WHICH LEADER?

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 144, 21 June 1930, Page 7

WHICH LEADER?

MAWSOFS PEOBLEM

ARRANGEMENT POSSIBLE

It is.possible that before Sir Douglas Mawson goes south in the .Discovery again, efforts will bo made to arrive at a clearer understanding as to whether tho expedition leader will boj in complete command, or whether the captain of the vessel will be allowed to determine the length of the cruise, says the Adelaide "Observer."

In a report presented to the. Federal Government, Sir Douglas expressed disappointment that the expedition had been curtailed sooner than he had expected because of Captain Davis's refusal to risk further cruising in the Antarctic after the coal reserves had been reduced to 120 tons.

Sir Douglas said that it had been a great disappointment to him, for earlier in the voyage he and Captain Davis had arrived at a verbal understanding that a reserve of 80 tons would suffice. Consequently, when Captain Davis refused to let the reserve in the ship get below 120 tons, little time was left in which to gr'-her more information before hastening to Kerguelon Island. • NON-COMMITTAL. Sir Douglas was asked whether he was prepared to go south again under tho same conditions of leadership as those existing in the last voyage. . "I am not prepared to answer that question yet—tho time has not arrived for it," he replied. f "While I was in command of the B.A.N.Z. Antarctic expedition, Captain Davis held the post of my secondin command. in matters pertaining to seamanship and the safe handling of the vessel, Captain Davis's decision was final. '' Tho story that has appeared as my report of the expedition is but a short statement, hurriedly put together for the information of the Cabinet, at a time when, for financial reasons, consideration was given by the Government to the question of curtailing the proposed continuance of the exploration. "I did not know that there was any intention of publishing the report, otherwise tho wording might have been more carefully revised, so that no unwarranted construction could bo placed upon certain, paragraphs contained therein." Eeferring to the fact that Captain Davis had resigned from the command of the Discovery, Sir Douglas said: '' Captain Davis had originally agreed to navigate the Discovery for one voyage only. He made his intention quito clear at Cape Town before we left for Kerguelen.

"The real story for the Press is now being prepared for the committee, and will be available shortly."