RELIEF OF SHACKLETON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16231, 17 May 1916, Page 6

RELIEF OF SHACKLETON

SHIP FOR THE ROSS SEA* AURORA PROPOSED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright* MxLßorß>rE, May 16. The Acting-Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Pearce, announces, in connection -with the expedition to relieve Sir Ernest Shackleton, that the Commonwealth Government has cabled to the Imperial Government suggesting that the expedition to the Weddell Sea should start from South Africa, and that the party to relieve Captain Mcintosh and the others left ashore at Ross Sea should be entrusted to a local committee in the Commonwealth or New Zealand, and that the Aurora should be used for this expedition. (Received May 16. 10.25 p.m.) Melbourne, May 16. The Australian Government has informed the British and New Zealand authorities that it is prepared to assist in every possible "way with the Shackleton relief expeditions. It is that Sir Douglas Mawson is best able to advise on the scheme.' It is proposed that the crew of the Aurora should consist of five officers and twenty men, provisioned fop eighteen months. Mr. Massey stated last night that ba had been in communication with the Imperial Government regarding the proposed relief expedition. During the last day of two some cablegrams had been received; from the Acting-Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, but, like ail other official cablegrams, they were in code, and they had been sent to the responsible officer to be decoded. He had not seen any cablegrams' from Australia on the subject of the relief expedition, but he was, for the reason stated, not prepared to sajj that no cablegram had been received.