IN THE BEGINNING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 871, 18 July 1910, Page 9

IN THE BEGINNING.

EARLY NEW ZEALAND. CAPTAIN COOK, AND OTHER VISITORS. By dint of painstaking research in out-of-way places in other lands, research inspired by a personal enthusiasm which grateful posterity will not fail to remember, Mr. Robert M'Nab lias been laboriously piecing together the curiously isolated facts of our early history, and though in continuity, the narrative is still broken by Rails hero and there, tho sequence of events is now more or less connected. Scraps of evidence, authenticated by exhaustive investigation, have been added to that already in our possession, serving to piaco a larger significance upon what were • regarded previously as simple anecdotes, interesting, no doulit,' but of minor importance. Thcso premises served to give to tho lecture delivered on tho subject of "Early New Zealand," by Mr. M'Nab, at the Town Hall, on Saturday evening, an interest both historical and scientific. There was a very good attendance of the public, and tho presence of many representatives, of local educational and philosophic institutions was a compliment to the literary standing and authority of tho lecturer. Anions those present wen> his Excellency the Governor (Lord 1sJington), the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) and Lady Ward, the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), and the Rons. Dr. Findlay and Geo. Fowlds. Introducing the lecturer to his audience, Sir Robert Stout said that lift felt sure that tho study of New Zealand history was the inspiration of true patriotism in the hearts of the people. Through tho Misty Agos. Mr.. M'Nab, who was received with prolonged applause, prefaced his lecture with a reference to tho peculiar clilriculties which confronted tue student ot our history. Unlike other countries, the evidence of whoso national bistoriea were to be found treasured up within the walls of buildings dedicated to the preservation of these valuable archives, New Zealand history, officially 'speaking, dated from the beginnings ox government. Anterior eviuonce of a scrappy nature there was, but their authenticity had to be proved by investigations in England, in America, in Russia, in France; in the log books of divers navigators; in tbo files of early newspapers, and so forth. \Vith so much by way of preamble, tho lecturer thon took Ins auuienco away back to 10415, the lights wore turned down, and there was thrown on the screen 'lasman's chart of tho West Coast of i\ r ew iiealanii from . Unehutigu to (Jape i'oulwind. Tho old Dutch navigator had been looking tor something else, and having recorded his' impressions of tho coaii lino of this linKliown land —a wonderfully ■aceura-to impression it was —sailed away again, to toll tho Old World tiiat he haa discovered the western shores of a great, continent ■ which stretched away to tho eastward almost to South America. Tasinan discovered Now Zealand, but Cook explored it, and the lecturer went oil to touch briefly upon the familiar facts of tho great navigator's first visit to the North island in tho Endeavour, a lumbering craft designed for the coal trade. In Ship Covq. Cook never afterwards set foot iti the. frorth island: in all his subsequent, visits he- made Queen Charlotte bound his headquarters, and licnco tho claim of that locality as the site for tho national memorial to the great explorer. No other part of the New World had been similarly' honoured by him. In this connection it would appear, said Mr. M'iNab, that Cook preceded iho French navigator, D'Urvillc, in tho discovery of -French Pass. It wan a very fortunate circumstance, continued Mr. M'Nab, that tho whole of tho land in the vicinity of Ship Covo had been reserved for all time as a national park, a.nd that tho general aspect of the country was exactly in tho same condition as it was when Cook careened the old Endeavour in thvj cove, and set his men to work' setting ■up smithies and joiimrj slioph on the beach. In casting about for u suitable sito tor; the proposed memorial, those who had takeii up tho idea had come to the conclusion that a com-/ manding position on Motuara Island, not far away, would give to vessels passing up and down the straits a splendid view of the monument. Charts and Drawings. Mr. M'Nab then devoted some 'attention to Cook's chart* of various portions of the country. These, ho said, were wonderfully accurate, all things considered. -The worst of his- charts was that which showed Hanks Peninsula as ail island, an error traced to the fact that after the navigator, voyaging along that, got due south of the peninsula, ho turned southeast, having. heard of land in that direction, and never afterwards discovered his error. From his observation, said Mr. M'Nab, the error was a very easy one to mafke. Cook was exceptionally painstaking in tho mutter of drawings of important landmarks, •a photograph of his sketch of Five Finger Point being a faithful reproduction of that peculiar freak of nature. Some excellent charts ■ and drawings shown wore those of the Russian navigator Bellinghauseu, who visited Ship Covo in 18'2U; they were strikingly corroborative of Cook's careful work years before. Bellinghausen visiter theMacquarips, and placed on record, in drawings, his impressione of that pristine centre' of the sea elephjnt- oil trade. After touching briefly upon other foreign navigators, including Malespina, tho Spaniard, tho lecturer concluded with some interesting references to To Rauparaha anil other notable Maoris who lived and fought in thoso bygone days. A very hearty vote of thanks was accorded by acclamation to tho lecturer at the conclusion.