MAWSON'S EXPEDITION

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1930, Page 3

MAWSON'S EXPEDITION

NEW ZEALANDERS RETURN

AUCKLAND, April 15

Rack from the pack ice and the rigours of the frozen. South, Mr R. A.* Falla, of Auckland, and Mr R. G. Simmers, of Wellington, two New Zealanders chosen to accompany the Mawson Antarctic Expedition, a,re impressed with the success of the venture. They returned to Auckland by the Ulimaroa from Sydney this morning, and had ain interesting story‘ to tell of bird lifo and conditions that obtain on the newly-discovered . MeRobertson Land, named after .Mr McPherson Robertson, of Australia, who gave £IO,OOO towards the cost of the expedition. “The expedition was very successful, having achieved what it set out to do,” declared Mr Falla, who was ornithologist on the Discovery. The scientific work carried out was principally confined to oceanographic research, and investigations of this description were made over the whole course of the - Discovery from Gape Town to Adelaide. We sailed from Cape Town in October last and- worked P. 500 miles to the west of Commander Byrd, in the sector lying south between South Africa and .Australia. Twelve thousand miles were covered by the expedition, and this included 2000 miles of- tracking among, or near pack ice. ' Spring and autumn work was done in the groups of sub-Antarc-tic islands lying pout-li of the Indian Ocean, the Crozits;,' Kerguelen, and Herd Islands.

“Bird life in the «”b-Antarcfie' is rich and varied,” said Mr Falla, “and innumerable nengpins and petrels., were to lie semi. There is a small range of bird life in the Antarctic itself, the birds deriving their food entirely fren the sea. There is. also a fine whaling area just off Enderby Land, which was approached from the cast by NorVegians for the first time this season.” . Mr Simmers, who was meteorologist with the expedition and is attached. to the Meteorological Department in Wellington, said that observations were made such as would be carried out in a, first-class observatory. Special instruments tfeVe necessary to counteract the rolling of the shin. Mid the Discovery knew how to roil. The weather in the Antarctic on tie whole was surprisingly good. Deoeniber was the most unfavourable month, strong winds, •■- heavy _ snow, and poor visibility being experienced. January was an excellent month and counter-balanced an; disadvantages that attended the weather of the latter part of the year.