ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 229, 10 January 1911, Page 5

ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION

DR. MAWSOVS EXPEDITION.

By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, January !).

Dr. Mawson, who is visiting the Sydney Science Congress, hopes to start his Antarctic expedition from Melbourne in November. He has assurances of funds enough, mainly from England, but hopes for further Australian support so as to be able to call it an Australian expedition. The area proposed to be covered will be within range of wireless telegraphy from the Bluff. He expects to solve Australian problems. Referring to the reported Japanese/ Antarctic expedition, he said it seemed from reports that their equipment was quite inadequate for Polar work. It may be, that their object really is to exploit the seal oil and pelt industry. Discussing the recently discovered radium deposits in South Australia, Dr. Mawson said the lode was three miles long and wonderfully rich in radium ores, monazite and sapphire. Though the, latter was not of gem quality, it was one of the biggest sapphire patches in the world. There was no reason why radium salts should not be extracted here instead of sending the ores to Europe. A company had already been formed for the purpose.