MAWSON EXPEDITION

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 5 March 1913, Page 5

MAWSON EXPEDITION

CABLE NEWS

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

WIFELESS .MESSAGE KECKI.VEI). STATEMENT I>Y PtfOEESSO.II iDAVJ'I). (Pieceived Last Night, 9.50 o'clock.) SYDNEY; March J. Professor David has received a. wireless from Dr. Mawson at his headquarters at Aclolio Land, via Macfjuario Island. Unfortunately a considerable portion oi the message was unreadable by the operator. The Macquario message reads:— "Aurora arrived in January. Six men —Madigan, Bage, McLean, Bickerton, f-jodgman and Jeiferies —are with me here at the hut, left to prosecute the search. The Aurora, intends to return from the west, and is expected in a few days, when attempts will he made to get oil', but on account of the heavy winds we are unlikely to get off, Eegular wireless communication may bo expected in future." Professor David is of opinion that iho missing portion of the message refers to the deaths of Lieutenant X.innis and Dr Mertz, and that reference to the search means that J)r Mawson ami six companion* wore left behind in order to continue the search for the he-dies. Professor David presumes from this that the double fatality probably occurred a little distance from their winter quarters on the inland ice. Had it been a boating accident-, or due to the men getting adrift 011 an ice floe, it would have boon hopeless leaving anyone behind to search for the bodies. Possibly, Professor David says, the two were lost during a short sledge journey to bring in an outlying dopot or geological specimens.