RETRENCHMENT AND THE SOUTH POLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7048, 9 February 1910, Page 5

RETRENCHMENT AND THE SOUTH POLE

(To the Editor " X.Z, Times/*) Sir,—lt surely is not seriously suggested that Pr J. M. Bell is to go as one of the South Polar expedition. It is difficult to trace the origin of the oftrciterated statement that Pr Bell is to go. It may or may not bo inspired. What, however, concerns the taxpayers of this Dominion is; What is to become of the geological survey during the absence of the Director?

It may be pointed out that it is only a’ little over a year since Pr Bell returned from a six months’ holiday tour ■of Pie world.

It is open to question whether the Geological Department serves any useful purpose, and at a crisis such as we have just passed through in connection with our Civil Service, and the ncccs-

slty which forced upon the Ministry the painful duty of discharging many deserving and faithful servants of this country, it has more than onoe occurred to tho writer that in the case of this particular department the whole of it could have boon swept away, and a groat saving effected, with little or no inconvenience or loss to tho public. Tlio geology of New Zealand has already boon very completely done, thanks to the arduous labours of the late Sir James Hector, the late Dr Von Haast, aud tho well-known Mi* McKay. In the opinion of many well able to judge, there have been no results from the great expenditure that has taken place during tho past few years. In Westland alone, it is alleged there has been upwards of .£IO,OOO expended during the last four years on geological survey, to make no mention of what has been expended in other ports of the Dominion. The question now arises: What have wo got for our money? Quite a lot of printers' ink, it must bo admitted, but have wo anything else to show? To hark back again to the text, if it is really proposed to permit Dr Bell to go with tho South Polo expedition, would it not be an opportune time to consider whether there is any justification for any further expend!taro on geological survey?—l am, etc., CTGLOBa Wellington, February 5. • ■