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REPORT OF THE AUSTRALASIAN 

 ANTARCTIC COMMITTEE. 



The Committee, which was appointed at the Sydney meeting in 

 January, 1911 (see Vol. XIII., pp. XLVII.-LIII.), consisted of repre- 

 sentatives of all the Australian States and New Zealand, and was 

 instructed to work by means of sub-committees. It was entrusted 

 with the planning of the scientific work of the Expedition and the 

 selection of the staff, subject to the approval of Dr. Mawson, and it 

 was also intended to assist him in securing the support of the Common- 

 wealth and State Governments and of the general public. 



As anticipated, it proved impossible for the Committee to meet as 

 a whole. A sub-committee was therefore formed in each State for 

 the purpose of rousing public interest in the scheme and collecting 

 funds, and other sub-committees were nominated by the President to 

 deal with different branches of the scientific work and with the selec- 

 tion of the members of the Expedition. Much of the work was done. by 

 correspondence and by frequent informal consultations between 

 individual members of the Committee. Dr. Mawson left for England 

 immediately after the Sydney meeting in January, and, being detained 

 there on the business of the Expedition, did not return till July; but, 

 during his absence, he was in correspondence with the President, and 

 after his return he had frequent meetings with him and the President- 

 Elect (Professor David) and other members. 



The more formal work of the Committee may be summarized as 

 follows : — 



1. Appeals to the Commonwealth Government. 



On 23rd March, 1911, an influential deputation of members of the 

 Committee and others waited upon the Minister for External Affairs 

 (the late Hon. E. L. Batchelor) to explain the proposed Expedition, 

 advocate its claims, and ask for a substantial subsidy from Parliament. 

 A very sympathetic reply was given, and the Minister promised to 

 bring the matter under the notice of the Cabinet. The result, after 

 some delay, was a further promise that the request would be dealt 

 with by Parliament in August or September. 



On 2nd May, 1911, the President and the Lord Mayor of Melbourne 

 (Councillor Davey, to whom the Committee was frequently indebted 

 for active assistance) waited upon the then Acting Prime Minister, the 

 Hon. W. M. Hughes, to further urge the claims of the Expedition for 

 immediate support. Correspondence by cable ensued with Mr. 

 6117. 



