ANTARCTICA

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 89, 11 January 1923, Page 6

ANTARCTICA

NEW ZEALANDERS’ WORK SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON’S TRIBUTE “That is the question that is always t>uji ,to pw/,’ 1 ’ /said, Stir Douglas Mawson, the Antarctic explorer, when asked, on his arrival from Australia Yesterday, whether lie- contemplated another expedition to the Polar regions. “Few people seem to realise,” he said, “that the results of the last expedition are yet only partly out. Lt is a very big matter, working up and publishing the detail of such an expedition. The war intervened immediately after the last, and overseas service kept me fully employed till the end of 1919. .Since then, of course, 1 have done all that is possible to get the results published, but there still remains a great deal to bo done. A good manv sections remain to be traversed in our publicity work. There are zoology, botany, oceanography, the geological, geographical, and magnetic work, and meteorology. I ain not working out all these details myself. for a great many gentlemen aro collaborating with me, but as I am general editor, and have undertaken a. good deal of it, my time is fully occupied, in addition to my professorial work at Adelaide University. “New Zealanders have. played a o-reat part in the magnetic records of the expedition. Major Eric Webb, of Wellington, did exceptionally good work as magnetician, and has since carried that* section through 'to a successful conclusion, despite the interruption of war. His voluminous and detailed work, which has just new gone to press, will be the next part of the publication to appear. . rofessor Farr and Mr. Skey, of the Magnetic Observatory, Christchurch, have both assisted Mr. Webb as far as possible. The whole of the magnetic work was carried out by. New Zealanders, and it will be a very fine record. “I wou’d like to have a look at. the Tasman Glaciers on Mount Cook before I go,” added Sir Douglas Mawson. when asked as to his present movements. “I do not know whether many New Zealanders realise what interesting geologhrl formations they are. During the sittings of the Science Congress I shall deliver a popular lecture on Antarctica-, which will be illustrated by kinematographic incidents and scenes of the expedition.”