N.Z. ANTARCTIC PARTY

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29380, 6 December 1960, Page 20

N.Z. ANTARCTIC PARTY

Work To Restore Historic Huts (New Zealand Press Association! SCOTT BASE, December 5. The New Zealand hutrestoration party -was dtie to leave Scott Base today by United States helicopter for Cape Evans to begin work on its first project, Scott’s hut. The four men are L. Quartermain, leader. J. Sandman, R. Buckley, and C. Jenness. The last two members wintered at Scott Base. They will be joined by M. Prebble and at the end of December by E. Gibbs. The party will be equipped with radio for daily communication with Scott Base and will take sufficient food for two months. The aim of the party is to restore to a “lived-in appearance” the huts in the McMurdo Sound area that Were built and occupied by former British expediditlons.

At the Cape Evans hut occupied by Scott’s last expedition (1910 to 1913), the job will be to clear the hut, which is half full of ice and snow. Two feet of ice covers the floor and possibly numerous relics. The hut will be weatherproofed to prevent further snow drifting inside. At Shackleton’s hut at Cap* Royds (1907 to 1909) the task wilt be easier, as little snow has drifted inside the hut. A general clean up and minor repairs will be made.

At- Hut Point, where Scott's first expedition (1902 to 1904) was based, the hut is nearly full of ice and an examination will be made to ascertain the possibility of restoration work next year. Every endeavour has been made to determine the original condition of these huts and plans have been made to restore the huts as closely as possible to this condition. New Zealand has felt for some time that these places should be preserved, as they are of great historical value.

Several parties from Scott Base and H.M.N.Z.S. Endeavour have done cleaning up and some repairs but now a more permanent job is intended.

At 1.40 p.m. oh Saturday the remaining members of the Victoria University party—R. Blank. I. Wills, and R. Cooper—wore flown by United States helicopter to No. 1 camp in the Koettlitx dry valley area. The aircraft then flew to No. 3 camp, picked up Messrs Wheeler and Bull and deposited them at No. 1 camp with the other three members of the party to start their survey. geographic, and geological work. Later in the afternoon a return flight flew in supplies to form depot IA, 2A. and 2.

The weather during the operations was overcast with light snow, but visibility was good and all the operations were successful.