COOK MEMORIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13303, 9 October 1906, Page 6

COOK MEMORIAL.

THE UNVEILING CEREMONY. A PICTURESQUE SCENE. EULOGIES OF THE GREAT NAVIGATOR. [BY telegraph. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Gisborne, Monday. The ceremony of unveiling the Cook meI morial took place to-day, under most- auspicious circumstances, the weather being favourable and a large crowd of people assembling for the occasion. A procession took , place from the town belfry to Cook's landing-place. The scene was a picturesque one. The hillocks overlooking the "site were dotted with people attired in holiday costume, while in the vicinity of th© base of : the monument the military and naval forces were lined up. ; The landing "at Boat Harbour of the naval officers, Parliamentary ' party, and others, was a, most interesting spectacle. The natives entered into the spirit of the affair with great zest. They welcomed the visitors with balsas, which were specially enjoyed by the bluejackets. "' . ' . - ; ; y : ' A speech was made by the Mayor, who said the monument was unsurpassed in New Zealand. The Mayor read numerous tele-

grams, including messages from the Pre mier, Messrs. Hall-Jones (Minister foi ♦Public Works), Izard, Arthur Myers, Mrs. Fanny Sampson (organiser of children's sec tion), and others. Captain Tucker, county chairman, alsc welcomed the visitors. SPEECH BY THE HON. J. CARROLL. The Hon. J. Carroll performed the unveiling ceremony. He said scarcely a century and a-half ago Captain Cook landed on the spot where they w,ere now standing. From that fact, and that memorable voyage, radiated the light which carried illumination into some of the darkest recesses of the globe. The people of to-day were reaping the fruits of his labours. Therefore their hearts should glow with unusual fervour, and their pulses should beat faster in view of these facts. They were opening up a. closed book of history hallowed by time. It was idle to tell over to them again the story of the noble acts and great deeds of Captain Cook. These were already inscribed in the hearts of the nation. They were honouring one who, though he obtained such magnificent results, did not owe anything to birth or worldly circumstances, but by undaunted courage and the highest zeal was raised from the humblest rank to the highest honours in the greatest navy in, the world. It was an interesting picture when they witnessed that day the descendants of those who Opposed Captain Cook and the pakeha race, which had made the great discoveries of the world, meeting there on one common platform , to do honour to that great discoverer. . When they looked back on that time, when science and literature had not penetrated into the recesses of the world, they might think that that inscrutable force; that divinity " that shapes our ends, rough hew them how we may," had pointed with, the finger of destiny to Captain Cook as the man who was to open up this new world. As long as the Empire held together, as long 'as science and . civilisation existed, Captain Cook's name would remain imperishable. They were raising in that lonely spot a slight monument to his name, but his true monument was the vast Pacific,; on whose unknown wastes he had ventured forth, carrying light and science in his wake. : . HISTORIC INCIDENTS. ,' The Bishop of ',. Waiapu (Dr. Williams) gave an interesting address, referring to the historical incidents ■of the landing. .He said Dr. Hawkesworth had made a mistake as to the day being October 8, as recorded on the monument, as Captain Cook used nautical time, ' and his own journal showed

that the '■.; date of the landing -; was •. really October 9. He said the' native tradition supported Cook's narrative. The Hons. J. A. Millar and C. H. Mills also spoke, the latter mentioning Marlborough's claim; to special interest in Captain Cook. It was, he said, at Queen Charlotte , Sound that i the British - flag -was first unfurled. . -; Voices: " No," and "The same flag all j through." ';-■-.; t ; -'''. ■. ''^'-- : y y'-' :, \ . Mr. Mills maintained that he was correct. THE BRITISH EMPIRE., In response to enthusiastic cheers, Captain Bridson, of H.M.s. Challenger, made a speech. He said ; the present tendency of! the world was towards the formation of great empires. There was everywhere a tendency to consolidation. The other Em- j pires were compact, but the British Em- j pire was scattered in all directions, and I there was danger that its members j become strangers to one another unless they were careful to prevent it. :< He regarded the monument, not only, as a memorial to ; Captain Cook, but as another link in the chain which bound them to the Empire. It was no use disguising the fact that war existed, and he had not the slightest doubt | that one day the Empire and all of them there would be face to face with war again. He hoped that this monument would stand as one link in the chain that bound them all together, and that whenever trouble came, they would find all parts of the Empire standing firmly shoulder to shoulder. THE HOLIDAY PROGRAMME. - [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] -. * : :?■■' GISBOBKE," Monday. It is estimated there were between 4000 and ,5000 people present at the ceremony of unveiling the Cook memorial to-day, H.M.s. Challenger was thrown open to the public this afternoon, and the s.s. Tuatea was busily employed taking off the visitors to the cruiser. The Parliamentary and other visitors were taken for a trip into the country by train this afternoon. They expressed themselves as greatly delighted with the appearance of the district. The new English Church at Patutahi. to be known an St. George's, was opened by flip Bishop of Waiapu on Sunday. The church has accommodation for about 100 people.. " The visiting bluejackets were hospitably entertained at His Majesty's Theatre to lun-

cheon to-day by a public committee. This afternoon a sports gathering, including a football match, in which the man-of-warsmen took part, was held at Victoria Domain. The Parliamentary party left, late to-night by the Tutaiiekai, the members expecting to catch the train to Wellington at Napier in the morning. The Mayor of Auckland (Mr. A. M. Myers) despatched the following telegram to the lion, secretary of the Cook memorial, Gisborne yesterday forenoon: —" On behalf of the city of Auckland I congratulate Gisborne on bringing to a successful issue, the establishment of a permanent memorial, commemorating so important an event in the history of the colony as the first landing of Captain Cook on our shores, and trust to-day's function may be the crowning success your efforts deserve."