UNVEILING SIR JOHN LOGAN CAMPBELL’S STATUE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 22, 2 June 1906, Page 20

UNVEILING SIR JOHN LOGAN CAMPBELL’S STATUE.

A CITY’S GRATITUDE FOR A r PRINCELY GIFT.

Empire Day was chosen for the tutveiling of the statue which the people: of Auckland have erected at the eny trance to Cornwall Park as a lasting memorial of their gratitude to the venft-

raW*- donor of that niagnilieeiit * property. There was a great gathering, And everything passed off with eclat, thanks to the excellent ariangbinents made by the Executive Committee, and especially the Hon. E. Alitclielson, chairman. and Mr. W. It. Holmes, (secretary. After a speech by Mr. Mitchelson, His Excellency the Governor. Lord Plunket, paid a very graceful tribute to Sir John's princely generosity. The “father of Auckland” was received with great enthusiasm when lie rose, and during bis speech he was visibly affected. He said: “I uncover to the people of New Zealand, under the statue which they have this day raised to the donor of Cornwall Park. I thank you for this grateful tribute, and your trustees have endeavoured to make the ante park worthy the reception of your great memorial. J ask you to rejoice with me that it has been my good fortune to save from the inevitable encroachment of the future great city destined to arise on this plain, the most historic ground of all Maoriland. which will fee handed down to posterity as a lasting memorial of the great aboriginal people whose country ijve now occupy. (Applause.) Here, where we are now assembled, once dwelt in thousands the native Maori of the land, a great, warlike and chivalrous race, who challenged us in intellectual capacity, and whose reasoning powers commanded our respect and admiration. Here the great chiefs held high council, arbiters of peace and war. Here let me say. that I consider we have a great duty to perform, the raising to the memory of this native people, a commanding obelisk on One Tree Hill, which shall be a memorial of the Maori race for all time. .(Applause.) Now about ourselves and the great future which has been predicted of this the glorious land of our adoption, and our great inheritance? Away back in the early forties there was written a wonderful account of this country by a great Herman savant. Carl Ritter, who was entitled the “Creator of scientific geography,” a man with the far-seeing mind of a great statesman, who tohl the world that these islands would become the Albion of the South Seas, where Great Britain’s poor would find a land of plenty, that it lay in the latitudes which secured a genial climate, that it had down its coast many magnificent harbours, wonderful estuaries piercing inland, and a shore-line of thousands of miles, the cradle for the sailors of a future great maritime people, without which no country can become a truly powerful nation." He told of our ever-flowing livers watering fertile plains, and that it had mountains sublime in their solitary grandeur; to dwell under their shadow aud look upon them elevated the mind and ennobled the. character.

“My altars are the mountains and the ocean. Earth, air, stars; alt that spring from the great whole Who bath produced, and will receive the soul.”

Now listen to Carl Ritter’s wonderful prediction, “New Zealand, before all other countries, is destined to be a mother of civilised nations.” Do you grasp the magnitude of this great prediction, this little strip of territory of ours, which looks like a scratch on the face of the map of the world, lying away in the antipodean waters of the South Pacific, is destined to become a mother of civilised nations. And what does Eroude, the great modern historian. after visiting us, predict? “If it lies written in the book of destiny that the English nation has still within it great men who will take a place among the demigods, I can well believe that it will be in the unexhausted soil and spiritual capabilities of New Zealand that the English poets, artists, philosophers, statesmen, soldiers of the future will be )>orn and nurtured—the future home, as I believe it to be. of the greatest nation in the Pacific.” Since the Carl Ritter prediction was given forth, little more than half a century has elapsed, we have reclaimed the wilderness, and we now send the products of our fertile soil to the ports of the world; we have made formidable strides in liberal legislation, recognised and copied by other countries, and we already claim to have fulfilled the prediction. New Zealand has conceived and brought forth a civilised nation, and we are her first-born. These are great results to have achieved, but we must not forget that we are the children of a land bountifully supplied by> lavish na-

ture, and we must take heed that we do not allow the luxuries by which we are surrounded to sap our true manliness of character. Look to it that you can shoulder aud well use your rifle. The day of danger may come when the summoning bugle enrolls you in martial array, and standing side by side and raising rilles high in air, we may have to shout the Marmion eall—(applause) — “Where’s the coward who would not dare To fight for such a laud.” Your Excellency, you have been graciously pleased to preside over to-day’s ceremony and honour it with your presence, a compliment fully appreciated by all present. I have to thank you for the eulogistic terms in which you have spoken of me with regard to Cornwall Park. It appeared to me only fitting, that 1 should share with my fellow-colo-nists my good fortune, and make the gift which much enriches them and does not make me poor. (Applause.) Mr. Mitchelson, need I say how gratifying it is to me that I should be addressing so old a friend, who dates back his recollection of me to his earliest years. That it was you. as Mayor of your native city, who presided at the opening of Cornyall Park. On that day you asked your fellow-colonists then assembled to erect a statue to the donor. That appeal has resulted in today’s proceedings. The statue has been erected, and I stand under its shadow with feelings of deepest gratitude, in mueh wonder that in the vicissitudes of life it should have fallen to my lot to he so greatly honoured, end breathing the words of Childe Harold: “Would I were worthier. I extend to you the hand of old friendship.” (Applause. )

Your Worship, the Mayor, I greet you to-day as a brother worker for the welfare of our people. The action taken by you in securing to the citizens of Auckland Victoria Park, and the liberal manner in which it is to be hereafter dealt with will be gratefully remembered, is not the least of the many administrative successes of your Mayoralty. As a chronicler of events pertaining to the early history of New Zealand and its pioneers, I have to travel back over forty years. In 1864 there strode forth from his native village and home in the Mother Country a youth single-handed and alone to face the world, seek his fortune, and fight the battle of life. That youth’s name and fame are known throughout the civilised world as the Premier of New Zealand. When the history of the colony comes to be written it will be recorded that in his own day he brought this great land of ours to hold a position in the world as the young nation of New Zealand. (Applause.) My friends, it is now a long look back to the dyaS when I first trod the fern footpaths of the Tamaki Plain, when in possession of the native owners of the soil, before the advent of the Government. Great indeed are the changes since that day. and my life has been so prolonged that I have lived to see the birth of a fourth generation. I have lived to see your children playing by thousands in the green fields and pure air of Cornwall Park, and that has been io me a great happiness and is my reward. Yes, I have lived so long in the land that I well might say, “Now let thy servant depart in peace.” and yet I would fain dwell yet a little with you were it given me to be one of the great assemblage destined to congregate here and witness the greatest historical event in the history of New Zealand—the uprearing heavenward from the summit of One Tree Hill a towering obelisk in memoriain to the great Maori race, whose traditions ami history can l>e traced for centuries into past ages. How can I thank you all for your presence here to-day? We are told that “out of the fullness of the heart themouth s'peaketh”; but there are events in the; course of a life when the fullness of the heart cannot find words. I ask you to believe this of me to-day. (Loud and prolonged applause.) A stirring speech by the Mhyor (Mr Arthur Myers) brought an historic gathering to a close. The following is the list of people to whom invitations were forwarded to witness the ceremony:— Mr K. W. Alison. M.i1.1t.. ami Mrs Alison, Mr ami Mrs G. Aicklii, Dr. It. Alckin. Miami Mrs Alex. Aitkin. Mr ami Mrs Arnold. Mr ami Mrs T. Buddle, Mr and Mrs 11. Brett. Mr A. Bell, Mr F. E. Banme. M.11.1t., and Mrs Bamne, Mr .lames Burt. Mr ami Mrs L. A. Baelielder, Mr ami Mrs F. Bennett, Mr <;. W. Basley (Mayor of Parnell), Mr S. I’. Brown. Mr L. J. Bagnall. Mr L. Benjamin.

Mr John Burns. Mons. and MaU.ime M. B«.eufv.*. Mr .Hid Mrs A IL-uikarl. Mr.!. M. Brigham. Mr J. Bollard. M.11.1t.. ami Mr# Bollard, Mr <?. Barley. Mr and Mrs M. A. Clark. Mr Win. Coleman. Mr J. J. Craig, Mr Hugh Campbell, Mr A. Clark. Mr It. Carr and Miss Carr, Mr and Mrs J. Court, Mr and Mrs M. Casey. Mr and Mrs D. W. Hut hie. Mr A. E. Devore. Mr A. J. Denniston. Mr C. C. Havre. Mr and Mrs J. Edson. Mrs Ersou. Mr and Mrs A. J. Entrican. Mr and Mrs T. Finlayson. Mr and Mrs J. Flit. Mr <;. Fowhls. M.11.1t.. ami Mrs Fow his, Mr John Farrell (Mayor of Grey Lynn) and Mrs Farrell. Mr and Mrs D. Fallon. Miss Florence. Hon. S. T. George. M.L.C.. and Mrs George, Mr and Mrs J. Geihlis. Mr and Mrs D. Goldie. Mr and Mrs GilUllan. Mr and Mrs C. Grey. Mr and Mrs A. E. Glover. Mr H. Rees George. Mr and Mrs IL Horton. Mr ami Mrs F. Hansen. Mr ami Mrs C. V. Houghton. Mr Edwin Hall. Mr It. Hall. Mr ami Mrs W. R. Holmes. Mr ami Mrs W. 11. Hamer. Mr and Mrs W. E. Hutchinson. Mrs Harrington, Mr and Mrs R. Hobbs. Mr and Mrs J. Kirker. Mr A. Kidd. M.11.1t.. Mr and Mrs J. G. Knight. Mr and Mrs A. Keyes. Mr and Mrs T. W. Leys. Mr E. Langguth. Mr ami Mrs G. M. l.axon. Mr and Mrs R. lA»gan. Jun. Mr and Mrs J. M. Meniiie. Mr ami Mrs IL B. Morton. Mr W. F. Massey, M.11.1t.. ami Mrs Massey. Mrs L. Myers, sen., Mr and Mrs Leo Myers. Hon. E. Mitchelson ami Miss Mitchelson. Mr and Mrs A. M. Clark. Mr T. Masefield. Mr and Mrs G. M. Morris. Mr B. Myers. Colonel and Mrs Morrow. Dr. and Mrs McDowell, Rev. Canon and Mrs Mac Murray, Mr J. M. McLachlan. Bishop ami Mrs Neligan. Mr and Mrs A. Nathan. Mr ami Mrs Sydney Nathan. Mr John Nearing. Mr and Mrs <). Nicholson, Hon. Sir G. M. O’Rorke. M.L.C. Mr and Mrs C. J. Parr. Mr ami Mrs W. W. rhilßon. Mr and Mrs A. F. Porter, Mr W. Prickett. Mrs and Airs J. Reid. Mr and Mrs E. W. Rathbone, Mr ami Mrs J. Rowe. Mr ami Mrs W. IL Smith. Mr and Mrs J. M. Shera. Dr. and Mrs E. W. Sharman. Mr and Mrs IL M. Smeeton, Mi- ami Mrs C. Seegner. Mrs 11. Somerville, Mr W. Somers. Capt. Sharp. Mr and Mrs 11. C. Tewsley, Mr and Mrs 11. Thompson. Mr and Mrs R. Tmlehope. Mr ami Mrs J. IL Upton. Mr and Mrs S. Vaile. Mr and Mrs W. R. Wilson. Mr John Webster, Mr and Mrs IL W. Wilson Misses Williams, and Mrs T. C. Williams