Antarctic Expedition Plans Well Advanced

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28896, 16 May 1959, Page 11

Antarctic Expedition Plans Well Advanced

Arrangements for the New Zealand Alpine Club expedition to Antarctica were well advanced, but a difficulty was that “some permission” had not yet been received by the club from the Government “or rather the Ross Sea Dependency Research Committee,” the retiring president of the club (Mr R. Syme) said last night. Speaking at the annual general meeting of the club, Mr Syme said, "We hope the solution to this remaining difficulty will come soon.” He said arrangements for the expedition were being handled by a sub-cominittee of the club in Christchurch. So far 45 names had been put forward for the expedition, including some with excellent qualifications. Mr Syme said that in the last two years the focus, geographically, had been on Antarctica. Both the trans-Antarctic expedition and the International Geophysical Year had given much in the way of adventure and achievement. “In much of this members of our club had parts to play, and we have learned with pride of the way they played those parts.” Idea of Expedition With New Zealand’s proximity to Antarctica it was inevitable that the club should turn its thoughts to the mountains of that continent. Because of this the idea of a club expedition had been born. "In spite of our best endeavours and the successful negotiation of the more- obvious obstacles that we met, we have been found wanting in the art of fighting our way through the barriers of red tape erected by Government departments,” said Mr Syme. In strong contrast were the generous offers of assistance and transport given last year by Rear-Admiral G. J. Dufek, he said. ‘‘The Ross Sea Dependency Research Committee now seems to have forgotten the promises of help this year that it made whet) we released to it the transport the United States Navy had

granted to us, and which th* committee very badly needed. ‘‘We hope the committee wil remember these promises soor and that co-operation will fo low so the way will be clear fc/ our 1959-1960 expedition to pro° itself,” he said. Mr Syme said expedite finances had been furthj strengthened by a grant of £2 from the Everest Foundati Trustees and by £451 from 1 Hillary-Lowe Everest Fund. A British publishing house 1 offered a substantial payment advance royalties on an exp< tion book, he said.