THE AURORA.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15773, 14 December 1916, Page 7

THE AURORA.

DIFFICULTIES NOT YET SETTLED. CBPICIAT/ TO "TH« PRESa.") WELLINGTON. December 13. No settlement can yet be announced definitely of tho difficulties which havt» occurrod in connexion with tlio Antarctic relief expedition. As has been stated already, tho parties principally concerncd have agreed upoq tho main conditions, and these proposals were submitted for approval to tho British Government. No reply has yet been received from England. If tho. reply is favourablo thero should bo no great difficulty about settling tho other questions of minor importance involved. At tho present time tho date fixed for the sailing of tho Aurora is December 20th, by which date it is hoped thatall the negotiations will havo been satisfactorily concludcd. If tho British Government rejects. the proposals made from hero then there may be other negotiations, and theso other negotiations may not be quito as happy as all thos«» which have been conducted up to date. (SrBCIAL TO "THE TRESS.") DUNEDIN, December 13. The Aurora, in command of Captain Davis, carrying Sir Ernest Shacklcton and tho men who aro appointed to the undertaking of relieving Captain Macintosh and tho party in tho Antaictic, will probably sail from Port Chalmers on the 20th inst. Her cool supply for tho trip has been put jnt*' the hulks at tho port by the collier Kokiri. There is an unconfirmed rumour current that it is not yet quito settled whether the vessel shall procccd to t hr< ice and bring back the marooned men as quickly as possible, or whether » little exploration work may be also carried out at tho same time.