CAPTAIN COOK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21951, 12 May 1933, Page 10

CAPTAIN COOK

SYDNEY CELEBRATIONS ! i —j ' ! CEREMONY AT LANDING PLACE. (From Oue Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 4." Thanks to the activities of the Royal Historical Society of New South Wales Sydney is never allowed to forget the anniversary of the landing on the shores of Botany Bay by Captain Cook. The genius of Captain Cook has been the subject of many orationa during the past week, many of them over the wireless from the National stations, and the speakers have gone to great pains to emphasise the importance of his early navigation feats on the shores of Australia and New Zealand. "Cook definitely links Australia with New Zealand," said one speaker over the air, "but I regret to say that there is not the feeling of co-operation between the. two countries now that there should be. Cook's explorations on the coast of the Dominion was the subject of a special talk—just a reminder to Australians that Cook went elsewhere than to the famous Botany Bay. " The one hundred and sixty-third anniversary of the land of Cook _at Botany Bay, first known as Botanical Bay, was celebrated on Saturday last at the actual landing place, Kurnell, an inaccessible little back-water. Kurnell nestles with its ancient fir trees and monuments in the scrub on the sparsely populated shores of Botany Bay. Although the afternoon was wet many made the pilgrimage across the bay in the special launches that were provided, and they listened with interest to further orations on the famous navigator, whose first report on Australia to the Imperial authorities was so favourable. The anniversary was accompanied by a function of historical interest—the erection of a stone to mark the burial place of the only member of Cook's crew to die in these parts. He was an A.B. named Forby Sutherland, and he was the first white man to be buried in Australia. The former Chief Justice of New South Wales also unveiled a memorial tablet to the late Sir Joseph Carruthers, whose name, until his death last year, was always associated with Kurnell. Sir Joseph was one of the greatest admirers of Cook, and probably J did more than any other Australian to ! ensure that his name would live for ever. • I

There was another interesting ceremony on the northern shores of Botany Bay—a place full of historical interest to the people of Sydney. Father Receveur, the scientist who accompanied Admiral Le Perouse's expedition to the South Sea Islands 145 years ago, was wounded by a native spear at Samoa, and he died the day after the ship reached Botany Bay. He was buried on a little peninsula near what is now an aboriginal settlement. For many years mass was celebrated at his grave on the anniversary of his death, but the practice was discontinued when the neighbourhood developed into a busy tram terminus. This year the anniversary was celebrated with due pomp, and there was a large attendance.