THE AURORA EXPEDITION

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 944, 19 February 1917, Page 11

THE AURORA EXPEDITION

CAPT. DAVIS IN CHRISTCHURCH. CIVIC RECEPTION TO-DAY. Al noon to-day a civic reception was tendered at the City Council Chambers to Captain Davis, of the Aurora. Among those present were Mrs 11. R. Smith, and Messrs J. J. Kinsey, C. J. Williams, IT. R. Smith, J. A. Flesher, E. Cuthbert, I-:. Stark, E. Nordon, A. Bovle, C. 11. Gilby, A. F. Carey, R. C. Bishop, A. i). Dohson, J. J. Dougall, and the Rev. J. Cocker, Crs W. H. Cooper, J. Reynolds, J. McCullough, J. B. Hay ward, and D. G. Sullivan.

His Worship the Mayor said that ■ it was only by chance that he had ! discovered that Captain Davis was iin the city. R was the desire of all i of them that there should be no forj mality about the proceedings. The people of Christchurch had always | taken a very keen intenest in the I work of the various expeditions that ihad set forth for the Antarctic, and I they would all remember the shock I they received when the news came Jot" the death of those gallant heroes, the statue of whose leader, Captain Scott, now confronted them. Captain Davis had been given command of the Aurora in the relief expedition to rescue the marooned men of Sir E. Shackleton's parly. He had had complete authority over the expedition and all those taking part in it, whether on board the Aurora or otherwise. Captain Davis had rendered great service to the various expeditions, being chief oiliccr of the Nimrod during Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition, 1907 to 1910. He was also commander of the Aurora during Mawson's expedition, and his conspicuous and meritorious work on these occasions won.for him a special award from the Royal Geographical Society, and he had also been awarded two Polar medals by the British Government. He had very great pleasure indeed in warmly welcoming Captain Davis to Christchurch. Mr A. Boyle, president of the Navy League, said that not only Christchurch, but Britain as a whole, was proud of Captain Davis. (Applause.) Dr Thacker said that Captain Davis had told him that he regarded Christchurch as his home, and they were proud of that. (Applause.) Captain Davis was received with continued applause on rising to respond. He thanked them for the kind reception they had tendered him as representative of the expedition. He had only come down to Christchurch to' see Mr Kinsey on business in connection with the expedition. Mr Kinsey was the father of these expeditions, and they owed him a great debt of gratitude for all he had done. He had been greatly relieved on arriving in New Zealand to find that the arrangements for the expedition were in the hands of Mr Kinsey. The expedition had been well treated by the New Zealand anil Australian Governments, who had provided everything required, and when they had everything they required it was easy enough to accomplish what they had set forth to do. lie had under him a splendid body of | officers, and be would like to say how much they appreciated the verygreat kindness that had been shown them by the people of Christchurch and New Zealand. They had been j treated kindly before they went, audi since they had come back they had! been absolutely spoiled. (Laughter.) I He had been very much disappointed j when he received their kind invitation to be present at the unveiling of the statue of Captain Scott. His reason for not coming was not because | he wouldn't, but because he was', under orders lo proceed to Welling-1 ton, and a sailor's first duty was to j obey orders. Captain Davis coneluded with again expressing his ap-1 preciation of the great kindness j shown him and the members of the expedition by the people of Christ-] church, a kindness which he would j remember when he went back to the j transport service. (Applause.) i