TOPICS OF THE DAY

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20508, 26 May 1938, Page 8

TOPICS OF THE DAY

Britain s Hawaiian Domain

A tiny corner of the British Empire nestling obscurely in a remote section of the Territory of Hawaii is worthy of re-examination as a monument to British-American understanding and co-operation in tbe Pacific, says tbe Christian Science Monitor. With all the attention that has been focused recently on what has been described as a race between Great Britain and the United States for sovereignty over certain disputed islands in the Pacific, it is refreshing to note that for more than sixty years Britain’s title to 5682.6 square feet of Hawaii has not been coveted or questioned by the United States. This unusual parcel of the British Empire is located near the shore of Kealakekua Bay on the Island of Hawaii. Upon it is erected a monument to the British navigator, Captain James Cook, who discovered Hawaii, January 18, 1778, and who was slain at Kealakekua Bay by Hawaiian natives on February 14, 1779.

Although the monument is regarded as Hawaii's most historic site and is accordingly displayed in all tourist literature, its construction and maintenance have been almost exclusively a British project in which the former royal rulers of Hawaii and later the American officials of the Territory were pleased to co-operate. The land upon which the monument was built was deeded on January 26, 1577, to the British Government by Princess Miriam Likelike. sister of King Knlakaua, last of the Hawaiian monarchs. When Hawaii was formally annexed by the United States in 1898 title to the deed and property remained unaffected. The document is kept in a safe in the Honolulu office of the British Consulate. As a condition of the grant the Princess specified that the land was to be used only for purposes of perpetuating the memory of the British navigator. Funds for maintaining the monument are appropriated annually by the British Admiralty.