“Ample” Fuel Supplies At U.S, Antarctic Bases

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28413, 21 October 1957, Page 7

“Ample” Fuel Supplies At U.S, Antarctic Bases

There were ample supplies of fuel in Antarctica, and another million gallons was due on the Greenvile Victory later this year, said the leader of the United States Antarctic expedition (Rear-Admiral George Dufek) yesterday. Admiral Dufek. the Minister of Labour (Mr J. K. McAlpine), the United States Ambassador to New Zealand <Mr Francis H. Russell), and the United States Air Force task unit commander (Colonel William C. Forward) returned to Christchurch from the Antarctic in a United States Navy Skymaster yesterday morning.

All the bases had plenty of fuel, and it was intended to keep two years’ supply at the Bryd base, said Admiral Dufek. The weather was still very changeable, and last week there had been an 85-knot wind but with the warmer weather the men were busy getting down to work. “They are showing a very high spirit,” he said. As the weather improved ar-

rangements would be made to take the new party to the South Pole. Admiral Dufek said. They would be flown there by a skiequipped aircraft and once they had been instructed in their duties the old party would be taken out. This was expected to take about 10 days. ‘‘We were very happy to have Mr McAlpine with us,” he said.

“He was. as we say in the Navy, a good shipmate.” Admiral Dufek said he would return to McMurdo Sound later this year, possibly about the middle of November.

“The co-operation between the New Zealanders and the Americans was excellent.’’ said Mr McAlpine. “They went out of their way to help one another and this will heln to bring even closer relations between the two nations.

"I had a United States Navy Neptune aircraft placed at my disposal and I stayed at the United States and the New Zealand bases.” he said. “Everyone was a great help: there, was nothing they would not do.”