NEW ZEALAND'S FIORDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20244, 2 May 1929, Page 14

NEW ZEALAND'S FIORDS.

THE COMMERCIAL-ASPECT. SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON'S VIEWS [from our own correspondent.] LONDON, March 27. Sir Douglas Ma wson, who is in (England i:n connection with the Commonwealth Antarctic expedition, lectured this week tinder the auspices of • the Royal Geographical Society. The greater portion of his address had reference- to the sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic expeditions with which he has been connected, but, first of all, he spoke of the fiords of New Zealand.

Obviously, Dr. Douglas' sojourn in tha sounds on geological work' has made him an enthusiast for this remarkable part of the world. His collection of photographs and moving pictures • is * a very ■fine one, and a large audience at the Polytechnic Theatre " had .an opportunity not only of hearing of the marvels of fiordland, but also of seeing something of them through the medium of the cinema camera.

Sir Douglas devoted a few words to the economic aspect of the West Coast Sounds,. It was one of the most valuable parts of the British Etapire, he said., He mentioned his idea for tapping the high-level cold lakes by means of a tunnel through the mountains to" the sounds, thus releasing: untold tpower • .for;®hydroelectric installations. The greatest n ships alloat could come up to the water's edge and carry away whatever produce might be manufactured. He instanced the fixation of nitrogen as a possible industry. Further pictures illustrated; a number of the cold lakes, the MiLford track, and the various ■ glaciers; ; Moving pictures of some of the waterfalls were received with appreciative applause. Leaving New Zealand, the lecturer took his audiemce south to the Macquarie Islands, and afterwards to the Antarctic Continent, showing the life of the explorers, and, more interesting still, that of the seals, siea elephants, penguins, and other wild inhabitants of the Southern Seas.