LATER NEWS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17569, 20 June 1925, Page 9

LATER NEWS

OF AMUNDSEN’S PARTY. GOO NEGATIVES ON THE WAY. Australian and N.Z. cable Associativa (Received June 20. 2.53 p.m.) LONDON, June 19. A copyright wireless from the Heimdal on June 19, says: —“We are slowly getting to know the full facts of the returned airmen's three weeks’ adventure. When the whole expedition once again met last night, they declared that the most thrilling moment was when a start was made on the homeward flight. It was a very anxious time, in r it the machine haa been damaged in starting they wouid have found themselves in a most critical situation, and with a minimum of equipment it would have been practically hopeless to reach land across the ice.’’ The airmen refuse to admit that they were disappointed at not reaching the Pole. ’’Although we all hoped tu reach the Poie as the crown to our ct forts,” they said, ”stiii we are satisfi-:i with the scientific result. We have observed 160,000 square kilometres of a hitherto unexpioreci section of the Norwegian part ot tne Arctic, and we took observations at the landing'place.” Amundsen states tnat he luliy concurs with this view. W hue a meal was being prepared the airmen suddenly espied the sealer bjoeiiv. as a matter oi lact, tne Hobb” haa ueen at tne same spot only hours previously. An were prepared to find the plane m bad condition, as it had suffered seriously while locked in the ice, but it was quite ntted for dying. Omdal brought with him a Siocliv biscuit tin witn six hundred negatives which will show the superhuman worx carried out by the explorers in trying to clear a starting ptace. They used th_ most primitive tools, including tiuv anchors, ice anchors and knives at the end of ski staves. (EARLIER MESSAGES APPEAR ON PAGE 2).