COOK’S LANDING

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 10490, 15 October 1926, Page 3

COOK’S LANDING

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTYSEVENTH ANNIVERSARY.

CEREMONY AT MONUMENT

ADDRESS BY MR. E. EDMONDS

The first of Oapt. James Cook in New Zealand 157 years ago was commemorated by all sections qt the community yesterday, at a public function to marie the li-storic event. There was a large gathering in whien children predominated at the (rick Memorial on Kaiti Beach, when addresses appropriate to the occasion, paying tribute to the great navigator were delivered. The Bo3 r Scouts, Girl Guides and High School pupils attended the function in uniform and were drawn up round the memorial, while the Salvation Army Band rendered patriotic music, fitting the occasion. In the absence of the organiser of the function, Mr. J. R. lvirk, who had to leave Gisborne .at short notice, Mr. Horace Kirk presided, and read a series of messages from the acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. AV. Downie Stewart), the Royal Colonial Institute, Sir Henry CaiTuthers (exPremier of N.S.AAL), and several other prominent personages, paying tribute to Capt. Cook’s great adventure. MR. EDMONDS’ ADDRESS.

“We arc here to-day to commemorate once again the great historicevent which took place on this spot on Sunday, October 8, 1769,” said Mr E. Edmonds. “-One hundred and fil-ty-seven years have elapsed since Captain Jas. Cook, then a lieutenant in the navy, first sighted the shores of New Zealand, and it was. here that he landed and took possession of tbe country in the name of his Britannic Majesty, King George HI. Let us in imagination climb “to the top > i ..the hill and watch in retroxp ?eri the unfolding of this great episode in toe history of the British Empire. “As" we strain our eyes seawards, we see a tiny speck upon the horizon. A ship, but how unlike the canoes that frequent the bay- A warship bristling with guns and all the speed of a greyhound, or an ocean liner fraught with all the comfort and luxury that modern science tan devise for the comfort of its passengers: No, we see approaching a small wooden sailing vessel of but 370 tons, a beat which had seen service as a eo - Her in the coastal trade of the North Sea. . “She is commanded by one of those great men without whom there \\ ould have been no British Empire, and she is manned by sailors whose bravery and tenacity are emblematic ot our race. One can well imagine the excitement on hoard which followed the cry of “Land ahead” and how the captain and liis officers peering into the distance at this new country with its distant mountains eagerly discussed this newly-discovered land. Presently the little ship drops anchor at a safe distance from the beach, and in due course a boat approaches the land. The captain himself steps ashore, and the first pnkehn, and that an Englishman, lias landed in New Zealand. This then is what we commemorate to-day, for it was the dawn of history insofar as this great Dominion of ours is concerned. , , “Let us also remember with honor and respect that it was close by that the first Maori gave his lile for his native land. , “Looking clown to-day from the top of the hill, we see a. thriving town with its manifold signs of prosperity, we see-the rich alluvial plains stretching as far as the eye can reach the fertility of which has made this place famous. Cook saw nothing of this, but rambling hush country, untouched by the hand of man, save for what little cultivation was carried on oy tlie Maoris. It was a striking testimonial to the resourcefulness and energy of the settlers that whereas Cook gave us the name of Poverty Bay, our town should now be known as ‘Gisborne the Golden.’ “Let us remind ourselves of what it meant in those days, for a ship such as the Endeavor to visit New Zealand. Tfc meant that those on board were taking a risk, and a verj great risk, of shipwreck; there were then no c-harts of these seas to show the captain the position of shoals ana hidden rocks; no directions to follow as to the locality of strong currents which might take him _ out of his course; no wireless to inform him of approaching storms. He was obliged to find out everything for himself, and very great was the risk of disaster. Should a mishap occur and ins vessel he damaged, the ccm.mand.ei found himself thousands of miles from the nearest dry dock, and was compelled to beach liis vessel to effect repairs. . , “Nevertheless by means of skilful navigation, Cook and his men .made their” way from the Pacific Islands to the East Coast of New Zealand, and eventually sailed round both north and south islands, making charts and gathering suc-h information as to make, it possible'for ships to visit this country in safety. In short, by his bravery, he laid the foundation stone of this great Dominion, of which the Mother Country is justly proud, and is the envy of all colonising nations of the earth. “The study of the history of geography is indeed a fascinating one. From the da vs when the whole earth, as it’were, was enshrouded in a cloud, great men have taken their lives xn their hands and gone forth from their native lands to search unknown seas for what might lie beyond. For clangers they eared nothing; frequently beset by" that dreadful disease scurvy they struggled on to the completion of "the task they had set themselves, and their names are engraven on the pages of history surrounded by the glory and honor due to brave men. , “Unlike so many great explorers, Cook did not undertake his voyage in the hope of personal gain. Upon his triumphant return to England, having successfully circumnavigated the globe, and having added to the Empire a’ rich: and fertile country, liis only reward, was promotion to the rank of a Commander in the Royal Navy, with not even a knighthood. “Captain Cook’s voyage shewed the way to others. The old pioneers who first settled in New Zealand were men of iron grit. They understood what it meant to face hardship, to endure pain and discomfort. Let us never . forget their undying fame and the Sacrifices they made in those strenuous years for the honor of the British flag they loved so well. AVhat ; glorious inheritance we possess. A beautiful country handed down to us by our forefathers to develop and orotectf as a part of the greatest Empire the world has ever seen “It is frequently said of New Zealand in the Old Country that they are more British than the English. This then is a tradition which you must cvirry on. It is to you, the coming generation, that the Empire will turn in years to come; see to it that j r ou uphold the traditions of our race. See fo it as year by year you gather round this monument the undying storv of Captain Cook and the foundation of the Dominion are kept green. “See to it,” said Mr. Edmonds in conclusion, that the sacrifices of your forefathers were not; made in vain.” . EMPIRE’S GREATEST; NAYJ'I'iL ‘ - GATOR. , r ■ '

■ Mr W. D. "LySnary, M.P:; ''said 1 /that ho was pleased to participate iti •ap.ftidti-tO:-ebmihemornte thev, first. • of,.Cnpfcn in Cook hi New TleaJnnrT. ■"••)({ tit pay homage to'one of the

Empire’s greatest navigators. It was. to Capt. Cook’s great voyage of discovery that they owed their position there that day, he said, for Captain Cook had landed in Poverty Bay and taken possession of the country in the. name.of Groat Britain. The previous, speaker had referred- to tlie risks taken by Oapt. Cook, in tlmi there were no charts and wireless i guide him, hut it was the great navigator’s courage and determination U accomplish something that - carried him tnrougli. He proceeded to refer to Captain Cook’s meeiful attitude towards the Natives here, when lie landed to replenish the ship’s woo; and water supplies. The Natives had resented the pakeha invasion, and attempted to fight, with the result that tlie sailors of the Endeavour had to shoot down one Native to escape with their lives. Capt. Cook could see that if ho persisted in attempting to obtain supplies it would mean the killing of more Natives, so ho sailed the Endeavor to Hauiti, and there met the Chief of all the Maoris, and there the Maoris received him in r friendly spirit, and he there obtained all the supplies ho required, ,-o Captain Cook named that locality Bay of Plenty, whereas since lie could obtain nothing here lie called this district Poverty Bay. The Natives of this Bay were a noble fighting race, and no one who knew the history of Poverty Bay would allow, the name to he changed, as it meant a great deal (o the Maoris who first settled this district. Mr. F. J. Rowley, on behalf of the Navy League, also paid a- tribute t. the memory of the great navigator. • ' WREATHS ON MONUMENT. At the conclusion of the ceremony many beautiful wreaths were la d on the monument by the CWk County Council, the Harbor Board, the Eios pital Board, tlie Navy League, the Women’s National Reserve, the Victoria League, the Gisborne Women’s Club, and other organisat'ons, ana tho ceremony concluded with ’..lie Nn- ' tional Anthem.