N.Z. NOT IN RACE

Chronicle (Levin), 30 December 1946, Page 5

N.Z. NOT IN RACE

-Press Association

Antarctic Expedition Likely Next Year research station probable

Bv Telegravh -

, 'WELLINGTON, Dec. 28. The Goveriiment hatl tio desire to send any expedition to Ihe An-, tarctic' ahead oi: that lcd ..by Ad-; miral Richard E. Byrd for tho pur pose of asserting any sovereigu rights in the Ross Dependency, said the Pi'ime Minister (Mr. Eraser) today. lie announced, however, that a departmenlal committee was investigating thc practicability of establishiug a permanent seientific station iu thc. Ross Dependency^ and that tho disuatch of an exDedition to thc

Antarctic for that purpose hext year would he decidcd when thc committee had complctcd its examination of the factors involved and had submittcd its report. Mr. Fraser also mentioned the possibility- of New Zealand co-operat-ing with the United Kingdom and Australia on an intevnational plaii of polar research. The purpose of the proposed seientific station would be to l'urther investigations into Antarctic mcteorological, geophysical, fisheries research, and other scienti.fii* problems, all of which wei'e oi practical importance to New Zealand, said Mr. Fraser. Although it had been hoped to extend the seientific work of thc Antarctic for some time the war had ,made it impossible to put plans into efl'ect. The development of new types of equipment during the war had lo a verv considerable extent broken down the barriers, the result of tlie rigorous climatic condilions, which always had to be faced in tlie establish ment of scientilic posts in the Ant-

arctic. It was also hoped to cooperate witli the United Kingdom and Australia in furtlierance of.au international plan of polar research, the details of which had been and were still undor dis cussion. The Prime Minister said that he wished to stress that there was no desire on the part of the New Zealand Government to send any expedition to the Antarctic ahead ot that already commanded by Admiral Byrd for the pnrpose of asserting any sovereign rights in the Ross Be pendency. The days of rushes to the Pole closed with the end of the heroic period of discovery 30 years ago. The task that- faceil us now was to make good the rights whicii qxplorers won and to erown discovery with patient, long-lerm research and development. The Americans were as welcoine m peacetime to enter and fly over New Zealand territory as they were in war time. New Zealand would be glad to alford any possible facilities and thc Government was quite sure that oui rights in that area, which had beer. under New Zealand juriscliction and ad ministration since 1923, would »be respected by all those who miglit be engaged in Antarctic expeditions. New Zealand did not wish to displa\ a dog-in-the-mangcr altitmle in Ihe period of international c.ooperation timi was before us. Once New Zealand 's Antarctif scientilic liase was established and cquippcd scientists from other couu tries would 1)0 welcome to join our own scientists in work for tho good of all.