FIORDLAND EXPEDITION STARTING

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1949, Page 5

FIORDLAND EXPEDITION STARTING

Account of the Camps and Parties

P.A. WELLINGTON, Feb. 23 Led by Doctor Olaus J. Murie, Director of the Wilderness Society of America, the first group of scientists ana field workers taking part in Operation Fiordland will assemble at Milford Sound on Friday, and will leave early' on Saturday morning on board the launch “Alert” for the expedition's beach-head camp at the nead of Caswei) Sound. It is expected that the party' will go straight to the base camp on the Stillwater River, where the tentative plans will be reviewed in light of the field conditions.

Tiiis information comes from the Internal Atfairs Department, which operates as the Wellington base for the expedition. Dr Mune, who is tne scientiiic leader of the expedition, will have with him his son, Donald, aged 17, as field assistant. The deputy' scientific leader is Mr A. L. Poole of tne Botany' Division of the Department ot Scientific and Industrial Research. Other members of the first party are: Messrs O. J. Lindsay, of me Dominion Museum, Wellington: K. I. Kean, senior biologist in the Wild Life branch of the Internal Aflairs Department: B. Wisely and F. Woodrow, both of the Wild Life branch; L. J. Dumbolton, entonmoligisc; and P. Bull, zoologist, both from ihe Departmem. of Scientific and Industrial Research; J. H. Miller, from ths Lands and Survey Department. A second group oi scientists is expected to enter the field on March 12. its members will probably include Dr R. A. Falla, Mr R. K. Dell and Dr J. T. Salmon, of the Dominion Museum; Messrs B. T. Cunningham and D. J. Anderson, of the Marine Department. Dr W. R. B. Oliver, of the Dominion Museum; Dr K. Woodzicki, Rr D. A. Brown, and Mr V. D. Zotov, of-the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; Messrs J. Holloway, J. Henry and J. Everett of the State Forest Service are all scheduled to go in on March 26, while on April 7, Mr K. R. Forster, of the Canterbury Museum, and Dr H. H. Allan, formerly director oi the Botany division, will /eave lor Caswell Sound. Withdrawals from the field will take place as the individual groups complete their work. The first group is expected to leave on March 26. Vvnen tne scientists arrive they will be aole to take advantage of nearly two months of arduous preparatory work carried out by the camp staff under the direction of Mr R. V. McKane, of the State Forest Service, and of Colonel John K. Howard, of the Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology. It was largely because of the enthusiams and interest of Colonel Howard that the expedition was organised and he has also played an active part in planning and setting ud the field establishments. The beach-head camp is at the head of Caswell Sound. This is the main stores depot. Another depot is sited on Lake Marchant. Between the two lies about a mile and a half of hard tramping, followed by' a boat journey up the Stillwater River to the base camp. A staging camp, equipped with one tent and a tent fly, and a similarly small advanced working camp, have been established at convenient distances apart further up the Stillwater. A second advanced working camp is in the Leslie Clearing, Expectation Creek, and to the north of the base camp. Another very small camp for advanced observation is planned for the Henry Saddle, midway between George Sound and the Middle Fiord of Lake Te Anau. It will be at a height of 2700 feet. Use may also be macle of the Hankinson Hut at the head of Lake Hankinson on the Henry Track. Yet another established camp at George Sound is at present occupied by a party ot surveyors from the Land and Survey Department. , x .... The expedition has a post office and radio telegraph station, Z.L.K.C., the base camp, and it is possible for it to contact the Awarua radio station at any time. A special franking stamp has been provided for the post office, whicn handles both ingoing and outgoing mail on each of the alerts, fortnightly visits.