A LINK WITH THE PAST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 37, 8 February 1912, Page 3

A LINK WITH THE PAST.

A WHALING TiIYPOT POUND AT MOTUROA. The finding of an old whaling “trypot” at Akaroa, reported recently, has aroused interest locally, with the result that a similar relic has been brought to light at New Plymouth, where it has lain in oblivion and uuseque'storcd retirement for many a long year, quite unknown to most people. A “News” reporter happened on it at Moturoa, once the scene of the busiest whaling stations, when the pursuit of the leviathan of the deep formed the principal, if not the only industry, of the colony. It was found reposing on the estate of Mr W. J. Honeyfield, which lies some distance back of the oilfields. From a cursory examination, it was gathered that the “trypot,” which looks as if it weighs fully half a ton, is very similar to that found at Akaroa. The Moturoa cauldron is, roughly speaking, four feet across at its widest point, and about 30 inches deep. Two of its sides bulge barrel-like from top to bottom, while the other two sides are flattened. Altogether it is a very bulky affair and would require a jack to shift it. Although nowadays it performs the very mundane office of a watering trough for stock, there is little doubt that generations ago it saw service at the whaling staton at Moturoa, run by the redoubtable Dicky Barrett, whose exploits are so realistically depicted by a very old resident of Taraiiaki in the porson of Mr A. Hood, of this town, in a volume published in 1890. Originally, so a descendant of Barrett told our reporter, the trypot was located on a spot nearer the beach, and identical with the site of the old whaling station. Christchurch, ever on the lookout for additions to its museum, has secured the relic unearthed at Akaroa, and it behoves New Plymouth to follow suit, if possible, with its trypot.