Page:Reminiscences of Earliest Canterbury 1915.pdf/56

 ninety and over, and a few got even to a hundred.

In the earlier ’thirties there was a firm in Sydney, Messrs. Cooper and Levy, who owned whaling and sealing vessels working in New Zealand waters. They had an agent here who purchased for them, and transported by their home-going ships such commodities as flax, pork, and mutton birds, which he procured from the Maoris. This agent, on behalf of Messrs. Cooper and Levy, also purchased from the Natives considerable blocks of land at Akaroa, Port Levy, and Port Cooper. On the plains also he purchased a large block, which included both the Riccarton and Papanui bushes. In order to exploit those holdings, Messrs. Cooper and Levy despatched a ship under one Captain Underwood, with men, stores, and appliances to take possession of and work the different properties. Unfortunately this vessel, with all on board, as well as with the title deeds, was lost. Captain W. B. Rhodes had joined Messrs. Cooper and Levy as a partner previous to this venture, but when the vessel was lost the firm abandoned the scheme.

Whaling ships in those early days were a