SIR. HUBERT WILKINS.

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 13 April 1934, Page 4

SIR. HUBERT WILKINS.

(To the Editor). Sir, —In 1919 Captain J. H. Wilkins, M. 0., now Sir Hubert Wilkins, who had served as Second in Command and Chief Scientist with the Stefanssen’s party of the Canadian Arctic Expedition, wa« appointed Chief of Scientific and Aeronautical Staff to the British Imperial Antarctic Expedition. That expedition - had as its objective the fullest use of aerial survey for mapping the Antarctic, a. jiolar flight, and a circum-navigation voyage lasting four or five years—wireless time signals were to make possible the accurate charting of surveys ,the gyroscopic compass was to add to o*ur knowledge of magnetic conditions—in fact, a fairly thorough geographical and geological survey was to make the fullesi use of every modern aid in the work of linking up the exploration s of Scott, Shackleton, Mawson and other deservedly famous explorers. Working out the detailed plans, preparing ship with oil engines, gathering equipment and apparatus and raising funds was strenuous work, extending over some 18 months, but the £75,000 subscribed was only half the sum required, and the expedition, as planned, had to ho abandoned., We, as a nation, have always been- willing to spend millions on dreadnoughts and halt-starved research.

One’s feelings were somewhat “mixed'’ to find practically the whole o’’ the scheme fitting in nicely with the work -of Byrd’s last and present expedition ; also, the fact that the expedition under Wilkes in 1839 had been America’s last contribution to Antarctic exploration for 90 years, has inclined the early personnel of the British Imperial Antarctic Expedition to the feling that effort in some sector other than that opened up mainly by British endeavour would have been a more fitting American contribution to Antarctic work.

Since 1920 Wilkins has pioneered that new phase of polar exploration—aerial survey—and has steadily carried out a programme of Antarctic work which lias for its object the establishment of a chain of meteorological stations all round the Antarctic continent. He has done wonderful work in the Arctic also—solid work with a minimum of the spectacular describes the man. It was indeed a pleasure to hear of his well won knighthood .and his work lias naturally been followed with keenest interest by myself as his colleague in British Imperial Antarctic Expedition days. He is to lecture and show his films here on Saturday and will, I feel sure, be honoured with a very real interest in his achievements.—l am, efc., A. 11. LARK MAN.