MAWSON EXPEDITION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8365, 27 February 1913, Page 7

MAWSON EXPEDITION

MESSAGE TO THE KING LARGE AREA OF NEWLY-DISCOV-ERED LAND. MELBOURNE, February 26. Lord Denman, tho Governor-General, has received a wireless message from Dr Mawson. It came from the Commonwealth Bay winter quarters of the expedition, via Maoquano and Hobart, and reads: “Tho sledging season was successful in opening up a large area of new land east and west of Commonwealth Bay, and obtaining important data at a number of the stations in close proximity to the magnetic pole. Probably six of the staff and myself will be detained hero for, another year. Unfortunately Lieutenant Ninnis and Dr Mortz both lost their lives. Ail the others are alive and well. Please communicate the following message to King George; As leader of the Australasian Antarctic expedition, 1 take the opportunity of the first regular wireless communication between our main Antarctic base and other portions of your Majesty’s Dominions, to request permission to name a large area of newly-discovered land “King George V. Land.” It lies between Victoria Land and Adelie Land. Our most willing efforts have been concentrated upon ft. Lord Denman despatched the message to the King, and replied to Dr Mawson, deploring the calamity that had befallen the expedition. EXCELLENT WINTER HUT. NO NEWS OF MR WILD’S PARTY. SYDNEY, February 26. Professor. David says that no apprehension need be felt for Dr Mawson’s party while wintering, since they have an excellent hut. Polar expeditions of this kind always land one year’s more food than they are likely to require, m order to provide for contingencies. The word “probably” in the message implies that there is still a good chance of the Aurora being able to bring Mawson and party off on her return voyage from Mr Wild’s base. Any way, the return of the Aurora to Australia will probably be a little later than was anticipated, as it may be delayed in attempting to reach land again' at Dr Mawson’s winter quarters. Professor David adds: ‘ ‘lt has not been possible to obtain any news of Wild's party. Mr Wild is a very able leader. Ho was Shaokloton’s nght-bn-Tiff man during the dash for the pole. Wild’s party totals eight. Mawson’s (including Ninnis and Mortz) eighteen. Five others remained at Macquarie Island,” LIEUTENANT NINNIS’S FATHER. (Received February 26, 9.45 p Jn.) ■ LONDON, February 26. Lieutenant Ninnis’s father was the naturalist of the South . Australian surveying expedition of 1864 to the Northern Territory. He was also a member of Nares’ Arctic expedition of 1875.

UNIVERSAL REGRET FOR DEATHS. (Received February 26. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 26. “The Times” says that there is finiversal regret for the deaths of Lieutenant Ninnis and Dr Mertz, whoso Work, was interlocked with the very raison d’etre of the expedition. A PROFESSOR’S SPECULATIONS, t (Received February 26, 10.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, February 26. Professor Masson considers the information from Dr Mawson so meagre that one could only guess as to what had happened. Dr Mawsou’s words ‘ ‘unavoidably detained’ ’ may mean that Dr Mawson finds, work to do and that it must bo done, or that ho and his companions were not on the spot when the Aurora called to pick them up, and that the vessel had to push on to get to Mr Wild’s party. If Dr Mawsqn’s party was missed in this way, possibly the Aurora may return for them. Dr Mertz was a Swiss export on skis, and Dr Mawson depended on him to teach tho others to ski, DOCTOR MAWSON’S PARTY. AN ENTHUSIASTIC SEND-OFF. Tho steamer Aurora, with Dr Mawson’s first party, comprising Dr Mawson, Messrs Wild, Hannam, .Webb, Harrison, Kennedy, Thirloy, Bickerton, Ninnis, Watson, Madigan, Ainsworth, Hodgman, and Maclean on board, left Hobart on the afternoon of December 2nd, 1911, for the Antarctic via Macquarie Island. The Toroa left on the following Thursday afternoon with the following members of Dr. Mawson’s expedition on board, with the intention of meeting the Aurora at Macquarie Island: Messrs Corell, Stillwell, Hoadiey, Dage, Blake, Hunter, Lasseron, Bondell, Close, Hamilton, Sawyer, Moyes, Dovers, Murphy, Drs. Whetter, Jones, and Mertz. Mr Eitel, secretary ot the expedition, also went as far as Macquarie Island. The Toroa took 140 tons of coal and stores, including 50 sheep and other articles, partly for Macquarie Island, and partly to be transferred to the Aurora.