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Shannon News, 11 January 1924, Page 3

An interesting old-fasihioned ac-?6unt-book has 'been lodged with the Alexander Tuirnibull Library, Wellington. It relates to the doings for three years of the .whaling station at Long Point, Kapiti Island. It shows that during the years 1840-41-42 the working of the station resulted in a loss of nearly £SOOO. Amongst other looses was that of th!e schooner John Dunscombe, which was totally wrecked at Kapiti on the sth of May, 1840. The book deals principally with accounts connected with payments of wages and purchases of materials, and give s the names of the men employed at the station during the time referred to. In its flourishing days. the whaling station at the northern end of the island comprised a village of fromi 30 to 40 houses. Thare was a>t least one church on the island. So that in its palmy days, Kapiti must (have toeen a rather flouirishingj centre. Excepting a couple of old trypots at the southern end of the Island, no vestige now remains either of the whaling cr of Maori cocuipa, tion.