CAPTAIN DAVIS IN COMMAND

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 148, 20 December 1916, Page 8

CAPTAIN DAVIS IN COMMAND

STENHOUSE AND WORSLEY

GOING TO ENGLAND.

(II TKI.EGRAPH.--PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

DUNEDIN, This Day. In the course of a statement regarding the Aurora,- Dr. M'Nab said that before it was known that Sir Ernest Shackleton would be available the three Governments concerned, the British, Australian, and New Zealand, had decided that Captain Davis was to have command. Captain Davis had already been offered the command of a relieving ship.by the Admiralty authorities prior to coming to Australian waters, and the Imperial Government laid great stress upqn Captain Davis . being in command, and Davis had arranged for his officers accordingly. When Sir Ernest Shackleton arrived, and found what had been done, he, in loyalty to Captains Stenhouse and Worsley, was unable to at once fall in with the arrangements, but, seeing the position, these two officers generously came forward and relieved Shackleton of the necessity of considering their claims. The New Zealand. Government regretted . exceedingly that Captain Stenhouse had been prevented by circumstances from taking' back the Aurora. The Minister paid the higncst tribute io the abilities both Stenhouse and Davis. The Minister says it is understood that Captains Stenhouse and Worsley are going Home to offer their services to the Admiralty. Dr. M'Nab added that the British Government was paying half the cost of this expedition, the Australian and New Zealand Governments paying the other half on a population basis.

It_ is understood that the Government received information from England by cablegram yesterday that it had been arranged that the Aurora be handed over to Sir Ernest Shackleton immediately on her return to New Zealand.