ADMIRAL BYRD’S DEPARTURE

Otago Witness, Issue 3972, 29 April 1930, Page 5

ADMIRAL BYRD’S DEPARTURE

WEDNESDAY’S FUNCTIONS. The final preparations for his departure on the long homeward journey were made on Wednesday by Rear-admiral Byrd. HARBOUR BOARDS FAREWELL. Several members of the Otago Harbour Board called upon Admiral Byrd on Wednesday morning to bid him farewell. Mr H. E. Moller, after apologising for the absence of the chairman (Mr W. Gow), said the board greatly appreciated all that had been done for Dunedin and the Dominion by the expedition. It had been a pleasure to do what was possible to help the expedition with its mission. It was considered something of an achievement to have had Otago used as the land base, and he was sure that when the admiral returned to the United States the Otago Harbour would not soon be forgotten. The board would like him to accept a small memento of his stay in Dunedin, and, in conclusion, Mr Moller wished Admiral Byrd a pleasant voyage home. Mr J. M‘C. Dickson and Mr J. Loudon also joined in wishing the leader of the expedition all future success, and Mr J. H. Duncan, speaking as the New Zealand manager of the expedition, and not as a member of the Harbour Board, said there was no doubt that the board had done excellent work. The Harbour Board had made contributions to the work of the expedition at a cost of several thousands of pounds, and every credit was due to the board for its services. Mr W. J. Bardsley said the board had done its utmost to help the affairs of the expedition. It appreciated the fact that Admiral Byrd had made Dunedin his base, and he was sure that it would have a considerable influence upon the knowledge of New Zealand in America. He referred to the high standard of Admiral Byrd’s efficiency as an organiser in that he had been able in his Arctic, Atlantic, and Antarctic exploits to carry each project through without losing a man. He hoped that it would be possible for the admiral to achieve even further successes in the future.

Admiral Byrd, replying, said New’ Zealand had done great and useful work for the expedition, and no body had done more than the Otago Harbour Board. He had often thought, while in the Antarctic, of the valuable help rendered by the Harbour Board, and he had decided to carry with him on his flight over the pole the pilken American flag intended for presentation to the Harbour Board. Tn explaining his regret that the flag was so pmall, Admiral Byrd said that on such a flight weight had to have the most careful consideration. He went on to gpeak of his North Pole flight, when even food had to be abandoned to keep the weight of the machine as low as possible. In conclusion, he assured the members of the board that he would never forget them and he invited them to communicate with him from time to time. The following inscription was on the card which accompanied the gift flag: ff It gives me great pleasure to present to you this American flag which we carried with us over the South Pole in our plane, the Floyd Bennet, November 29. 1929. It is to show you that we were thinking of the Otago Harbour Board.” Admiral Byrd also presented the board with a photograph of himself with the following inscription: “To chairman and members of the Otago Harbour Board, who have done such inestimable things for our expedition. Kindest regards. R. E. Byrd.” The gift which •will be sent to Admiral Byrd from the board will be a framed photograph of the board members and several views of the Otago Harbour. Mr A. H. Allen, president of the Chamber of Commerce, also called upon Admiral Byrd on Wednesday to say farewell on behalf of the local commercial interests, terests.

The remainder of the day was occupied with expedition business. Yesterday morning Admiral Byrd was photographed with the Mayor (Mr R. S. Black) outside the Town Hall. FAREWELL DINNER.

In the evening Admiral Byrd entertained the Mayor, Messrs H. L. Tapley, A. A. Paape, J. H. Duncan, H. E. Moller, W. J. Bardsley, Colin Tapley, Dr V. E. Galway, and Lieutenant Berkner at dinner at the Grand Hotel, These had been his business associates and most intimate friends in Dunedin. Several of the guests referred to the great advertisement that the Byrd expedition had given New Zealand, and appreciative reference was made to the manner in which Admiral Byrd had always striven to foster goodwill between the American nation and the people of New. Zealand. All the speakers said that Admiral Byrd had. in their opinion, been America’s Greatest ambassador to New Zealand. The inner had been a very happy function, and they were all regretful that the occasion signalised the departure of Admiral Byrd from Dunedin. ENTERTAINED BY MAYOR. At 9 p.m. Admiral Byrd was entertained at the Town Hall by the Mayor. In the course of a short address, the Mayor said that there prevailed at one time in England a custom arising out of the feudal period of history, to create freemen or burgesses. That procedure had long since given place to a more enlightened practice, but, in a modified way, the old tradition still prevailed, and was sometimes exercised by conferring the freedom of the city on men of distinction whom it was desired to honour. If that procedure were in force in New Zealand to-day it -would be not only the duty, but the sincere desire, of everyone to extend that honour to Rearadmiral Byrd. In the place, however, of according the freedom of the city to their honoured visitors, they extended a civic reception that might be regarded as the Dominion equivalent to the granting of the freedom of the city. It breathed the sentiment of appreciation; it expressed their welcome and their great pleasure in having amongst them the person so honoured. They had already done that in respect of Rear-admiral Byrd, and that night they gathered to bid him a formal farewell. In his opinion. Admiral Byrd had none more than anyone else to remove any wrong impression which existed in New Zea-

land with regard to America and the Americans. It was unfortunate that these impressions should ever have existed, but if the people of the Dominion had been in contact with Americans of the calibre of Admiral Byrd they should never ha»e received these impressions. Admiral Byrd had been as great an ambassador from America as the Prince of Wales had been from Great Britain.

The Mayor’ then presented Admiral Byrd with a greenstone tiki set in silver, and suitably inscribed, and explained that the tiki was a symbol of the good luck which every Dunedin citizen heartily wished him. He also handed to Admiral Byrd a set of teaspoons, with greenstone handles, for Mrs Byrd. Sir Charles Statham also bade farewell to Admiral Byrd, and explained the Maori traditions in connection with the tiki. Ct J. J. Clark also spoke.

Mr A. H. Allen, president of the Chamber of Commerce, referred to the cordial relationship that existed between the two nations, and trusted that Admiral Byrd would live long in the memory of the people of New Zealand as the most notable ambassador that America had ever had.

Mr G. J. Errington, president of the Otago Expansion League, added his good wishes to those of the previous speakers. Admiral Byrd, in reply, first of all paid a high compliment to the Otago Harbour Board, and expressed his gratitude to that body for the assistance it had given the expedition. He wished also to thank especially Messrs H. L. Tapley and J. H. Dunean, who had done wonderful things for the expedition—things that really were more than could have been expected from any men or organisation in the United States. He also acknowledged with deep gratitude the co-operation of the Mayor of Dunedin and expressed appreciation of the New Zealanders who had taken their place in the crews of the expedition’s ships and who, although mostly volunteers, had performed wonderful work. In concluding, he could only say that, surely, the Lord had been good to him when it had come to his mind to choose Dunedin for headquarters for the expedition. He hoped that he would again be back in the Antarctic in about two years’ time, and, if that were so, Dunedin would certainly be chosen again as his headquarters; he was afraid, however, that Messrs Tapley and Co. would not again volunteer to be his agents—they would be “ fed up.” He emphatically believed in a close relationship between the two great Eng-lish-speaking nations—Great Britain ancl America —for the peace of the world undoubtedly lay in their hands. This was a fact that he had always kept before him in his work. He only wished that the people of America could know the New Zealand citizens as he knew them, for that would be a great factor in drawing the two countries together. The gathering was brought to a conclusion by the singing of “ Will Ye No’ Come Back Again ” and “Auld Lang Syne.”