The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA: FRIDAY, APRIL 7. THE AURORA.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 79, 7 April 1916, Page 5

The Clutha Leader. BALCLUTHA: FRIDAY, APRIL 7. THE AURORA.

i ■Strained, battered and rent by long with Antarctic storms and ietj,' tit Aurora was t»\v«d safely iuto Pott j Chilniofs i,y the Otayo Harbour Boai'dV tugDuin'.lin on Monday morning. Lieu- ' tenant Steiiiitiuse, soi-ond in eommand of | 'k« expedition an.l chief officyv onlioard l)l ' Hie Annua, with his iutrepid party,! •kmi«h licaiin- a ue;Uherdvoateii appearM<t after 1111■ ii- lonjr exposure to the 'li'iniMitv, ivere all reported in good health, hut until th,. news, of the expedi- "«" Ini* lircii .■(imimiii'n-atcil to London ••initi'iiiiui StmliMiiso is unable Ut make ,J *. V statement ici;iti\i' to tin- work ar'•"mitlMi,.,! I,y tin- explorers. We learnt irijin wiirl,-'.. received before ,,)■ ,he Aurora that the little Vt ' ssei '"''i nilh a succession of adverse ''UU'lilinn. . V '„i,.i| prevented the accoml'lls|iiiieni „|- the plans of the expedition, anil result,,; j M pi „(' Hie party beinjs ••oniimisorily left behind under circum'tatnes which -ive rise to anxiety for J««r safety. The Aurora reached' Cape. •'ozivr on .laiuiary '.I of last year. It ,la,i ''t'en intended'to establish a depot t,ll>r >'. bu, „. A !,„_,. ,„ | l:|l | Wl , U |, ( ,|. ii V vas 'J" 11 "' impo-dide ,„ |. lni |. The vessel l !"'» hiui-,.,.,1,,1 a!llll „ th( , to t'ape VH "" :1,, 'l laii-lc) expiring parties, \vi)o nauiseil exploring expeditions and scientific work ashore, while ust al >«aru the Aurora searched the v:oa st for a safe harbour. Owing to the «th»iely b a ,i seasou t hi s work was under great difficulties; no nacbour was found, and finally on May ■ e Auf oia was blown from her moorP| ami sp w ,lii v became embedded in r k ><*• In this she drifted helplessly . 10 lo "g months, being finally set Wi olll y oa Much 14. In July she well

nigh succumbed to the enormous ice pressure to which she was subjected, being strained and ripped and losing her rudder. When set free she had drifted 1200 miles, and, damaged and short of coal, had to face the long stretch of stormy ocean separating her from the friendly shelter of a port where she could be repaired and refitted to do, we hope, good work under more auspicious conditions next year. When the Aurora was torn by the blizzard from her moorings she left ashore 10 men—Captain Mackintosh, four members of the scientific staff, and others who hail gone to establish a.depot. Some anxiety is felt as to whether they would have enough food to hold out until the arrival of a relief expedition, which cannot reach them till next summer, when they will have been nearly two years stranded. Sir Douglas 'Mawson, who has been interviewed in Australia, speaks hopefully on this point. He says that considerable supplies were left by the late Captain Scott in huts at. Cape Kvans and at a spot 14 miles away, also at Sir Krnest Shackelton's station at Cape Koyils; while fish, seals and penguins are abundant. It is to be hoped that he is right, that no calamities will befall the partv and that next summer they will lie found safe and well. As in May last they would be looking forward to settling down for the winter, it is not probable that they would have with them the equipment for doing much exploring work this summer. The bad luck of the Aurora party is doubly serious from its bearing on the plans of Sir Earnest Shackelton. The latter, approaching Antarctica from the opposite side by j way of South Georgia, aimed at crossing the continent and co-operating with j the Aurora explorers. The latter were ] to have made a long trip south, laying depots for the use of Sir Krnest Shackelton's party en route from the I'ole. The ' Aurora itself was to pick up Sir K. Shackelton and party at McMurdo Sound, for which point they were to make. News received from Buenos Aires by medium of a whaler states that owing to the bad weather of last summer Sir K. Shackelton abandoned the idea of crossing the continent, deciding to winter in the Weddell Sea. The absence of the expected depots imiT seriously embarrass him should he next year attempt to cross the continent. Jn the midst of the stress of a colossal war Britons can still take thought for the safety of the small bands of brave men who, to advance knowledge and man's mastery over natural forces, dare perils, hardships and sufferings as great as any faced on the fields of battle. The late Captain Scott, Sir Krnest .Shackelton, Sir Douglas '.Mawson and their associates have upheld and are upholding the honour of Britain, and by their achievements and examples are benefiting the world. COUNCIL AND BILLIARD LICENSE. The borough council by a large majority decided to refuse Mr White's application for another year's license for his billiard room. The police and the ranger both opposed a renewal of the license. In support of the application it was urged that the irregularities complained of, if there were any, were due to a third person, and that Mr White himseif was a man of good character. Mr White is not only a popular man, but is a good citizen, but the question the council had to decide was not whether .Mr White was a good fellow, but whether it was desirable that lie should be licensed to run a billiard saloon. To be a good fellow is not necessarily evidence of fitness; in fact, a kindness of heart that would, prompt a man not to interfere with another under certain circumstances might easily lead to abuses springing up. No fault can be found with billiards as a game, so longas no element of gambling is allowed to enter into it, and a carelessly conducted saloon might easily become a menace to the moral well-being of a town. The council's first consideration was that the best interests of the town should be served, and in the face of the police officer's and ranger's reports it considered it its duty to refuse the license. The police are not given to stirring up trouble unnecessarily, and when the town has an officer of the law who has tiie courage and moral force to expose an evil influence he ought to be accorded whole-hearted support. The council's action has doubtlessly been warmly approved, and it may be'sure that in so carefully safeguarding the interests of the town it has the people strongly behind it,