A BAD EXCUSE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13743, 26 May 1910, Page 6

A BAD EXCUSE.

The Commonwealth Government have declined to make a grant of £'1000 towards Captain Scott's Antarctic expedition, on the curious ground that the Australian grant to Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition was made because tho British Government did not afford any assistance in that case, whereas it has given Captain Scott £20,000. The excuse is a curious one because it utterly ignores the facts of the case. It is true that the British Government did not assist Sir Ernest Shackleton when he was raising the funds for his expedition, and consequently he became personally responsible for a large share of the money to friends who advanced it to him. But on his return to England, from an expedition that only

just failed from achieving complete success, partly through lack of fuder equipment, the Government made him a grant of £'20.000. The only difference between their action as regards Sir Ernest Sbackleton and Captain Scott is that in the former case they gave the money after the expedition returned, and in the latter their assistance was forthcoming before it started. The latter was, no doubt, tho better course, but the result in each case is the same. If the Federal Government

were not acquainted with the facte, very brief enquiry -would have placed them in possession of fill the information they nefded. As it is, the knowledge of th? British Government's action is so -enerul that it is difficult to believe that they arc quite honest in the matter. Captain Scotthas not yet raised ail the money that he needs for the expedition, which is to ciown the work ol British explorers in the Antarctic. We trust. therefore. that when the Ftdero! Parliament meets next month the Government will be induced to see that they have made a mistake in deciding that Australia shall not help- him, and that they wili act as we have no doubt the people would wish.