MAWSON'S EXPEDITION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 649, 7 March 1914, Page 5

MAWSON'S EXPEDITION.

o SOUTHERN DISCOVERIES. THEIR COMMERCIAL VALUE. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright Melbourne, Friday. Dr Mawson, speaking at a welcome, said that the expedition brought back several tons of rock and mineral specimens, three or four hundred birdskins, and a number of mammals of the seal type. He obtained indications that a large area of coal existed, and at present could not estimate the commercial value of the new lands, but they might havn much and it was only right that Australia should have the lands, aB the Australian and British expeditions accomplished practically all the work done there. He stated that he made exclusive arrangements with the London paper; for his main narrative. He however, supplied certain news to the Australian papers, and, as a result, his whole contract with London had been cancellpd. Mr Hurley, photographer of the expedition, gives an interesting description of Mackellar Islands, a group a few miles north of Maws ma main base. The group is a great breeding ground for seals, rare gulls, petrels, and penguins. It Jb estimated that 150,000 Adelie penguins were breeding in the Group at the time of the V[sit. A sum of £IO,OOO is still needed, said Professor Masson, of Melbourne University, to solve all the financial problems of the Mawson expedition. The Commonwealth"s grant of £SOOO had helped to smooth away financial difficulties. He expects to reailse large sums from the sale of pictures as well as the Aurora. So far there was no occasion to be otherwise than cheerful on the question of money.