THE FROZEN SOUTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22030, 9 February 1935, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE FROZEN SOUTH

POSSIBLE SETTLEMENTS The prospects of settlement in the Antarctic! regions were touched upon by Dr. Douglas Mawson in his recent presidential address to the congress in Melbourne, of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science. M There - would be no difficulty in establishing land settlement at a few favoured spots along the coast, provided that commercial developments could offer sufficient inducements," said Sir Pouglas. " Thus, should reason* ably rich mineral deposits be discovered in accessible localities, there need be no delay in working them. " Another feature of soma sections of the Antarctic coastline which may in time be turned to account is the continuous gales of wind, year in, year out, descending from the ice plateau of the hinterland. We found the north-ward-moving air along the coast of Adelie Land to have an average velocity of about 50 miles an hour. To have to live in such a climate is, of course, a most unenviable lot, but those of us who have done so have not failed to be impressed with the vast amount of energy represented by those air currents, and available to man. It is, of course, a secondary form of solar energy, but so disposed as to be easily convertible to electricity. " Owing to the high velocity of those winds it would be impossible, by only a limited installation of staunchly-con-structed wind generators, to harness a considerable amount of energy. In the present state of electrical science, such power could be exported as current, but it might be converted to saleable commodities. Some day, therefore, there may bo thus produced for export, products of atmospheric nitrogen and similar power-consuming manufactures,

" I visualise, that before long operations will be conducted from Australia and New Zealand into the southern regions, much after the plan of the Hudson's Bay Company. There will bo isolated shore posts, where a few individuals will reside tho year round, collecting seal products and penguin eggs, as well as fish products of various kinds.

" Opportunity might also be taken to breed Arctic white foxes, for which the climate should be suitable, and for which an abundance of meat should be available from seal and penguin carcasses. Such fur-farming, both from the sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctica mainland, is sure to develop sooner or later, primarily because of the abundance of suitable food available at no coßt whatever. The shore stations would bo linked with whaling operations, , " The whaling craft, in addition to obtaining cargoes of whale products, would make it their business annually to visit the shore stations, bringing stores and transporting the trade to market. Such a system of exploitation should not be long delayed. These Antarotio territories are important, and our respective Governments should take the necessary steps to preserve and develop this inheritance."