CELEBRATION AT HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20088, 27 October 1928, Page 5 (Supplement)

CELEBRATION AT HOME.

YORKSHIRE'S REJOICING.

PILGRIMAGE TO VILLAGES. DOMINION TRIBUTES. The little town of Marton-in-Cleveland, Yorkshire, was the scene of a unique pilgrimago on September 8, when representatives of the Navy, the Commonwealth of Australia and the Dominion of New Zealand visited Cook's birth-placo and early home. The pilgrimage marked the opening of the bi-centenary celebrations, planned to continue until October 27. Cook went to school at " Canny Yatton," as Great Ayton is affectionately colled by the surrounding populace, and it was in this villago, nestling at the foot of Roseberry Topping—a very high point of the Cleveland Hills —and in sight of a monument to his memory, that tho pilgrimage commenced. Assembling on tho Low Crecn by the side of the River Leven, in which Cook fished as a boy, tho pilgrimage went through tho boflaggcd villago to the High Green, headed by a naval party from H.M.S. Vidette, and followed by tho band of tho 4th Battalion Green Howards, representatives of local territorill units and Tcessido authorities, and public men from Australia and New Zealand. A halt was inado on the High Green, within a fow yards of tho school wliero Cook was educated, and appropriate addresses were delivered. Sir Hugh Bell, Lord Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire, presided, and among those present were Sir James Parr (High Commissioner for New Zealand), tho Hon. Sir Georgo Fuller, K.C.M.C. (AgentGeneral for New South Wales, representing the High Commissioner for Australia), Vice-Admiral Sir Herbert Richmond, v.C.B. (son-in-law of Sir Hugh Bell), Sir John Harrowing (High Sheriff for Yorkshire, representing the Mercantile Marine), Captain F. 15. Gill (Imperial Merchant Service Guild), Lieut.-Col. Frio Murray (secretary of tho British Empire League), Sir Arthur Dorman, Sir John Fry, Sir Park Golf (M.P. for Cleveland), anil many other prominent folk. The Basis of a Great Tradition. Addresses, which wcro broadcast by the 8.8.C., were delivered at Great Ayton and Marton. Following tho proceeding tlio High Green, a pilgrimage was made to the old church where members of Cook's family are buried, and the Postgate tenement house where he received his schooling. From here tho procession i'o!lowed the road, which the great navigator must often have tramped as a boy, to Marton, where the second ceremony was held in the Stewart Park. A largo crowd of Yorkshire people from all parts of the country assembled on the south side of Marton Hall, close to the site of the cottage in which Cook was born. Only a vase now marks the spot but when Mr. T. D. Stewart presented Marton Hall and grounds to the town of Middlesbrough, lie provided that this should be preserved in situ. Prior to tho arrival of tho pilgrimage at Marton, folk dances were given by village children. Sir Hugh Bell pointed the moral of Captain Cook's career, and indicated that, we must concentrato upon the future while not forgetting the past. They were assembled to honour a great Yorkshireman and native of Cleveland, and to do honour to those men who had made this country as great as it was. A great burden was laid upon tlie people of these islands. Thoy were heirs of a great tradition which they must be worthy to carry on, and to make good tho position of the English-speaking races in tho world. "We havo looked back upon a long career of succcsful enterprise," said Sir Hugh, ' which, I think, we may safely say was always directed to the amelioration not only of our people, but of the peoples of tho world." A Great Empire Builder.

Describing Captain Cook as 0110 oi Yorkshire's greatest sons, the High Commissioner for New Zealand continued: " Not only was Captain Cook n notable Yorkshireman, ho was one of the great Englishmen of the 18th century—in many respects, tho greatest epoch in English' history. His name is indelibly associated with the creation of tho present British ntpire; for it was Cap Lain Cook's discoveries that led to New Zealand and .Australia becoming British possessions. But for Cook's advent in the Pacific Ocean in 1769, it is more than possible that these great Dominions of (he British Coinmon■a Ith would have gone to foreign hands. Truly, therefore, he was a great Empire builder. And the greatest of all the oceans, the Pacific Ocean, then an unknown universe of water, with its myriad islands, was made familiar to the world. " Captain Cook's narno has an especial appeal for New Zealanders, for it is true

that he had longer and more intimate associations with New Zealand than with any of the other countries which he visited during his three great voyages in the interests of science and discovery. Tho great Yorkshirernan certainly did not discover New Zealand, for it was a Dutchiran, Tasman, who sighted New Zealand's shores 127 years earlier. Tasman sailed for the Dutch East Indies without landing on New Zealand's shores, leaving the world with tho impression that ho had come on the fringe of a largo southern continent. It was Captain Cook who was tho first to explore and chart New Zealand, and to dispel the myth aboyt a huge continent. It was Captain Cook who put New Zealand literally on the map. Ho sailed completely round New Zealand, charting its coasts with most romarkable accuracy and giving names to all its important capes and bays and promontories—even bestowing his own name upon its greatest mountain peak, which is nearly as high as Mount Blanc, and upon tho great channel between its North and South Islands. Honourable Dealings with Natives. " The great navigator was specially attached to New Zealand and had a high regard for its native inhabitants —the Maoris—admittedly the finest savage race in the world. Now Zealand was his headquarters on his first voyage in 1769 and his appointed rendezvous with his sister ship, the Discovery, on his two subsequent voyages. I havo myself stood in the little bay in New Zealand wliero ho landed—tho first white man to set foot on those beautiful shores. Also, I havo often visited Ship Cove, which was his favourite headquarters. In both places the Now Zealand Government has erected •stately monuments to his memory. I have spoken of the Maori race, the native race of New Zealand. One of the finest things, I think, about Captain Cook, was his way of dealing with these savage races, who, for the first time, met white men. Such was his strict honourableness and justice of dealing, his firmness, tempered always with mercy and generosity, his human and kindly interest in these fierce, heathen and cannibal peoples, that tho Maoris of New Zealand always spoke—and speak to-day—of'tho great discoverer in terms of respect and high regard. It was a strange irony of fate, therefore,

that Cook should be so untimely cut off and dio at the hands of the savage Hawaiians in 1779. " My friends, Yorkshire has indeed Rood reason to bo proud to-day of the boy humbly born in 1723. For ho was not only England's greatest and most intrepid explorer, sailing uncharted sons for years in what we should consider a mere cockleshell of a boat; ho not only gave to the world his lemarkable diary, which is a piece of entrancing literature, unsurpassed of its kind. He was not only a scientist and a humanitarian who conquered scurvy, the dread scourge of centuries of seamen—but better even than all these things, by his force of character he raised high the English name for straightforwardness of dealing, for indomitable courage, for truth and for humanity. The world respects Captain Cook, riot only for tho greatness of his achievements, but also because wherever he went he endeavoured to lift up tho native races and interest them

in agriculture and works of civilisation. Even in his small vessel he managed to carry cattle, and pigs, and fowls, and seeds. These he distributed among tho various islanders. Tho Wand ol Civilisation.

"The people of New Zealand proudly associate themselves to-day with this birthday ceremony. Would that Captain Cook could see New Zealand now! What a change in 150 years! He gazed on a land wheie lived only fierce, warliko natives; on a land of splendid climate and scenerv, and a fertility virgin and remarkable; on a land utterly untouched by tho wand of civilisation. Who doubts that his spirit rejoices to-day to know that this land ho loved is one of the great dominions of his beloved England, carrying on faithfully the great traditions of the British race, and ever loyal and affectionate to the Motherland —Old England—which gave the great captain birth, and New Zealand its present civilisation ? " Australia's association with Captain Cook was outlined by Sir George 1< idler, who spoke of tho respect and afiection of tho people of the for the name of the great navigator. Tho development of Australia in the .past 1.40 years would amaze Cook's spirit. He would find that they believed in a policy of a white Australia, that they were determined to keep it for a heritage for tho British race for all time." North Sea " College."

Vico-Admiral Sir Herbert W. Richmond stressed tho high character of Cook, who was almost entirely self-taught, who gained his experience in tho great university of tho mercantile marine service and in the rough college of tho North Sea. It was by his own efforts that he rosa from seaman to master. By his self-edu-cation ho invited, opportunity instead of waiting for it, and when it came ho wan ready to grasp it. Captain Cook combined self reliance with a sense of duty, and it was these qualities which enabled him to aclnevo so much. Cook's career of adventure was tho story of a, great endeavour. Tho foundation of his greatness was his character, and his career could b» epitomised in tho names of his ships, Adventure, Endeavour, Resolution, and Discovory. Desiro for adventure drove him forth'into tho strango paths of tho world,

said Sir Herbert; endeavour marked all his actions, resolution sustained him in his many dangers, and, finally, he received his great reward of discovery. Thcro was no better way of showing our admiration than in acting as did Captain Cook, and cultivating in our lives tlic sturdy independence and contempt for relianco upon others which he always dismayed.

Sir John Harrowing, who spoke on behalf of the mercantile marine, referred to Captain Cook's association with Whitby, from which port he first went to sea. 1 lis ;hips were invariably Whitby-built vessels. "

The presence of Admiral Sir William Goodenough, who also spoke, was singularly interesting, having regard to the fact that his father, the late Commodore Goodenough, was killed in the island of Santa Cruz, 1874, in almost identical circumstances with those in which Captain 'ook met his death.