Governor’s "Crowded Hour”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30288, 14 November 1963, Page 16

Governor’s "Crowded Hour”

(N.Z. Press Association) SCOTT BASE. Nov. 13. During his seven-day Antarctic tour he had come to realise exactly how important the work of the New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme was and its immense relevance to the problems of an ultra scientific age, the Gov-ernor-General (Sir Bernard Fergusson) told Scott Base staff at a farewell dinner last night. Sir Bernard Fergusson spoke after a sumptuous buffet prepared to mark his last meal in Antarctica and attended by the 30 Scott Base scientific, maintenance, and summer support staff and visitors. He quoted Sir Walter Scott to lend point to his thanks to New Zealand staff and those of the United States expedition for “seven days of wonderful experience." "I have had one of the moot crowded weeks of my life.” he said after reciting Scott’s

“One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name.” Poetry was appropriate to Sir Bernard Fergusson’s heartfelt farewell to Antarctica. “I was not sure that I was not coming to watch a sort of glorified outward bound school, but in my seven days here I have come to realise exactly how important is the work you are doing. “I have learned how extremely little I know and from now on I will be able to follow your probings into the secrets of nature with a great deal more intelligence and vastly more interest. “I am going back to New Zealand with an enormous enthusiasm for and interest in the projects in which you are engaged.” In his farewell address, the Scott Base leader, Mr Russel] Rawle, of Wellington, said Sir Bernard Fergusson had become “one of us” during his seven days in Antarctica. "He has left an imperish-

able memory on the atmosphere of this base,” Mr Rawle said. As he worked steadily during the long winter night of Antarctica, Barry Waters, of Christchurch, the Scott Base carpenter, had no idea that the model dog sledge he was making was to become a gift for Sir Bernard Fergusson. Deftly he modelled the sledge in every detail, with brake, boxes of dog pemmican, Polar tent in its green canvas cover, hammer and steel picket for anchoring the dogs. Even the tiny mileage meter on the bicycle wheel a sledge tows to record distance, carried its almost microscopic figures. News of his spare-time task came through to the Antarctic Division of the D.S.LR., Wellington, while Sir Bernard Fergusson’s visit was being organised. He was asked if he would give his sledge model to be presented to his Excellency on behalf of the New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme staff. Bearing an inscribed silver

plate, the sledge was presented at the dinner tonight. Home in Christchurch, Mr Waters was not present to hear his Excellency’s delight at the presentation. Sir Bernard Fergusson presented Scott Base with his photograph and Vice-Regal standard which has flown at the flagpole throughout the part of his Antarctic tour which he has spent at the base. He will take the standard to Wellington, have it framed and send it back to Antarctica, where it will be given a place of honour in the Scott Base mess.

At 8.15 p.m. Sir Bernard Fergusson, his comptroller. Major M. B. Reynolds, and his senior aide, LieutenantCommander P. C. D. Gibaut, left Scott Base for Williams Field, the McMurdo Sound airport, to join Rear-Admiral J. R Reedy for the flight back to Christchurch in a Hercules aircraft. They were to be met at Christchurch by his Excellency’s R.N.Z.A.F. aircraft and fly to Wellington early tomorrow morning.