BUILDING OF A WHALEBOAT.

Shannon News, 20 April 1928, Page 2

BUILDING OF A WHALEBOAT.

ENTERPRISE OF TARANAKI

NATIVES.

A new whaleboat for fishing purposes has been constructed by the natives of Normanby Road, Taranaki. The builders are Tamanui, Whakaneka, Reggie Morgan, Aka Manu, Jeremiah, Jhnmie Robinson and Rangi Katene. The.craft is 24 feet in length, with> beam of six feet, and the- hull is clinker built of Oregon pine, with an old canoe Aeel o*f stout totara. The boat has been named "Tauraki," a word meaning an unlucky year, or one in which little fish has been caught. ■ The ribs are made from tough rata vines, and the knees from ngaio wood, the seats being of kauri. The keel was first constructed in 1909 and since then three hulls have been replaced, the first in 1916, the second in 1922 and the third this year The first two decayed,! but the third was damaged by a fall of earth from a cliff at the foot of the Normanby road, where the boat was housed. "■We have got a big bit of green : stone for an anchor," remarked one of the Natives to a "Witness" representative, and on turning in the direction indicated , the reporter certainly saw a "green" stone, but it proved to be portion of an old cheese press painted that colour. ' ' We will catch a lot of fish now we have got a greenstone," superstitiously suggested one of the workmen. "It came out of one of the canoes from Hawaiiki," humorously suggested one of the builders. "When the Maori gets some money he will, put an engine in it," explained Reggie, who had visions of making the work of propulsion easy. A 12-foot flat-bottomed dinghy has also been constructed and this," will be used in conjunction with the bigger boat. After a great deal of discussion it was decided to name the dinghy "Leap Year." The vessel is well finished in every way and. is a great credit to the Natives who carried out the work of construction.