CAPTAIN COOK MEMORIAL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 117, 15 May 1912, Page 5

CAPTAIN COOK MEMORIAL.

PREPARING THE MONUMENTS

Mr G. Laing-Meason, M.1.C.E., of Wellington, accompanied by three members or tho Committee—-Messrs J. * i).uncan, R. S. Florance, and S. Mi ' I\''CVilie—journeyed to Motuara Ibland and Ship Gove yesterday, with a view lo gathering ground data, tor tne' purpotu-v oil designing monuments to be placed on tho Island and the mainland. ■

The party returned to Blenheim last mght, and a meeting of the Committee was held in Mr Florance's room, citere'being present-: Messrs J. Duncan (.Chairman;, R. S. Morance, t*. Stephenson Smith, D. A. Strachan, S. M. Neville, J. L. Lord, R. \V. Jenkins, A.- McCalluin, and >V. B. Allen (Secretary).

Mr Laing-Measori gave the Commititeo some interesting information as to his observations at tlie Isiaild and the Cove ; and. made a number of 'suggestions with .regard to* the shapes N that the two monuments should' take. He-stated that he had ascertained the height of the Island lo be 4SO feet. After walking about the Island and considering it at various angles of vision, he would recommend that the, best site for the monument was the southern point. Probably, enough, too, it was just th'ire that Cook ptit up Jus nag-stafL The si/me on the Island was of a 4isappoinling quality, and it would not afford material for the monument. The party went across to the Cove and then to Long Island in the vicinity. At the latter place they found on the beach material, which, though not the best m the world, would be"! quite good enough, for, the .purpose; i Closf* by, they were informed, 'wero easily accessible deposits of good ign.fcty sand which could be lised >for the concrete. Mr Lning-Meason. went ok."to say that he had not changed his views as to the nature of t.lie proposed structure. (He had previously submitted a sketch plan of an obelisk of, reinforced concrete). He thought that the structure should be. as talland as wide as the funds would peri»Kv>- He. had -consulted an eyespecjalisp and asked him to work out what' woiild. be: the- equivalent; of. a rriqnurq;eiit 70 • feet high ten . miles distant^ The specialist made out that it:.;^|oiild .be .yqdLiivalent to an object J^ifnch hi^h crnd | inch wide ii^tpqm 10--fe^Bt wide. A monuiijent of .that size-As)iild present, a fair view #om"■pasS'iag/ships He did not think that' any^'Hoiae or coloniaV, $hip^ would pass/ftiore than ten mites away. "With regard to the cost, he undcistood that the Committee had £800 at command. He had roughly estimated that his ■ suggested monument 1 0 feet high, with a staircase leading to the smhmit, would.cost £1000, He would very much like to see tho Committee raise a f^w extra hundred's.; but under present conditions, he would suggest that estimates of. cost of varying heights, say from 50 to V 0 feet, be worked oi.it definitely and considered by the Committee. He would be-.pleased to do this for the Committee, and would be prepared to draw out propei- Aiorking plans, and. •j.pecifica.tious to gltide the ; nien ' if it were decided to do the woi'k by day labor. ,

"With regard '%o! the .monument at i^hip Cove, the question of design was largely & matter of sentiment. Pi*o-.. babjythe Committee would like .some-'----thing small and elegant, doing their •bo«t with the money available. His own idea was that a block "hearted" with the inferior stone on tho beach should'-be formed surmounted by a concrete coin inn, and with steps. Perhaps an anchor could be attached, or the Admiralty's c/annon couid be thrust through an embrasure. The details were a 7natt.fr for the Committee, it' his own proposals as to f|ie two monuments were acceptable "in;, flheir general .aspect,..he would at 'ouiso prepare designs and estimates. Injthe meanwhile tho cost, dfNconveying shingle from Long Island <t6'. Motufira. Island, and other sueli mfoimation, could be obtained. < He would add Gui> cost of transhipping tne material -irom the,'bottom to tha suifjmib or Motuara Island. He took a, Keen interest in the&e old historical associations, and it would be a labor of love to/assist: the;Cqnmiitteew He would suggest,/that tablets with inseriptioiis', Bay A 'in English . and Maoris bo ."-insert-Vd m the- iiiohumerit;. and;; he would ti"v to secure the services of ;soiko; artistic 'Urieiidvih' these re-

speeds. ; . . Mr Lair.g-Meason added tvs suggestion^ that tbc monument on the Island, could be 'utilised for the purposes of a. lighthouse for shipping, and would, thus se"rvo the purposes of the Maa-ine Department. ''" J|t was stated that the monument would be plainly visible from the Dieifcnlach Point shipping route. .•;,.-. Mi Liung Measoii A\as thanxed for 'his address, arid his offer to provide designs and estimates' of cost. .-was "ratefully accepted. " The S'icretary was instructed to write to the Golden Bay Cement Company and ask it if it would supply: cemoi.t ;it a reduced price, and to the- company interestqd in" the re-> osiit/iy-dc veluped greenstone deposit, asking if it would contribute slabs for the purposes of the inscriptions. ■ The Veu.. Archdeacon Grace and Mr S-. yt- Neville were ordered ...to interview the/leading? Maoris of the district, and ask them-to take part in the movement. It was resolved that a list ot subsenbers be presented at next .meeting, with a view to the extension ol tlie subscription movement, i