The Hawera Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1924 EVEREST.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 July 1924, Page 6

The Hawera Star.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1924 EVEREST.

Delivered every evening by S o’clock in Hawerb, Manaia, Okaiawa, Eltham] Mangatfki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, WLakamara, Obangai, Meremere, Eraser Hoad, and Ararat*.

It •is human nature to desire those things which are the most difficult to obtain, and man will always.strive, as he has striven in the centuries that have passed* to reach the goal of his ambition. Some desire to fly round the world, others to reach one of the poles, others to walk round the world, others to climb earth’s highest mountains, others to‘unravel the mysteries of the universe through i.hc releseope or the microscope, and so on. Man’s ambition leads him to attempt to achieve something which no one before him has achieved. It may be thought by some people that the efforts made to reach the poles, to fly round the world, or to climb the highest mountains are worthless, and that- they im olve risks which are in. the nature of “tempting Providence.” Yet, without ambitions of this 'and a similar nature mankind would not have advanced nearly as rapidly as has been the case. The numerous roving spirits of past centuries were considered by many of the people as madmen who would lose their lives upon worthless efforts to reach unknown lands, but we know that it is to the dauntless spirit, and ambitions of the explorers that the world owes a great deal. They undertook great risks and faced severe hardships which they could have avoided by staying at home, but few* people to-day would say that their efforts were worthless. Some of the explorers failed to reach their goal and sacrificed their lives in vain, but human sacrifice invariably brings good to the world, for it is the example set by the explorer and pioneer that encourages the people who come after them' to live up to the traditions and to emulate their noble deeds. One thinks of the story of Captain Scott and the brave manner in which he and his associates faced certain death and refused to cut short their lives, though they had at hand the means for doing so had they washed to put aii end to their sufferings. Mount Everest has for long been looked upon as one of the few places on the earth’s surface still unconquered, and the expedition which has recently expended its energies and failed by the narrow margin of only six hundred feet was splendidly equipped. Every assistance which science could suggest was provided, and with the knowledge gained from the unsuccessful efforts of the previous expedition it wagj thought that this year’s attempt would enable man to make a new conquest. The cable messages reporting the doings of the gallant band give an indication of the great difficulties encountered; and when one learns of the extremely slow progress after passing an altitude of 27,500 feet, one realises how keen must be the climbers who continued to climb for about a thousand feet more. After 28,000 feet had been climbed it took Colonel Norton an hour to rise about eight feet! It is no wonder that finally the climbers decided that “the game was up” and that they “were beaten in a fair fight” by the height of the mountain and shortness of breath. Tt must have been exceedingly disappointing to be so near and yet so far from the goal of their ambition, especially alter two of the party had reached about the same level and unfortunately last their lives, but the failure wilt not mean that no further attempts will. be made, for explorers will not rest until even Everest and the rarefied atmosphere of its high levels have been conquered and men stand on the “top of the world.” The defeat of the expedition will no doubt act as an incentive to men to make further preparations at a later date, and to bring into them the new knowledge which has been gained on this occasion. Apart from the new lands which the expeditions have passed through on the long journey to Everest, it is not unlikely that scientific information has been gained which may prove of great value to mankind.