Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Wednesday 4 March 1914, page 16


CIVIC WELCOME.

ADELAIDE'S GREETING TO

DR. MAWSON.

I31JGEUSSEMBLY AT THE

TOWN HALL.

MORE SPEECHES.

THE LEADER, CAPTAIN DAVIS,

AND MR. MADIGAN.

There was an almost unprecedented rush to the Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon to the civic reception of Dr. Mawson and the members of his exploration party-. Before 1 o'clock more than a hundred eager people were waiting outside the hall for the doors to be opened, and before 2 o'clock the cityzens were assembling in hundreds. By about quarter-past 2 the hall was crowded to its utmost capacity. There was still an interval of three-quarters of an hour before the commencement of the proceedings; and long before the arrival of Dr. Mawson steps had to be taken to exclude those of the public who, not having anticipated such a great gathering, left only the ordinary margin of time between their arrival and the hour announced for the opening of the meeting. A great crowd clamored for admission at the main entrance, but in vain. The Town Hall bells rang a merry welcome, which appeared almost tantalising '? fe circumstances. The interior of the hall was hung with flags. Within a canopy over the stage was liberally draped with flags in common with the front of the dress circle. The city organist (Mr. Pybus) played organ selection for an hour before the proceedings commenced. The Mayor of Adelaide (Mr. A. A. Simpson) took the chair at a few minutes after 3 o'clock. In the front row of seats facing the platform there were, amongst others, the Mayoress (Mrs. Simpson), Lady Butler, Mrs. and Miss Del3's,".. There were on the platform, in adhesion to Dr. Mawson, Captain Davis, the Minister of Trade and Customs (Hon. L. E. Groom), and the other members of the expedition, the Commissioner of Public Works (Sir Richard Butler), the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Hon. F. W. Young) Mr. Crawford Vaughan M.P., Professor Mas-son, (acting president of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science), and Dr. J. C. Verco (president of the Royal Society of South Aus-

tralia).

The Mayor's Welcome.

In according a welcome to the returned explorer on behalf of the citizens of Adelaide, the Mayor expressed regret that his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor _va_ unable to be present owing to his judicial duties. Sir George Reid was, unfortunately, too unwell to attend any public meeting, though he thought the state should be everlastingly proud of Dr. Douglas Mawson, a sentiment with which they all agreed. (Cheers.) The president of the South Australian branch of the Royal Geographical Society (Hon. John Lewis, M.L.C.)

has also intimated his inability to be present. As Australians they might now be proud that Australian exploration was no longer confined to the territories of the Commonwealth, of which, indeed, only a few scattered areas in the interior, and part of Papua, now remained to be <ÏXplored. It was true that another hero, Sir John Franklin, whom they might regard as almost as much an Australian byadoption as Dr. Mawson, over 60 years ago succeeded in the futile discovery of the North-West Passage through the Arctic Ocean. And in the Antarctic Professor David and other Australians had shared honorably the expeditions of Sir Ernest Shackleton and the late Captain Scott. It was with the former of these that Dr. Mawson served his polar apprenticeship. Only on the 28th of "last month they, read that the Beasley expedition had at last returned to New York, and were pleased to remember that Captain James Beasley was a South Australian, born in Port Augusta and educated in Adelaide. (Cheers.)

Australia's Own Expedition.

But though Australians, in a measure, had been associated with these explorations, they must regard this expedition of Dr. Mawson's as distinctively their own not only the leader, but the party and the equipment were so very largely Australian -and the city might rejoice to be the first, to welcome the intrepid travellers on their

return from the solitary places of the south. (Cheers.) At the proper time

they looked forward to the publication of details of the scientific work of the expedition, but at present were content to know that something had been done to add to j the sum of human knowledge, to the glory of human achievement, for which no sacrifice was in vain. Perhaps the mass of meteorological data collected might form a nucleus of information to enable them to make weather forecasts further ahead. Perhaps the geological discoveries might not become valuable until their grandchildren visited the Antarctic in their Zeppelins. But enough, for them was the privilege of welcoming the illustrious voyagers. (Cheers.) He offered Dr. Mawson, Carptain Davis, and the gentlemen of the Antarctic Expedition, on behalf of the corporation and people of Adelaide, a very

hearty welcome to the city. (Cheers.)

On Behalf of the State.

The Commissioner of Public Works, on behalf of the people of South Australia generally, extended to Dr. Mawson and his noble" band of followers a hearty welcome back to the State-(cheers)-a welcome back from a land of blizzards, crevasses, and perpetual snow. He supposed some of their friends who had returned from the South he often recited those lines, "Oh, the snow, the beautiful snow." (Laughter.) Perhaps it would have been more fitting to have said, "Oh, the perpetual snow." (Laughter.) They welcomed them back now to this beautiful State, a land of milk and honey, a land of wheatfields and orchards and vine-yards a land which was unsurpassed in the King's Dominions to offer to a people happiness, peace, prosperity, and content-ment. (Cheers.) They had only to realise the dangers Dr. Mawson's party passed through, their fortitude, their courage, and self-reliance, and their noble regard for duty, to feel that as Britishers they were proud to number them as among their brothers. (Cheers.) There was no fear for the future of the British Empire when they could draft from the Commonwealth of Australia men of the calibre of those of the Mawson expedition. (Cheers.) They were content to await the announcement of the scientific results achieved, their immediate concern being to give a right royal welcome to Dr. Mawson and the men who were associated with him. (Cheers.) Their names would never be forgotten while Australia had a history. (Cheers.) They could not help feeling a keen sense of regret that all the members of the party were not permitted to return. They could imagine the feelings of Dr. Mawson as he staggered back to the camp after that terrible journey. He must have been filled with poignant grief at the less of his two companions, men who were attracted by their leader and loved by their comrades, and he must have experienced a deep sense of thankfulness

that he had been spared to come back to the Commonwealth of Australia, where the people were ready to give him a right royal welcome, and where he looked forward to spending perhaps the happiest and most delightful time of his life. (Cheers.) They- could imagine, too, that keen disappointment of those men who, when on board the vessel and turn-ing " their faces towards home, thinking perhaps of their mothers and sisters and sweethearts whom they thought they were soon to meet again, responded to the call of duty and went back again. -(cheers) men who had not heard the sweet voice of a woman or the prattle of a child for many months-and after all that was what made life worth living. (Cheers.) Without hesitation these men went back, knowing that what awaited them was practically another 12 months'

imprisonment.

The foundation of the success of the expedition appeared to have been laid on the members' loyalty to the leader and to each other, and on their determination at all hazards to be true to duty. (Cheers.) On behalf of the State he said to them, ''Well done! South Australians are proud of you. We shall always remember that South Australia was the first State in the Commonwealth to welcome you back." (Cheers.)

For the Commonwealth.

The Minister of Trade and Customs said it was his privilege to tell that great gathering that all over Australia people desired to extend to Dr. Mawson, Captain Davis, and those associated with them as hearty a welcome as they could be given in the city of Adelaide. (Cheers.) He thought he was interpreting the feelings of his colleagues in the Federal Parliament when he said that if the circumstances occurred again they would gladly vote every penny they had contributed towards the cost of this great expedition. (Cheers.) They wanted to assist a single-minded leader, who had a noble ideal, to accomplish what he felt he had the capacity and the energy to undertake. . (Cheers.). Dr." Mawson and his comrades had- more than repaid the Commonwealth the money that was voted. The taxpayers found the gold, and these men offered their lives, not from motives of personal gain, but that they might add glory and renown in the highest possible sense to the traditions of Australia. (Cheers.) Was there not something fitting in it-that the old country should look abroad and see that the spirit which raised Britain among the nations of the world was rising again in this new nation under the Southern Cross? Dr. Mawson had proved that that spirit was still a moving force which could send men to do noble things for their country. (Cheers.) He hoped that the artistic sense which was growing up in this country would lead' to the establishment in Adelaide of an imperishable memorial to these intrepid Antarctic explorers. (Cheers.)

The Scientific ""Results. ' ""

Professor Masson spoke of the part played in the organisation of the expedition by the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, and told the gathering what a tremendous relief it was to members to hear that at lost the Aurora was coming up the gulf. The public welcomes over Dr. Mawson would

have to write his book, which would tell the world the full story of the expedition and outline the scientific results. Dr. Mawson would have to go home to England soon, and when he returned he" would have to give a more technical account of the scientific results to the British Association. Even after that there would be a tremendous amount to be done. Several years would probably be occupied in working up the mass of splendid scientific material which the expect'tion had brought back from Antarctica. It was probable' that when the results were fully known-" those who were in a position to judge would decide that Dr. Mawson's expedition- stood second to none from this point of view. (Cheers.) The most tragic incident of the whole expedition had from another, point of view turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for it gave the expedition another year in which to and to, round off, and complete the scientific work. All through this last year, and particularly during the home, cruise of the Aurora, magnificent work had been added to what went before. (Cheers.)

Royal Society's Gratification. * -

Dr. Verco added a hearty welcome on behalf of the Royal Society of South Australia in the course of a humorousspeech he observed that in Antarctica the members of the expedition had not. even the privilege of Tom Hood's Arctic explorer, Who complained

So very bitter is the best.

So biting; 5s the air,

I never could Kel warm but once.

When hugging with a heart

(Laughter.) They were reminded by the same advantages of the difficulties which attended the food supply in polar regions. The poem ran thus

Our-food is solid:

Ere we get our meal into our crops

We use sledge hammers to our, steaks, And hatchets to our chaps. ,

(Laughter.) The Royal Society was proud of the expedition and its achieve-ments-(cheers)-and hoped, in the light of what Professor Masson had said, that Dr. Mawson might live long in health to get together and improve his vast collection, and extract from it everything it contained of real permanent or immediate scientific value, so that he might enjoy the full fruition of the venture he had undertaken. (Cheers.) Dr. Mawson would always rank first among Australian Antarctic explorers. Whoever came after him, and there might be many, Dr. Maw-son's name would always be first. (Cheers.)

Dr. Mawson's Reply.

Dr. Mawson, who received a tumultuous reception, declared that to himself and the members of the expedition, and to the people of Australia, the joy of the return of the Aurora was greatly marred by the fact that the party was in-complete owing to the . tragic deaths of two of his companions in Antarctica. Neither Lieutenant Ninnis and Dr. Mertz was an Australian, but they were both gallant and devoted members of the Australasian expedition. (Cheers.) He ventured to suggest that the sorrowing relatives of his two friends should be informed by cable that the people of Australia, while , congratulating the survivors, had remembered those who gave their lives to the cause. (Cheers.) He believed that the Commonwealth Government would gladly transmit such a message if the Mayor made the request.

Lieutenant Ninnis was a son of the head of the medical service of the British army Inspector General Ninnis, himself a polar explorer, well known in connection with the British expedition of 1878. Inspector-General Ninnis was known to South Australia for his work in the Northen n Territory. He had seen a letter written by the Government of South Australia to Surgeon Ninnis, as he then was thanking him for his very valuable scientific work in the Northern Territory, work which was carried on conjointly with some surveying operations for the navy. Dr. Mertz possessed the kind of character which was a talisman of pure gold, no matter in what nationality it was observed. (Cheers.) He and his comrades wished them to remember what Lieutenant Ninnis and Dr. Mertz had done. The survivors might have an opportunity of doing something more, 'out these men had done their all. He felt he had been a little too much in evidence; so much so that he was prevented from keeping all his engagements, although he was very anxious to do so.

Message to Relatives of Lieutenant

Ninnis and Dr. Mertz.

At the conclusion of the leader's speech the Mayor announced that Mr. Groom had promised to authorise the cable message suggested by Dr. Mawson, a message to the relatives of Lieutenant Ninnis and Dr. Mertz, condoling with them on the loss of these two brave men and congratulating them on the imperishable fame of their achievement. (Cheers.)

Captain Davis Grateful.

Captain Davis, who was also enthusiastically received, made a brief speech, in which he thanked the citizens of Adelaide for their reception. He declared that any nation could find the money for such an expedition as theirs, but few could find the right leader. He thought Australia might well be proud of Dr. Mawson, who had led this great expedition, which he thought would be recognised as being second to none. (Cheers He thought there were several gentlemen present who could things

very much better than he could. (Cries of "Go on."') It was not a fair thing to expect him to make a speech, but he just wanted to say before he sat down that even the relatives and friends of those men who were left behind twelve months ago had very generously told him they thought he did quite right. (Cheers.) He was very grateful, not only to them, but to all the people who had welcomed the expedition so cordially. (Cheers.)

Mr. Madigan Makes a Speech.

Mr. Cecil Madigan, a South Australian member of the expedition, received ss at

tering, if somewhat disconcerting, ovation on rising to respond. He confessed that in the joy of home-coming and meeting his friends once again he felt in such a state of happy confusion that he found it very difficult properly to express his thanks. The members of the expedition did not feel that their return was anything in the nature of a Roman triumph, and they knew well enough that they had undergone the ordinary hazards and adventures of Polar exploration and faced them in the ordinary way. They liked to look upon their welcome as a greeting from old friends. (Cheers.) Mr. Madigan went on to speak of some of his adventures in Antarctica, which, together with some anecdotes of Dr Mawson's, are reported in another column

of this issue.

The Cable of Sympathy.

The telegram sent by the mayor, at the

request of the Minister of Trade and Customs, to the fathers of Lieutenant Ninnis and Dr. Mertz was as follows:-"People of Australia, at a public meeting in Adelaide to welcome return Mawson expedition, con-done with you on your great loss, but congratulate you on your son's imperishable

fame. . - >