ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13915, 28 May 1909, Page 5

ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

ITALIAN GOLD MEDAL. Press Association-Bv Telegraph-Copyright " ROME, May The Italian Geographical -Society confers the highest gold medal on Lieutenant Sliackleton. POST OFFICE AT THE POLE. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON; May 27. Lieutenant - Shackleton, in his- capacity of postmaster, has addressed report to the Postmaster General. He say's 'that; ; the first mail taken, down contained some 800 letters addressed to non-existent persons, simply for • the purpose of getting them returned. They were addressed to albatrosses, penguins, seals, John Frost, - Mr--Ice-berg, and so, on. Lieutenant Shackleton, with dry humour, reports that the letters for the penguins were duly delivered. to the surprise of these interesting birds. "Their method of disposing of their correspondence," he says, "I did not- follow." The seals also received their letters. The letters addressed to icebergs and so forth were also delivered. The total of the mail was 1510 letters, and by. the Nimrod on -lifer return 550 were despatched from. King Edward VII'. Land. He open eel branch post.. office in K .o south, on January 7th ,1908 (P1009). Photos are to be sent of the post office first opened. In all some 2000 letters passed through his hands, and the bulk of the stamps were sold to ins company. v ,"' '