TRANS-ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27679, 8 June 1955, Page 12

TRANS-ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

Responsibilities Of N.Z. Section

sir Miles clifford GIVES DETAILS (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 7. An outline in some detail of the organisation and activities of the London committee of management for the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition was given by Sir Miles Clifford to members of the Ross Sea Committee, .who met in Parliament House this afternoon. The chairman of the Ross Sea Committee (Mr C. M. Bowden) reported at the end of the meeting that Sir Miles Clifford had emphasised that the paramount duty of the New Zealand section of the expedition was to lay depots, and to bring home to the Ross Sea base the larger section, which would cross the South Polar region from the Weddell Sea.

Sir Miles Clifford said that the 12 or 15 New Zealanders who would eventually be selected to join the expedition should be absolutely physically fit and temperamentally stable. It was an essential that each New Zealander chosen should possess initiative and resource, and be resolute in gll things.

It was suggested to the committee by Sir Miles Clifford that one or two New Zealanders should accompany the advance party which would go to the Antarctic this summer under the direction of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition, and also with the British party to the Weddell Sea area. This would enable some of the New Zealand party to gain experience of conditions in advance of the main expedition, and practical knowledge of dog team management. Sledging and the use of trackless vehicles by the expedition were discussed by Sir Miles Clifford, who informed the committee on various transport problems. He also briefly discussed the possible use of aircraft.

Standardised Equipment To obtain a suitable ship for the New Zealand part j)f the expedition, Sir Miles Clifford suggested that negotiations should be opened by the London committee of management, in close consultation with the Ross Sea Committee. •

All equipment to be used by the expedition would be standardised, Sir Miles Clifford said. Sir Edmund Hillary would be closely concerned in this matter.

Mr Bowden said after the meeting that, in all probability, a personnel committee would be set up to select the 12 or 15 New Zealand members of the Ross Sea party. That committee would act in conjunction with the leader, and considerable importance would be laid on the -ability of each applicant not only to apply his particular trade or profession to the advantage of the expedition as a whole, but also to take over other specialised duties if the need arose. “A satisfactory cook will be one of the most important members of the New Zealand party,” said Mr Bowden, ' but at the same time 1 cook, geologist, radio operator, or mechanic will have to be able to turn a hand to other jobs as well.’’

A further meeting of the Ross Sea Committee, which Sir Miles Clifford will attend, will be held in Parliament House next Thursday.