N.Z. Parties Survey Vast Areas In The Antarctic

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28492, 23 January 1958, Page 10

N.Z. Parties Survey Vast Areas In The Antarctic

(New Zoslroa Press AssoctaUonl

WELLINGTON, January 22. New Zealand geological and survey parties in the Antarctic had covered a total area of 80,000 square miles, from Cape Adare in the north to the South Pole, said the chief scientist of the expedition. Dr. Trevor Hatherton, today. “We have every reason to feel proud of our efforts,” he said. Thanks to American support the New Zealanders were able to get a very high proportion of their men into the field, and were able to do much more proportionately to numbers than other countries. Six field parties from Scott Base were still working over the vast area of the Ross Dependency. •‘lt is high time they received some recognition for the valuable work they are doing,” he added. The New Zealand seismological station at Scott Base was the most advanced in the Antarctic, and had magnificent equipment. Nearly all of it was built, planned and developed in New Zealand, said Dr. Hatherton. Extremely sensitive instruments had registered the first earthquakes in the Ross Sea ever recorded. The earthquake research work would play a large part in tracing the great Pacific earthquake fault line through its southern portion. “The fault lines which run through New Zealand are believed to join a fault running from 1 the Indian Ocean, but south of that it is still unknown,” said Dr. Hatherton. The Victoria Land ranges on the west side of the Ross Sea were possibly a continuation of this fault' line into the AntarcticNew Zealand, with a line of seismological stations running

from Scott Base through the joint New Zealand-United States base at Cape Hallet, through Roxburgh. Wellington, Auckland, the Kermadec Islands. Fiji and Samoa, was doing a great deal of important research work, he said. The chairman of the New Zealand Government Departmental I.G.Y. Committee (Dr. E. I. Robertson) said: "New Zealand is sitting in a very vital position right on the edge of the vast spaces of the Pacific. If New Zealand had not accepted the many commitments she is now undertaking in connexion with I.G.Y- some other country would have had to step in and take over.”