THE AMBERGRIS FIND.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 275, 14 February 1929, Page 5

THE AMBERGRIS FIND.

FORTUNE GOES BEGGING. Local Resident’s Hard Luck. Interesting details of the great find of ambergris on the Kaipara North spit were given to a Press representative by Mr. S. Edmonds, of Putaruru school, who with his wife and child spent the recent holidays motoring through Northern Wairoa.

had arranged to run the car down the beach on the day of the find, from his camp, and were on their way at 10 a.m. when the car broke down. Mr. V. Subritsky’s party overtook them on a fishing expedition and went to a spot two miles past where the ambergris lay. On their return ahout 4 p-m. Mr. Subritzky stopped his car and went over to have a look at the object, which appeared like a log’. He was about tr» rofmm

he was attracted by the flies surrounding it. Examining it closely the stench soon convinced him of the value of his find and in his great excitement he danced a 1 halca in realistic style, going round and round the “log” several times. At first the rest of his party, in which there were several ladies, was a bit concerned by his most extraordinary behaviour, but on rushing over and listening to his excited cries in regard to his £IO,OOO find they joined in his elation.

When the members of the party became somewhat more subdued the ambergris was placed in the back seat of the car, the ladies having to ride on the step.

For a day the piece was the centre of interest at the beach camps, car loads galore coming to see it when the great news had got around. Covered with barnacles, the ambergris had evidently been in the water for many years, and at a mean'price of £3 an ounce its value is placed at over £12,000. During the next few days the beach was alive with all sorts and conditions of people all looking for ambergris, but the next find fell to Subritzky, who picked up a piece weighing 22 ounces on the same spot exactly a week later. The large piece was consigned to England through the Bank of New Zealand and insured for £SOOO. According to experts this piece of ambergris is so large that the sperm whale from which it came must have died and the ambergris floated away after the body rotted. The Subritzkys are barge owners and metal contractors in Northern Wairoa and the finder is dividing the amount received from the sale of the ambergris among his father and three brothers.

According to one encyclopaedia the largest find of ambergris on record weighed 182 pounds and was picked up by the King of Siam.