Spear that killed Cook goes for $212,000 bid
EDINBURGH, Scotland >> The spear believed to have been used by a native Hawaiian to kill British explorer Capt. James Cook was auctioned off in Scotland this week for about $212,000.Edinburgh-based auction house Lyon and Turnbull had expected the spear -- which was fashioned into a walking stick and passed down through the family of one of Cook's fellow naval officers -- to be sold for far less.
Cook made the first known Western contact with Hawaiians in 1778.
He was killed at the age of 50 on the Big Island on Feb. 14, 1779, on his third expedition to the Southern Hemisphere, during which he discovered the Cook Islands, Christmas Island and some of the smaller Hawaiian Islands.
Cook landed his ship HMS Resolution in Kealakekua Bay in January 1779 at a time of celebration of the harvest, and he initially was welcomed by islanders as a god.
But relations rapidly turned sour when he took a local dignitary hostage over a series of petty thefts. Cook was killed in a February 1779 skirmish that began when another officer fired shots into a crowd of more than 1,000 locals gathered on a beach to confront the explorers.
Cook's body was recovered from the islanders, and he was buried at sea Feb. 21, 1779.
William Bligh -- a navigation officer who later became captain of a mutinous crew on the HMS Bounty -- recovered the spear. It was passed between officers before being given to Adm. David Milne, and remained in his family.
Lawmakers defend high-tech tax credit
Gov. Linda Lingle's proposed changes for the state's high-technology tax credit would have a chilling effect on the state's economy, House lawmakers said yesterday in asking the administration to rethink its stance on the measure."This piece of legislation has done more to diversify the economy than anything in probably the last decade," said Rep. Brian Schatz (D, Tantalus-Makiki), chairman of the House Committee on Economic Development and Business Concerns. "We think it's very important to stay the course, and we think it's very important to keep pushing on these diversification efforts."
Lingle, who announced a proposal last week to crack down on abuses of the tax credit to help balance the state budget, was unavailable for comment on the matter yesterday, spokesman Russell Pang said.
The House Finance Committee voted against amending an existing tax proposal to include the governor's changes.
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Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
HONOLULU
Police look for second suspect in robbery
Honolulu police arrested one suspect and are looking for another in a robbery case Thursday night along Campbell Avenue.Police said the victim, a 33-year-old man, was confronted by two suspects, a 51-year-old male and a 28-year-old male, and was beaten with their fists and a stick.
After the suspects took the victim's cash, they took him to his car, and they all drove away from the scene.
Police said that at some point the suspects allowed the victim out of the car and drove off. Police later arrested the older of the two suspects for robbery and kidnapping.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Police request help finding young woman
Big Island police are seeking the public's help in locating a 19-year-old woman reported missing since last September.Police said the mother of Kazuko Aduca last saw her daughter at a carnival at Old Kona Airport in September.
The girl's last reported address was at the Kona Islander Inn.
Aduca is described as being of Japanese descent, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 115 pounds, with a slim build, fair complexion, long blond hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information about Aduca's whereabouts is asked to call Paul Bugado, of the South Kohala Patrol, at 887-3080 or the police nonemergency number at 935-3311.
