COOK STATUE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20622, 11 August 1932, Page 7

COOK STATUE.

? UNVEILING BY LORD I BLEDISLOE. AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY VICTORIA SQUARE FILLED WITH SPECTATORS. A simple hut impressive ceremony wa held yesterday for the unveiling Victc ria square of the statue to Captai Jnmes Cook, which has been present©' to the City by Mr M. F. Barnett. Hi Excellency the Governor-General (Lor Bledisloe) performed the ceremony which was attended by a crowd of som thousands. The windows of nearb; buildings were filled with people, an< children from the schools of the Cit; were ranged about the open space nea the statue. The statue was draped with the L'nioi Jack and the NeWZealand Ensign, whil behind it stood a mast which had bee) erected for the occasion. On one sid was the platform reserved for the offi cial party, the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sulli van, M.P.) and City councillors, th clergy, and representatives of loca bodies. Another platform was occupiei by members of the Canterbury Pilgrims Association. The bandsmen of the First Canterbury Regiment, in their scarlet jackets, le< the guard of honour, composed of a de tachment of the Canterbury Divisioi of the R.N.V.R. to the space reserve< for them. The guard lined 1 up, witl fixed baj'onets, facing the statue, aiu the band vras posted a little furthei buck. The Vice-Regal party was met by the Mayor and Mrs Sullivan, and Lad;* Bledisloe was presented with a bouquel by the Mayoress. With the Mayor wen Mr Barnett (the donor of the statue) Mr V. T. Trethewey (tho sculptor), Mj J. S. Neville (Town Clerk) and Mrf Neville. An Aerial Salute. Alter his Excellency had taken the Royal Salute, and was inspecting tlir guard of honour, three aeroplanes of the Ivew "Zealand Air Force approached ir echelon formation. As they came nearci they dipped above the statue, and passed at high speed a few hundred feet abovt the heads of the crowd, swooping up' wards again as they flew away. These were piloted by Flight Lieutenants M. W, Buckley, H. B. Burrell, and V. J. Somer set-Thomas. With Flight Lieutenant Buckley in the leading machine was Squadron Leader T. M. Wilkes, Directoi of Air Services. Following these were three more machines, of the Canterbury Aero Club, piloted by Messrs J. C. Mercer, J. Selby, and It. S. Taylor. The official party then proceeded tc the platform, while the crowd expressed itci welcome. ' The Mayor, rising to introduce their Excellencies, said he wis going to do something that was not exactly part of he programme. "It is not often, that . P ubl »c ias the opportunity of meeting his Excellency in such a largo way ns the representative of his Majesty the Eing. Though I have not asked permission, I am going to ask everyone present to show by a round of applause now welcome he is. The Mayor's Tribute. F tESk 18 a Hght one ~ to his Excellency to unveil this statue of Captain James Cook, E.N. whose imagination and initiative, and A extraordinary skill as a navigator mJS New Zealand to the World, andgaveit the U hom f e ° Ple ° f the as the tome of successive generations of nfai? fn „ ptain Cook w as a truly great awnin every sense, of the wordf great, buJ S BB a l n t vigator aDd a scientist, nlin? £ 'I 10 ®, humanitarian man, who alwajs hadjihe love and veneration of 1 • , cr ®. Ws J . he controlled. Bearing in nund the fact that he was the son of a Yorkshire farm labourer, I think the working people of the City are entitled uv P £ cia i intereßt his career. On behalf of the citizens of Christchurch r wish to convey to Mr Barnett, the donor of the statue, the sincere thanks of our community. (Applause.) J. wish also to congratulate Mr W. Trethewey, the sculptor, on the accomplishment of his great work. We in 7 W Zealand have been in the habit of going overseas so often when we nave required experts or artists to carry out some important work, that this is a great occasion. Mr Trethewey is a New Zealand artist, ono of our own Christehureh citizens, and T think we hnve been justified in our choice." Mr Sullivan concluded by thanking his Excellency and Lady Bledisloe for having corne to perform the unveiling ceremony. The Actual Unveiling. _ Expressing tha.nks for the welcome given him, his Excellency said tho warmth of it ivas in inverse ratio to the occasional coldness of the Christehurch weather. He also wished to thank the Air Force for its unconventional welcome, which was one that could not have been given in the days of Captain Cook. Mr Barnett's gift to the City was munificent. His Excellency then pulled the cord that released the flags which covered the statue, aud the Union Jack and the New Zealand Ensign were drawn to the head, of tho mast. The removal of the flags left open to view the figure of tho navigator, and enabled the inscription on the bronze tablet at its base to be seen. This bears tho words: "James Cook, Captain,' Royal Navy, circumnavigator, who first hoisted the British flag in New Zealand, and explored her seas and coasts. 1769-70, 1773-4, 1777. Oecani investigator aoerrimus." The band played "Rule Britannia," and followed this by "Land of Hope and Glory, " the chorus of which was taken up by the school children and part of the crowd. Mr Barnett's Thanks. Mr Barnett expressed his thanks for the reception given* his gift to the City. He also thanked their Excellencies for their gracious act in unveiling the statue, and "to his Excellency for the remarks he had made. To the City Council his thanks were due for granting the site in Victoria Square, and to the officers of the Council and the special committee for the assistance they had givan. The citizens of Christchurch should be pleased to know that they had in their midst bo very good a sculptor as Mr Trethewey, who had been working on the statue for something like three years. Mr Barnett said hp had never known a more faithful and earnest

worker, and the care given to the work had surely been a labour of love. Thanks were al*o due to Mr F. Tucker, who had been Mr Trethewey's assistant. Then, after the singing of tbe National Anthemj the official party left, pausing for a timo to admire the sculptor's workmanship. Tho crowd broke up, aud there was a general move toward the statue. One or two of the City Council staff tried in vain to protect the newly-laid turf in front of the statue from being trampled down by the hundreds of people who wished to go that way. A small crowd was gathered to admire the statue throughout the day. During tho ceremony, which lasted just under an hour, all vehicular traffic through Victoria Square, and over the intersection of Colombo and Armagh streets, was stopped.