MEMORIAL TO CAPTAIN COOK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 160, 31 March 1908, Page 7

MEMORIAL TO CAPTAIN COOK.

SYMBOLS OF PEACE'- AND' PROGRESS. STATEMENT BY THE HON. R. M'NAEI. (Br .TEr,BaßArn—ritEss ; • .

ChrlstcliurohV March 30. It is proposed to.-plaeo on the momorial to Captain Cook in Snip Cove, Queen Charlotte Sound, a oaunoii or the period to which Cook belonged.;:' Arrangements, hnv6_- beon mado to;adoptTthis v proposid:.;'-Mr. -Mftan,-, however, ."pointed ; out to a reporter m churcli that tho icannon; might .not lip considered appropriate. : \- Cook was- in;tho navy, hut: his ; position amongst' thb immortals; liasbecii gained,' not by anything -ho did as a naval officer, hut by his humanity and tho peaceablo manner in'which lie conducted his great mission. Ho . presented -the. Maoris with ' grain and' animals' for food, and Mr. M'Nab -thinks -that it 1 would-.be better ,to work)into iho)|design : 'symbols;of : peace-and. progress rather-than- a symbol- qf;-war._ : ■ A visitor .to Christehurch', who',was ni Gis--boriw s'omo.timo ago, states'tliat 'the citizens of that town feel ,indignant ;at .the ineptness of those who plaood tho names' of returned South - African 1 -troopers /on ' tho. memorial, orected' to Captain'', Ceok 'on the spot where ho first landed in Ney Zealand near tho entrance to tho town. On ono occasion rocontlv, it is; stated,' the names' wofo'bespattered lyit-h miul.:'t, Tho Hon. 11. M'Nab saitP that, tho memorial has a dou.blo significance' from a: [national, point of viow.' ; 'lt : not;ohly''represonts Cooks, first 'landing in this country, vlnit also tho; .'first'"'-record-' of; the' .'landing-',of a .European, and'ho'thinks that that , ought; to bo set''out on 'the tablets'. . Neither; Tasman nor any. of the moipbers, of - his company, landed in New- Zealand.'Tho Maoris had a[ legend, that a white -man; landed 1 on.'tho West Coast- of "Wellington • opposite Kapiti Island before Cook's timo, but i. there-: .is -no authentic record "of.; this', 'and tho honour, 1 '- as far. as •history goes;'.bdlongs'to Cook.