COMM. BYRD WELCOMES MAWSON TO ANTARCTICA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 602, 2 March 1929, Page 9

COMM. BYRD WELCOMES MAWSON TO ANTARCTICA

EXPRESSES DELIGHT AND OFFERS HIM AID AND CO-OPERATION Bi/ COMAIAXDER R. E. BYRD. [Copyrighted 192 S by the New York ••Times” Company, and the St. Louis “Post Dispatch.” All rights for publication reserved throughout the world. Wireless to the New York “Times."] Received 9.5 a.m. BAY OF WHALES, Friday. I liave just heard that the Australian Government is backing an Antarctic expedition for Sir Douglas Mawson. This is good news. My friend Sir Douglas is a great scientist as well as an explorer, and there is no one with a greater knowledge of Antarctica than he. We therefore predict a brilliant success, and if it may be possible for our expedition to co-operate or lend him assistance, we shall be delighted to do so. Antarctica is a tremendous area, and it will take many expeditions to bring it out from the unknown.

SIR DOUGLAS’S PLANS START IN LATE AUTUMN WILL USE THE DISCOVERY (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) LONDON, Friday'. Sir Douglas Mawson, in an interview-to-day, discussed the arrangements for his forthcoming Antarctic expedition. The explorer said his negotiations for the taking over of the ship Discovery, now in the West India Dock, were nearing completion. Provided that no unforeseen delay occurred he said he should be in readiness to start in the late autumn. The Discovery will shortly be taken over by Captain Davis, who will take her to Australia this summer. Sir Douglas will go to Australia by a mail steamer. He said that already he had been inundated with requests from men in all parts of the world to be allowed to join the expedition. Sir Douglas added: “My own opinion is that visions of a great Polar continent, which will afford facilities for human life on a large scale, will never come true. However, there is no reason why small communities should not find life tolerable there and in some respects even advantageous. "Although women could not reasonably take part in Polar exploration I see no reason why they should not endure settlement life in the Antarctic regions.”