A ROYAL WELCOME.

Wairarapa Age, 11 March 1930, Page 5

A ROYAL WELCOME.

BYRD EXPEDITION RETURNS TO DUNEDIN. BATTERED SHIPS SALUTED AT OTAGO HEADS. ADMIRAL INTERVIEWED. DUNEDIN, March 10. After 453 days’ absence from civilisation, Admiral Byrd and the members of his expedition returned from the Frozen South to-day, their mission having been successfully completed. “Having been attended by good luck, we have accomplished all that we set out to do and perhaps a little more, ’ ’ said k Admiral Byrd. “We are mighty glad that we selected New Zealand Kas the base and we are mighty glad to get back. It would have M been impossible for any people to have treated us better or with ■ greater courtesy than the New Zealand people. The help they have given us has contributed to our success.” The polar Right was not any more Outstanding than the discovery of new land, comprising 280,000 square miles, Which he had named Marie Byrd Land, •aid Admiral Byrd. This territory lay to the eastward of the Ross Dependency. The claiming of land was not hie main concern. The expedition’s ■access had been in a way due to luck and largely owing to very unselfish work and attitude of the men. A royal welcome was given to the Admiral and his men. Although the weather was cold and wet, a fleet of tugs, ferry boats and mosquito boats .went as far as the Heads to welcome the returning ships, and when they entered the harbour discordant notes of greeting were piped from all parts of the bay. After her wretched trip to the Bay of Whales, the City of New York experienced fair weather back to New Zealand. For several days a piping gale was blowing and she reached Otago Harbour ahead of the Eleanor Bolling, which was hidden behind a black eloud of smoke. As the barque eame under the lee of the Peninsula, with all sail set, she showed marks of her buffeting. When she left on her final trip to the south she was a spick and span ship, but once again she is begrimed and battered. On that momentous trip to the Barrier, ice was lying a foot thick on the forecastle head. After the harbour had been (entered, an official party boarded the City of New York, ineluding the Hon. P. A de la Perreile, representing the Government, the Mayor (Mr. Black), the chairman of the Harbour Board ■(Mr. Gow), Captain Wren, of the Laburnum, representing the Royal Navy, and Mr. Tapley, agent for the Expedition. Admiral Byrd stated regarding the •planes left in the Antarctic, that arrangements had been made to have them returned to America, but there was no time to ship them, as there was * race against time in getting away. The Bay of Whales would have been frozen over in a day or two. “ When I •aw that the ice was not going out of the Bay of Whales, I was naturally concerned,” said the Admiral, “as it meant a very long haul of the cargo to the ships. The iee did not recede las it used to do and it indicated that we experienced a colder period than Amundsen had. Whether the bad condition was periodic or permanent, I am not prepared to say.” When the City of New York reached the wharf, about 2.45, she was greeted with a round of cheers from thousands lining the wharf. The Kaikorai Band ■truck up “The Star Spangled Banner,” Admiral Byrd standing at the salute at the head of the gangwav. THE NAVY’S GREETING.’ The following naval signal was despatched by an officer of H.M.S. Laburnum on behalf of Commander Hotham: “I have been asked by Commodore Blake, who commands the New Zealaiid Division of the Royal Navy, to offer you, your officers and crew the heartiest congratulations and a warm welcome on your return from the Antarctic after such a successful expedition. Polar exploration has always been a ■abject of interest to us in the Navy since the exploits of the late Captain Scott. It gives us great pleasure to feel that this expedition has been so successfully led by an officer of the Navy of the United States of America. The Commodore is unfortunately unable to be present jn person, and he has further asked me to express his regrets iat his unavoidable absence from the welcome to Rear-Admiral Byrd.”— KP.A.) CIVIC RECEPTION. DUNEDIN, March 10. This evening a civic reception was accorded to Admiral Byrd and his officers in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall by a large and enthusiastic gathering of citizens. The Mayor (Mr B! S. Black) welcomed the guests on behalf of the citizens. The Hon. P. A\ * de la Perreile, Minister of Internal Affairs, represented the Government, Bnd Commander Holtham (H.M.S. Laburnum), the Navy. Admiral Byrd and two companions replied.— (P.A.)