Cosmopolitan Party

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 504, 6 November 1928, Page 1

Cosmopolitan Party

many races included in BYRD EXPEDITION MOVIES’ IMPORTANT PART Press Association WELLINGTON, To-day. Besides Commander Byrd, members ot the party who arrived ' £a,y are jlessrs. K. G. Brophy. business manager, Bean Smith, Captain Alton M. Barker, of the United States Marine Court, Bernt Balchen, a Norwegian who has previously served with Commander Byrd, and Harold I. June, of the West Navy. All four are air pilots. Others are Lieut. Ralph Shropshire, assistant-navigator to the .scientific staff; Willard Wander Veer, a movie man; Bussell Owen, representative of the “New York Times,” die only newspaper man aboard; Kennard Bubier, of the U.ti. Mai-ine Court lmechanic 1 , Martin Bonne, who was a sailmaker with Amundsen on the tram, who will make all the tents, special clothes, etc.; Benjamin Both a U.S. Army mechanic; lipaminondas Uemas iwinch is only half his real surname), and Charles Lofgren, chief yeoman of the Li. 15. Navy, the secretary of the party. There are among the members of the expedition Jews. Greeks, Italians ,uid French. Nearly all are mechanics, .md some are engineers. There is also ,i fair sprinkling o? genuine "Yanks.'' j who are proud of the name. There is i liarclly a man in the party who could not turn his hand to another man’s job with a fair hope of success. Of uli the Army and Navy men aboard, however, only June is on leave, all the others having either retired or left to take part. In an interview, Commander Richard Byrd spoke of the scientific apparatus brought on the C. A. Larsen. The camera to be used takes automatic pictures.” he said, “and the whole will be made into maps. If the weather is right we can do that at so miles an hour, which, we think, will be a great ~ improvement over the old method.” A warm tribute to the spirit in which he had been met here was voiced by Commander Byrd. I greatly appreciate tire hospitality already extended on all sides.” he said. I greatly appreciate the Government sending its representatives out to me. jn fact, everybody has been so ready to meet us that we feel already that we are among friends and that we are welcome. I dare say New Zealand is more interested in the Antarctic than in any other place in the world.”

WELLINGTON’S WELCOME

INTEREST IN FLIGHT RIVALRY WITH WILKINS * Press Association WELLINGTON, Monday. Enthusiastic scenes were witnessed in the Wellington Town Hall this evening when Commander Richard Byrd and his party, who arrived to-day on their way to the Antarctic, were accorded a civic reception. The Mayor, Mr. G. Al Troup, said: “We want you to feel while you are with us that you are among friends. In you we are all especially interested, for we have been thrilled by your intrepid flight to the North Pole and later across the Atlantic from America to Europe. No individual in the world f ave yourself can be credited with ha.v - ing accomplished both of these daring tasks. (Applause.) Speaking on behalf of the Government, Sir Francis Bell said the race to Pole between Commander Byrd and 3ir Hubert Wilkins, the famous -Australian explorer, was nearly equal to that between Captain Scott and Amundsen I do not think I can fairly say I nope Commander Byrd will get there [; rst * added Sir Francis, amid laughter. ‘But J hope the best man *' lll ?et there first.” He hoped Commander Byrd would return with further laurels. When he did return his reception would be no less hearty than J: the feat had been performed by a ->ew Zealander. Cheers greeted Commander Byrd . en he rose to reply. “I wish to ex- j Press by very deep gratitude and apfor this wonderful reception, and for the hospitality that New ZeaJand is showing us,” he said. ‘Sir _ rancis Bell said Sir Hubert Wilkins s about to fly over our way. Sir Hubert S , a ,, of mine and I admire him tThi • the members of the exPeaition and myself want to wish him tne best of luck. t have told him that if he flies 0 , e Ross Sea area he is welcome to nr landing field. The last time I caw . ln l * n ew York he said he was going u fly over that way, so we hope to see run down there. , “Captain Scott is one of my boyhood heroes. I read his book time and again, and in honour of his JT* m o r y and that of the great ,eton we are going to carry us on our flight to the South 0 e the British Flag.” (Applause.)