ARCTIC EXPLORER.

Northern Advocate, 22 August 1924, Page 6

ARCTIC EXPLORER.

STEFANSSON ARRIVES. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. The Arctic explorer, Dr. Stefansson, arrived this week at AVellington from Australia. In an interview ho detais plans for his visit to New Zealand next year, for a dual course of studying the effect of climate on human beings, and the habits of the moose and wapiti. Tall, sturdy, erect, of spare build, like an outback Australian, and looking ten years younger than his life span of 45 years, the well-known Arctic explorer, Dr. A'ilhjalniur Stefansson, came ashore, says the "Do.minion," to spend a day and a half here, prior to continuing his journey by the Tahiti to Canada, and what he terms his "technical" residence in Saskatchewan, not far from his birthplace in Manitoba. Unmarried, he lives there witli his mother and sisters. "I live chiefly in hotels and clubs, as well as remote little corners of the earth," he said simply, by way of explanation. "This is my first visit to New Zealand," said Dr. Stefansson. "I had planned to make my stay just now, but have regretfully been obliged to postpone the pleasure until next year. f contracted with a lecture manager to give thirty lectures in 'Australia and New Zealand, on his estimate that that number of lectures would about reach the limit of public inteiest. I had allocated four each to Melbourne and Sydney, and two each, in the other Australian capitals, and the main centres in New Zealand. It turned out that, instead of giving four in Melbourne, I had to give eighteen instead of two in Adelaide I gave ten, and used up all the time at my disposal. I have another book with the publishers, and am hurrying home to sec it through the Press. Then I have an American lecturing tour until next year's tour abroad."

"My tour of next year will ho a world-wide tonr. I leave America io lecture before the TJoyal Geographical

Society in England in February or March. From there Igo to South Africa, lecturing in the chief cities, thence to Perth. I shall spend another couple of months in the interior of Australia, and expect to reach New Zealand about September, giving a> many lectures as there is a demand for. I will stay here as long as I can. reaching home in Canada about Christmas. Asked ir there were any features of the physical configuration of New Zealand in which, he -was specially interested, Dr. Stefansson answered at once:—''Yes, 1 am specially interested in the South Island, to visit the wapiti and moose country. The lati . President Roosevelt, who liberated them in New Zealand, was a friend of mine, and often spoke to me of his interest in No'v Zealand, and Hie prospects of the wapiti here. His sons are all goo;] friends of mine, and I think one of them. Kernot, is the most likely to pay a visit to New Zealand in search of Hit , wapiti an<l nioo.-ie. "I am interested also in the habifability of New Zealand, from an agricultural and iTmuitic point of view," added the explorer, who proceeded !o discuss one fif his favourite studies, the effect of climate on the human race.