A LINK WITH THE PAST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 183, 1 February 1912, Page 4

A LINK WITH THE PAST.

A WHALING ; T£YPOT. 'V FOUND AT MOTUROA. The finding of an old whaling "trypot" at Akaroaj reported in yesterday morning's telegrams, has aroused interest locally, with the result that ft Similar relic has been brought to light at New Plymouth, where it has lain in' oblivion and unsequestered retirement for many a long year, quite unknown to most .people.

A News reporter happened on it today 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 th« colony. It was found reposing on the estate of Mr. W. J. Honeyfleld, 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 ing, four feet across at its widest pointy 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 station at Moturoa, run by the redoubtable Dicky Barrett, whose exploits are so realistically depicted by a very old resident of Taranaki in the person of Mr. A. Hood, of this town, in a volume published" in 1800. Originally, so a descendant of Barrett told our reporter to-day, the trypot was located on a spot nearer the beach, and identical with the site of the old whaling station. Christchurch, .ever on the look-out for addi- ' tions to its museum, has secured the relic unearthed at Akaroa, and it behoves New Plymouth to follow suit, if possible,' with iHs trypot.