Rear-Admiral Byrd's own personal machine. The expedition would be absent from 16 to 18 months, but Commander Byrd planned to establish some sort of semipermanent base, the idea being to extend operations over five or six years, and to send relays of men constantly to Little America. The object of the expedition was to substantiate the claim of the United States to areas already discovered, and yet to be discovered. It was also hoped to obtain important meteorological data. Thirteen branches of science would benefit by the expedition, and Admiral Byrd was of the opinion that Antarctica was the most fertile field for science left in the world. It was hoped to drive to the South Pole by the snow cruiser, Mrs. Black said, but of course this was only an experiment and definite plans had not been laid down.