EXPEDITION TO FIORDLAND

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25738, 25 February 1949, Page 9

EXPEDITION TO FIORDLAND

JOINT U.S. AND N.Z. PROJECT SCIENTISTS ASSEMBLING TO-DAY From Our Own Reporter WELLINGTON, February 23. Led by Dr. Olaus J. Murie. director ofute Wilderness Society of America, the first group of scientists and field workers taking part in the joint New Zealand and American Fiordland expedition will assemble at Milford Sound to-morrow. The members will leave early on Saturday morning aboard the launch Alert for the expedition’s camp at the head of Caswell Sound. It is exoected that the party will go straight to the base camp on the Stillwater river, where tentative plans will be reviewed in the light of field conditions. Dr. Murie, who is the scientific leader of the expedition, will have with him his son, Donald, aged seven. The deputy-scien-tific leader is Mr A. L. Poole, of the botany division of the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Other members of the first party are Mr O. J. Lindsay, of the Dominion Museum. Wellington: Mr R. I. Kean, senior biologist of the wild life branch of the Internal Affairs Department; Mr B. Wiseley and Mr F. Woodrow. both from the wild life branch: Mr L. J. Dumbolton, entomologist, and Mr P. Bull, zoologist, both from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; and Mr J. H. Miller, from the Lands and Survey Department. Second Scientific Party

A second group of scientists is expected to enter the field on March 12. Its members will probably include Dr. R. A. Falla. Mr R. K. Dell, and Dr. J. T. Salmon, of the Dominion Museum, and Mr B. T. Cunningham and Mr D. J. Anderson, of the Marine Department. Dr. W. R. B. Oliver, of the Dominion Museum; Dr. K. Wodzicki, Dr. D. A. Brown, and Mr V. D. Zotov, of the Department, of Scientific and Industrial Research. Mr J. Holloway. Mr J. Henry, and Mr J. Everett, of the State Forest Service, are all scheduled to go to Fiordland on March 26. On April 7, Mr R. R. Forster, of the Canterbury Museum, and Dr. H. H. Allan, formerly director of the botanv division, will leave for Caswell Sound.

Withdrawals from the field will take place as individual groups complete their work. The first group is expected to leave on March 26. Preparatory Work When the scientists arrive, they will be able to take advantage of nearly two months of arduous preparatory work performed by the camp staff under the direction of Mr R. V. MeKane, of the State Forest Service, and Colonel John K. Howard, of the Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology. The camp at the head of Caswell Sound is the main stores depot. Another depot is on Lake Marchant. The two are separated by about a mile and a half of hard tramping, followed by a boat journey up the Stillwater river to the base camp. A staging camp and a small advanced working camp have been established further up. the Stillwater. A second advanced working camp is in the Leslie clearing, on Expectation creek, to the north of the base camn. Another very small camp for advanced observation is planned for the Henry saddle, mid-way between George ’Sound and the middle fiord of Lake Te Anau. It will be at a height of 2700 feet. Use may also be made of the Hawkinson hut, at the head of Lake Hankinson, on the Henry track. Yet another established camp at George Sound is at present occupied by a party of surveyors from the Lands and Survey Department. Constant Radio Contact The expedition’s post office and radio telegraph station is at the base camp, and it is possible for it to communicate with the Awarua radio station at any time. Camp staff members have been able to make full use of this facility to keep in touch with their friends and relatives. In addition. three “walkie-talkie” radio sets are operating on links to the main radio set One “walkie-talkie” is at Caswell Sound, one at George Sound, and one will be kept mobile for advanced work. A special franking stamp has been provided for the post office, which handles both ingoing and outgoing mail on each of the Alert’s fortnightly, visits.