Cook Celebrations

Forum And Aginum

"Photo News" Comment

In little more than three years from now, Gisborne will be celebrating the bicentenary of Captain Cook's landing at Kaiti Beach. This is the most important occasion in Gisborne for 100 years; it is also a profound occasion in New Zealand history. We have no choice but to prepare for celebrations worthy of the occasion. So why not (in the good old Kiwi phrase) get "stuck in" and make a job of it.

The surprising thing about an occasion such as this is that it doesn't turn out to be a chore or a liability, however unwilling we might be to start the job. Given leadership and organisation, it can be a joy and a boon to everybody; it can unite town and country as nothing else can; it can bring the satisfaction and the pride that comes from a community job well done.

What seems to be lacking at this stage is leadership and decision. So far there has been no unifying influence on various trends of thought in the city, let alone between city and country. Within the next few months it is imperative that a strong and representative executive committee be formed from interested citizens of both town and country. Mr Barker should be chairman of this committee, and Mr Clarke should be deputy-chairman. This committee should reach decisions on (1) what the district should do to celebrate the occasion, (2) what form a memorial should take to mark the occasion, and (3) how best to finance the programme.

When these broad decisions have indicated to the general public that a strong and representative body is on the job, public interest should be roused and a further public meeting called to approve the decisions and to appoint chairmen-organisers for a host of sub-committees: Finance, Historical, Procession, Carnival, Re-enactment, Memorial, Publicity, etc., etc.

By the time these sub-committees have recruited their members, and the sub-committees have formed sub-committees, the tentacles of the organisation have reached into nearly every home. Here lies the strength of such an organisation. It has the people behind it.

We can make a great success of this great occasion if we all get together. Let's do just that, and banish the sorry moaning about "lack of interest", "disunity", "Government indecision", and the like. We should celebrate this historic occasion in our own way, by our own efforts, and the only time to be sorry is when it's all over.