ANTARCTICA

Evening Star, Issue 18173, 13 January 1923, Page 3

ANTARCTICA

NEW ZEALANDERS’ WORK,

SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON’S TRIBUTE

“That is tho f|iicstion that is always put j to me,” said Sir Douglas Mawson, tho Antarctic explorer, when asked by tho ; ‘Dominion,’ on his arrival from Austra- ; Ha, whether ho contemplated another ex- j pedition to the I’olar regions. _ j “Few people stern to realise,” lie said, [ “that the result a of tho last expedition are yet only partly out. It 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 til! tho end of 1919. Since then, of course, 1 have done all that k possible to .get tho results published, but there still remains a great deal to bo done. A good_ many j sections remain, to bo traversed in our i publicity work. Them aro _ /.oology, j botany, oceanography, the geological, geo- ; graphical, and magnetic work, and meteorology. 1 am not. working out all ; these myself, for a great ninny ! gentlemen aro collaborating with me, but: as 1 am general editor, and have under- 1 taken a good deal of it, my limo k fully occupied, in addit ion to my professorial , work at Adelaide University. j “ New Zealanders have played- a great , part in tho magnetic records of the ex- I pedition. Major Eric Webb, of Welling- j ton, did exceptionally good work os mag-; uotician, and has since carried that section through to a successful conclusion, , despite tho interruption of war._ His 1 voluminous and detailed work, which has , just now gone to press, will bo tho next j part of the publication to appear. Pro- j lessor Parr and Mr Skey, of .the Mag- \ netic Observatory, Christchurch, have both assisted Mr Webb as far as possible. ’The i whole of the magnetic work was carried ' out by New Zealanders, and it will be a ! very fine record. “ I would like to have a look at the Tasman Glaciers on Mount Cook before I go,” added' Sir Douglas Mawson, when asked , as to bis present movements. “I do not i know whether many New Zealanders rca- j Use what interesting geological formations j they are. During tho sittings of tho Science Congress I shall deliver a popular j lecture on. Antarctica, which will be il- I In.strated) by kinematographio incidents j and scenes o-f the expedition.” i