HAWAII EN FETE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 214, 10 September 1928, Page 8

HAWAII EN FETE.

COOK CELEBRATIONS. MR. MAURICE CORE'S RETURNS. "A MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE." "It was the biggest, the most thrilling, and probably the most historical event that lias happened in the Pacific during the past century," was the description given by Mr. Maurice Cohen, of Willing, ton, after returning by the Aorangi, of the celebrations connected with the 150 th anniversary of the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands by Captain Cook. Mr. Cohen was formerly chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, and after 22 years of service he is still an active member of that body. It happened that he was to visit Honolulu on a pleasure trip, and so the Government appointed him as one of the official representatives of Xew Zealand. In this he was associated with Commander Swabey, who is due to reach Auckland to-night in H.M.s. Dunedin, and Dr. Peter Buck now engaged in Polynesian research work in the islands of the Pacific. '"Seeing that my official report is not yet in the hands of the Prime Minister," said Mr. Cohen, "I am not able to give a full account of all that took place. I may say, however, that the countries represented were the United States, Canada, Australia, and Xew Zealand. One could not but feel that the coming together of so many of the Englishspeaking peoples on such a historic occasion, lie said, "must have an important effect in cementing the ties which bind the various countries in the Pacific."

Mr. Cohen said that the celebrations were carried out on a magnificent scale. We would have already read in the newspapers of the great naval manoeuvres which were carried out by British and American warships at the islands of Kauai and Naptfopoo, and also of the huge Hawaiian memorial pageant which subsequently took place in Honolulu— the whole of the celebrations lasting for one week. Mr. Cohen has brought back a vivid mental picture of colourful pageantry, impressive manoeuvres, the thunder of saluting guns, and the plaintive note of the bugles in awakening the echoes of a hundred and fifty years in the call of the "Last Post." The New Zealander was greatly impressed by the manner in which the people of the Hawaiian Islands vied with one another in extending hospitality to visitors from other countries. "Altogether the experience was wonderful,-" he said, "and I shall always regard it as one of the most memorable of my public career." Asked for news of Dr. Buck, Mr. Cohen said that he was coming to be regarded as one of the greatest of living authorities in research work relating to the islands of the Pacific. In answer to a question as to whether Dr. Buck would return to live in New Zealand, Mr. (_olien said he sincerely hoped so. as he thought this Dominion should benefit from the world-wide honour which would surely come to Dr. Buck for the work he was now doinc. Mr. Cohen agreed that in the light of his recent experience in Hawaii it would be fitting for the people of New Zealand to carry out some worthy form of celebration in connection with the early exploration work of Captain Cook in this part of the British Empire.