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Hokitika Guardian, 19 August 1929, Page 4

It is very gratifying, says the “Otago ilines''', to see that at last a New Zealander has, realised what a serious omission there has been in our public .ue no t to-have a statue to the memory of Captain Cook, to whom we owe so much, and, further, that he intends time omission by contributing the whole of the funds required tor the erection of a suitable memorial. Aiviiough it might have been expected mat a New Zealand Government would have recognised ure this something approaching a national duty in this connection, New Zealanders must be none the iess grateful to Mr Banrett ior his public-spirited g.ft to the city of Christchurch. A.visitor to America cannot but be struck by the prevalence of monuments to national heroes. Everywhere are to be found statues to the memory of Lincoln and Washington, some of ,them very beautiful indeed, but ft large number of only average ‘ merit, Nevertheless they serve the purpose of a shining examplfe to America’s youth. On the shores of Botany Bay is erected a monument of the famous French navigator La t'erouse, who, however, d.d not do nearly so much for Australia as Cook did for New Zealand. La I'erouse slavishly copied C'-ok’s methods, he knew just what ins predecessor had done in every situation and had such a regard for the .English navigator that he wrote in his,diary, “Mr Cook has done so much that lie has left me nothing to do but to bdmire his work.” If Australia can have a monument to a foreign sailor, surely New Zealand can do something to perpetuate -the memory of the most scientific navigator the world has known, for, in the light of our present knowledge of his wonderful achievements with limited resources, Cook is recognised by leading authorities to be that. In England Cook had many admirers, and honours were crowded upon him. Towards the close of the eighteenth century Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser caused a memorial .to the great navigator to be erected in the park of his home at Chalfont, St. Giles. The column stands to this day, its lengthy inscription, still perfectly legible, setting forth the virtues of the famous captain, It seems that wo in New Zealand do not justly appreciate his worth, .It is true that the greater part of his life’s work took place away from our shores, but that does not lessen his importance to us. At the Cook celebrations at Honolulu in December of last year, a portion of Sir Henry Xewbolt’s speech read: “In the lands with which his life and fame were most closely bound up, in England, in Australia, and in Hawaii there Have been great changes.” It comes as something of ft surprise to us to find Cook’s name separated from that of New Zealand, but if others overlook his valuable work round our shores, that is no reason why we should be lethargic in honouring his memory. No finer example could be found to set before the youth of our Dominion, His two outstanding qualities, his thoroughness and his humanity, wore instrumental in his covering a prodigious amount of accurate surveying. These and other qualities that raised an obsecure farm hand to such a proud posi'ETon should be known to every New Zealand child.