P.M. enjoys husky sledge ride

Press, 22 January 1982, Page 4

P.M. enjoys husky sledge ride

NZPA Scott Base A ride with the Scott Base huskies was the final highlight of the three-day visit to the Antarctic by the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon).

The Hercules touched down at Christchurch Airport at 10.55 last evening. Mr Muldoon returned to Christchurch last evening after leaving Williams Field in an American Hercules at 2.53 p.m. (New Zealand time). Shortly before entering the ski-equipped United States National Science Foundation aircraft. Mr Muldoon went for a three-minute ride on a Scott Base sledge hauled by nine huskies.

Laughing as he bounced on the ice. Mr Muldoon made a u-shaped journey to stop near the aircraft. He was the only passenger on the sledge. The Scott Base dog handler. Mr Gary Bowcock, of Northland, ran with the dogs. Brakeman for the "historic" ride was Peter Breen, aged 28. of Palmerston North. He is seconded to the Antarctic Division of the

D.S.I.R. as an assistant mechanic. "Mr Muldoon really enjoyed himself." Mr Bowcock said.

Mr Muldoon was in the Antarctic for the twenty-fifth anniversary of Scott Base, marked on Wednesday with a flag-raising ceremony and official opening, by the Prime Minister, of the latest stage of the base rebuilding programme. He arrived in the Antarctic early on Tuesday afternoon and he and other guests had hoped to visit New Zealand's .Vanda Station. 135 km away. across McMurdo Sound. But they were twice thwarted by the weather. However, they did make a brief visit to the historic huts of Shackleton and Scott on Ross island.

Mr R. B. Thomson, superintendent of the Antarctic Division. Christchurch, and host for the official party, yesterday arranged for United States helicopters to take the guests to the United States Coast Guard ice breaker. Polar Star, off

McMurdo. but again the weather prevented the trip. Before leaving Williams Field. Mr Muldoon and other ■guests attended a debriefing in the Scott Base bar. A noted former mountain guide. Mr Harry Ayres, aged 69. of Christchurch, who was the field leader and dog handler at the Antarctic 25 years ago. asked about the Scott Base survival training. Mr Thomson said that this season New Zealanders had trained about 300 people, mainly Americans, in survival methods.

Just before leaving Scott Base. Mr Muldoon spoke by radio to New Zealanders at Vanda Station in the Dry Valiev.

He said he was sorry he and other guests could not reach Vanda because of weather conditions. He was told the weather at Vanda was "quite good" and was asked what the Scott Base conditions were like.

Mr Muldoon replied: "Something like Wellington's weather ■- a bit of snow, a bit of wind. ..