‘Cook’ looks suitably naval, as befits a ship’s captain, in this statue which stood for 50 years on Kaiti Hill, overlooking Gisborne. Erected to commemorate the bicentenary of his visit, in 1969, it is in fact an imposter. It is a bronze casting of a marble statue imported from Italy by Captain Cook Breweries in Auckland, and is not a likeness of Cook. In 2019 the ‘crook Cook’ was taken down from his pedestal and placed in storage at Tairāwhiti Museum.
Using this item
Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
by Janine Faulknor
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.