A STIRRING LIFE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 155, 28 December 1918, Page 4

A STIRRING LIFE

AUCKLAND RESIDENTS CAREER

CRJMEA, MUTINY, AND MAOEI WAR.

(II TBtISRAPII.— SPECIAL 10 188 POST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day. A hile nonagenarian, Mv William Cook, in whom are centred two links with the early history of. New Zealand, is living in quiet retirement at Avondale. Mr. Cook, who is now in his 93rd year, is a grandson o£- the youngest brother of Captain Cook, the discoverer of New Zealand, while his mother was Miss Bowen, sister of Sir George Bwenj who was Governor of New Zealand fifty years ago. Considering his great age, Mr Cook is fairly active, and he may frequently bo seen walking about the township of Avondale, enjoying his pipe. From his early boyhood he wished'to be a soldier, and he took part in the Crimean War He left Portsmouth with bis regiment in a sailer for Bombay, and it took six weeks to reach Malta, and weeks of rough weather that tried the hardiest of them. In an interview, he spoke of the unsatisfactory conditions that existed during the strenuous time in the Crimea. Mr. Cook- states that so inadequate were the • arrangements that he and many of his fellow-soldiers went a fall twelve months without a change of clothing. It was not until after the arrival of Florence Nightingale that matters were put on a better footing. While" tlie Army was still in the Crimea, news was received, of the outbreak of the Indian ' Mutiny. Though the siege of Sevastopol had not yet been effective, troops were rushed from, the Crimea to India, among them being Mr Cook. He was stationed in India for three years : and a-half, when, trouble haying broken out with the Maoris in New Zealand, his regiment (the 70th) was ordered tc> embark for Auckland. That voyage Mr. Cook has never forgotten. India had not been left far behind when cholera broke out on the ship. The crew numbered 18 all told, anir% shipwrecked crew of a shml&r number were picked up near the southern coast of India. So violent did the epidemic become, that on ■arrival, at .Auckland there were only two of the combine! crews alive, and, in addition, 200 of the soldiers h^d died The captain ;ind first kmate of: the ship early succumbed, and f the only persons on board with a know-' ledsce of'navigating were the boatswain and his mate. ■ Same'of the soldiers'were told off to do duty as. sailors, among them being ?.Ir Cook: and he relates with pride that, on arrival at Auckland, ho was given £3 10s extra pay for his work in this connection. . In 1865, when the war had ended. Mr. Cook Wt the -Army, and received a arr.nt of 60 acres of land at Whangarei for his services. He ncuirht an adjoining bloal- rf 10 seres for 10s an sierr, and- intended to take nn farrninj; for a change. However, his plans were ..chanced. Contracts were let by the Provhv cial Government for railway rrmstruction works, and Mr. Cook entered into part-' ner=hip 'with Merer.".- Dawson ■nnl Elliott, and undertook the const-nation of fhe rnilwav from the Panicll Tur>n»l, Auckland, to-the Pcnr^'n .limicMotv 'ITl* first enpire was sent from England in narts. and Afr. Gqol- .issiptntl ,*o asperii. We it, at . NnwrnnrVpt. lTnfcu'tun4telv,. however. lip. lost £400 on tins, contract, and as \,h" Vrr, vlnciil OivfO'i-irvjpnt a.bout. t.'iift ri^fiod ,\7^? short of fu"As. itliere was no ■chirrne. lo vcoun biiysfiU l-v-.n^princ;" on a-nifhor raiiwr.v■.'contract. Mr. Cool*,, v'no »lid not mfiTv until bs» was-over -40. Vi".c! ?"vi>Tt oVM^n, p{ \vhr>m si*; .■"•» nlive. Thero are also numerous grand.cltildren.