FAR SPREAD HEW ZEALANDERS

Evening Star, Issue 22721, 7 August 1937, Page 2

FAR SPREAD HEW ZEALANDERS

RECOUPS achieved abroad [Written bj - Übamao, for the ‘ hi veiling Star.’] - No. 1. The extent to which New Zealanders abroad are doing "thoir sbare of the world’s work is hardly realised by the great majority of their countrymen, for the very.obvious reason that men who do big things are not in the habit of trumpeting . their achievements from the housetops. Indeed, the rector of one notable scholastic institution once complained that letters he had received from former pupils of his school made no reference, to the work that had lifted them on to an eminence. The difficulty that confronts one gleaning information of our countrymen’s achievements abroad hampers one in keeping track of them after the completion of some work, that. had made them renowned. Only by careful perusal, of the Press and college .magazines interviews gained from our untrumpcted genius on revisting their, native land, and access to private letters written to relanives, can one gain any conception of what they have done to advance the world’s progress. This writer has kept track of a large number of New Zealanders abroad in the important fields 1 of human endeavour, and in this series of articles he will give what his researches have disclosed. In referring to New Zealanders, it will he understood that they include as well as the native-born those who by long residence and tiie acquisition of knowledge and experience m this country can be claimed as such. Cognisance is not taken of New Zealanders and their work here or. in Australia. However, it will be found that they are mostly native-born. ...

From China (where a Dunedimte a few years ago was teaching natives of the Flowery Land the use of material wings in the cause of commercial aviation) to the youfig New Zealand geologist in. the heart of Peru searching for oil on behalf of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, our countrymen are to lie found in all quarters of the globe in the van of the army of progress.

EXPLORATION. WORSLEY’S ADVENTUROUS EXPLOITS.

Commander Frank Worsley’s daredevil exploits are regularly flashed over the cables to New Zealand, where, as a boy, ho first acquired his passion for the sea on the old sailing ships of the New Zealand Shipping Company. Later, as chief officer of the Government steamer ■ Hine’moa and commander of the steamer Countess of Ranfuriy (trading to the Chatham Islands), Frank Worsley’s ambition for sea adventures was confirmed. His career was crowned when, as skipper of Shackleton’s vessel Endurance on the ill-fated Polar expedition in 1913-16, ho performed that ©pie voyage from Elephant Island to South Georgia, a distance of 800 miles, in an open boat. Again he was with Shackleton in the 1921-22 Antarctic expedition as chief navigator of tho Quest when Shackleton died at sea.

His war record as commander.of mystery ships and his association with many expeditions since the war has made hie name world-wide. He per- , formed a daring exploit qn , one 'occasion when his motor auxiliary schooner', the Katherine Anne, was wrecked in a gale on the Orkneys. He jumped with a rope from the bowsprit in the darkness into the raging seas and straggled ashore, thus saving the lives of all the crew, just before the vessel went to pieces. \ A POLAR ASSOCIATE OF WORSLEY. A very ambitious Arctic expedition, organised by Captain Alnarson Algarsson in 1925, saw Commander Worsley in command of the vessel Island, and another New Zealander, Gordon Burt, a native of Dunedin, as chief engineer. It was intended to. go as far north as possible, then make an aeroplane dash for the Pole. However, things did not go too well, and the expedition failed in its objective. But, the two New Zealanders never forgot their country in the perilous positions in which they found themselves. When the ship had reached the furthest north, Burt and Worsley landed on the ice, mounted a Sole on a hammock, and hoisted the ew Zealand hag. The latitude was 81.10 north, the furthest either the flag of our country or any of our countrymen have been. Mr Burt left the vessel at Spitzbergen and returned to London, and had a tale to tell of his commander, Worsley, that made good newspaper reading. ACROSS SYRIAN DESERT. Two New Zealanders, Norman and Gerald Nairn, in 1923, after serving their country in the war, embarked on an enterprise that reduced the time taken by the camel trains across the Syrian Desert from Beirut to Bagdad from three or four weeks to 36 hours by motor/transport. A trying journey , or GOO miles across one of the driest 1 deserts in the world is now made comfortably in an over-night trip that has gained, great popularity with tourists. The pioneers were confronted with many difficulties, not the least being the opposition by sheiks and extreme danger from Bedouin brigands, who hela life lightly. But the Nairn brothers persevered, and have now lived down the opposition of the sheiks; in fact, the latter have come to welcome the new means of transport. A powerful Anglo-French group in

1920 bought out the Naim brothers, retaining Norman Nairn as managing director. The company intended extending the ißagdad-Daihascus route and putting on six-wheel motors, with the intention of reducing tho time taken on the journey to 26 hours. This would enable a passenger from London to reach Bagdad in eight days, compared with 22 by sea. GEOLOGIST BORROWED BY BRTISH GOVERNMENT. One of New Zealand’s early Rhodes scholars, R. A. Farquharson, who was selected some 30 years ago from Otago, must have acquired some reputation as petrologist and geologist when the Bril tish Government sought his knowledge for’Somaliland. Mr Farquharson, about 15 years ago, was Government petrologist in the Mines Department of West Australia. ‘While there the request for his services to. report on the soils of Somaliland was made, by tho British Government. Eventually the position of Director of Agriculture and Geologist for the Protectorate was offered to and accepted by him. British Somaliland comprises 356,000 square miles, while its population of 200,000 includes but a hundred white people.

AFRICAN AIR ROUTE. Imperial Airways in its pioneering of the aic-Hne from England to South Africa some six years ago was confronted with many difficulties, but perseverance saw the line established. In' 1931 Captain P. R. Walker, who lived with his parents at Remuera, Auckland, till 1902, was chosen to manage the South African division of the route, with headquarters at Johannesburg. After 1 the war, wherein he .won the Distinguished Flying Cross and Baf, he joined tho A.D.C. Aircraft Company and remained with it 10 years, ultimately being jn entire charge : of its works, which produced the Cirrus engine and Moth plane. A large staff was tinder the control of Captain Walker in- the section of-his 'jurisdiction in South Africa, in which there are 14 air stations. IN REMOTE LIBERIA.

There'seems to be no part of this old ball of-earth where New Zealanders are not to‘ b© found always engaged in opening up and developing the lands in which they have made_ their sojourn. About five years ago it was learned that in remote Liberia' a’man, who won his degree of B.Sc. at Otago University was engaged in a highly responsible position. Dr K. C. M'lndoe, after a term at Minnesota, U.S.A.. where - he took his Doctorate of Philosophy, went to West Africa, where he was appointed to take charge of the Firestone Rubber plantations in Liberia. These extend for 25 miles and cover an area of 40,000 acres. According to Dr M‘lndoe the 40-honr week with higher remuneration has _ not yet reached Liberia. The native boys work from eight to nine hours daily for 6d a day and two cups of rice.

SELF-ISOLATED IN THE ARCTIC. In an endeavour _to ascertain the reason why> wireless signals fade an expedition sponsored by the British Government Department of Scientific and Industrial Research set out in 1932 to make its headquarters at TromasO) in the extreme north of Norway, five degrees further north than the most northerly point of Iceland. One of the party took up a position on _aii island 12 miles off the He is a New Zealander, a native of Dannevirke. who was a member of the Post and Telegraph service in the Dominion. Mr W. C. Brown acquired considerable experience in wireless science during, the war and later as assistant under- Professor E. A. Appleton at Ditton P.ark Radio R<4* search Station (England)... Mr Brown’s vigil was concerned with experiments within the Arctic Circle to throw light on the ciuestio'n whether electrical structure in the upper atmosphere is the same in the Arctic and temperate regions.

(To be continued.)