COOK MEMORIAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1913, Page 3

COOK MEMORIAL

UNVEILED AT SHIP COVE Btf HIS EXCELLENT ,THE GOVERNOR. NOTABLE CEREMONY. (by Our Special Reporter.) The unveiling of the memorial to Captain Cook by His Excellency the Governor yesterday afternoon at Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound, drew a large gathering of people from both sides of t|e Straits. There must have been fully two thousand on the narrow strand between the -bush and the waters of the Sound. The weather was cloudy and warm, with spots of rain*. The sceneduring the afternoon waß full of life. When the Mararoa arrived, about 11.30 a.m., with some four hundred eXcursionista from Wellington the beautiful waters of the cove were filled with craft large and small. The training-ship Amokura was anchored close in shore in deep water"} the Tutanekai, with the Governor and Vice« Regal party aboard, was a little further out, and the Mararoa herself cast anchor further out still in about twelve fathoms. All were bright with bunting. Round and about the still waters in the shade of the bush plied a score of busy motor-boats, with three or four small steamers. A gailydressed crowd thronged the beach. There was some delay in landing the passengers of the Mararoa, but several motor-boats and a small steamer came to the rescue, and before 1 o'clock all were ashore. Then the boom of cannon from the Tutanekai announced that the Governor was leaving. He came to the temporary pontoon wharf, rowed by the .boys of the Amokura in good style. Other Amokura boys formed the guard of honour in the short procession along the narrow beach. Their Excellencies were received by the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher and the Memorial Committee. Others present were the Hone. ' H. D. Bell, B. M'Nab, and 0. H. Mills, and the Mayors 6f Wellington, Picton, Blenheim, Nelson, and Richmond, Mr. R. M'Callum, M.P. for the Wairau, and Commander Hooper, of the Amokura. The party gathered- on the temporary platform beside the monument. SYMPATHY WITH THE WORK. Mr. John Duncan, Chairman of the Memorial Committee, was the first «peakei'. He expressed the gratification of the committee with the large attendance, which bore witness to the interest taken in ihe life- and work of the great navigator— perhaps the greatest navigator the world had ever eeen. They had every reason to be thankful ihab such an Empire-builder had secured to ths British Crown what they held to* h» one of the finest gems in jfc. (Applause,) The beautiful scenic reserve was due largely to the foresight of the Provincial Government of Marlborough, which set it aside in 1864, and the National Government, which created a permanent reserv© of 2000 acres in IBfi6, running from the water's edge to the summit, of the watershed. It was, thought later that there should be some permanent testimony to the presence tbere of the great navigator, and the movement which had resulted in the erection "of the memorial owed much to the inaugurating efforts of Mr. John Moore. (Applause.) . The committee 1 was much indebted also to Mr. M'Nab, who, by his counsel, assistance, and private expenditure, had greatly helped the movement. His lectures round the Dominion had produced £143, and private contributions had not been -<Somtnensurate with the importance of . the work. The Government had promised a £ for £ subsidy up to £400, but they «W6 in want of funds to extend. th«j work of which the present memorial w^as the beginning. They wanted, if possible, to. erect a tower on the highest point of Motuara Island, where it could be vislbl* to ships passing, and repassing through the Straits and the Sounds. One farthing per head of the population would give them what they wanted— a tower 70ft high. It remained for the people of New Zealand to show practical sympathy with the work which had been carried so far. (Applause.) LORD LIVERPOOL'S ADDRESS. His Excellency, who was greeted with applause, and who spoke in a clear ringing voice, delivered a fine panegyric on the life and work of the great navigator. "We have come here," he said, "today to do honour to a, man whose guiding star through life was marked by unswerving zeal and undaunted perseverance. There have been many men in all ages, from all nations, who have cheerfully and devotedly given their best yearn in the service of exploration and science for the benefit of their feJlowmen; but what specially appeals to us to-day is the fact that James Cook belonged to the race of which we are all so justly proud." His Excellency then g&vu a detailed survey of the life of Cook, emphasising his thoroughness and accuracy in everything he did. It was on the 31st January, 1770, that Cook erected on the very spot where they now stood a post giving full particulars of his ship and dates of his visit. He was the first Englishman to declare a British Sovereignty over the South Island. On his second expedition with the Resolution and the Adventure, Cook called uga-in at Ship Covo. His methods of combating scurvy, which had been such •a scourge in tho British Navy before, bore fruit in the manner in which the sailors of the British fleet kept fit and. well in the struggle with France. It was a misfortune to the world that Cook lost his life, when he was still in his prime. He was murdered in the Sandwich Islands on the l<sth February, 1779, "Cook was just 51 at the time of his death," said the Governor. "He had given his best years in the service of his coufltry, 1 and it is fitting and right that his name should not bo forgotten. The Old Country has produced many men of his stamp, who faced difficulties and overcame them, although very often, as in the case of Cook, it meant at the «xpense of their lives. The old adage 'happy is the country that has no history' is in a- way applicable to Cook. He, like Wolfe and Sir John Moore, ordered his life and effected much without trying to stand in the limelight. At the time, no fitting recognition was made oi the labours of those great men, but today, although many years have passed, we are endeavouring to give a full though tardy expression of appreciation to the memory of one of them, who was not only an intrepid navigator and explorer, but a great and gallant Britisher," (Applause,) Before concluding His Excellency made an announcement of the tragic fate of Captain Scott and his party, which made a profound sensation among the people gathered in the quiet cove, It cast a damper on the rest of the proceedings. OTHER SPEAKERS. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, the next speaker, referred to the sad news relating to the Antarctic expedition, and said the sympathy of all would go out to the relatives of the gallant men who Ijud lost their lives. Mr. Fisher drew a. picture of tho adventures and hardships of the early explorerg. He hoped the lnovdfHeflt would waketi the public conscience in the building up of national

traditions and associations. He ap- } ealed for support to build the proposed monument on Motuara Island. Mr. R. M'Callum paid ■ a tribute to the work of Mr. M'Nab hi rescuing historical records from obscurity, and made appreciative reference to the Governor's interest in the movement for the larger memorial. Mr. R. M'Nab, who was welcomed with applause and cheers, gave ap historical sketch of Cook's visits to New Zealand, on each of which he sheltered in Ship Cove. In regard to {he flionu* ment on Motuara Island it must be remembered that it was hei'e Cook proclaimed sovereignty over the South Is^ land. ■ He hoped that all would help the committee to build a monument worthy of the occasion,- which should be seen by immigrants coming to the shores of New Zealand and by settlers leaving them after having made their fortunes. (Applause.) . , At the call of Mr. Fisher cheers we're given for Lord Liverpool,' Lady Liverpool, and Captain Cook, The Governor briefly returned thanks. The party afterwards visited the other portions of the cove, returning to, the Tutaaekai about 3 p.m. The obelisk is a plain truncated pyramid of rough-cast concrete, standing on a broad fca£t». Pacing tho water is a {.■anel with a hemisphere showing the voyages of Cook in the Pacific, stir* mounted by the motto : "Nil Intentum Relit(uit," and a hand holding up a scroll bearing the inscription : "Circa Orbem." On the western face is a panel giving the dates of (yook's. visits to the cove, and on the opposite side to this an inscription in Maori, .vhich ■ is interpreted : "Welcome, O Visitor from the borders of Heaven; 'My beloved, retutti* to us from beyond the horizon— welcome, welcome." After delays in taking passengers aboard on account of the fall of the tide leaving a small steamer temporarily aground, the Mararoa >veighed anchor about half-past 3 and made a quick passage home, arriving shortly after halfpast 6.