On an island in the Hokitika River - boys posing with their home- made scoop nets.1932.

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DescriptionOn an island in the Hokitika River in 1932, these boys pose with their home-made scoop nets. They are, from left, John Cameron, Jack Harding, Neoly Saxon and Jock Tulloch. Catching whitebait offered anyone a chance to get some income – in those days the going rate was five shillings a pint. In 2006 this equated to roughly $40 a litre – not bad pocket money.
West Coast Historical Museum
Reference: Auckland Weekly News, 31 August 1932, p. 38Date of Photo1932Map^[1]External LinkTeara GovtContributorHeather Newby

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Location (city or town)HokitikaPersonJohn CameronJack Harding Neoly SaxonJock TullochLandmark (Place)Hokitika River EventOn an island in the Hokitika River - boys posing with their home- made scoop nets.1932.

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Category Tagwhitebaiting

From Facebook

Date Created14th October 2020CommentsMoira Price
paknsav had it for $149.95 a kilo the other day...

Moira Price
no...New world, sorry ..

Barbara Fitzsimmons
Love it

Kyle Webster
Supplejack...?

Kerry Kerr
Kyle Webster it’s a vine that grows to about thumb thickness and was great for making bows as well

Shona Ratana
Yes supplejack , on a Friday leading up to the start of whitebaiting season our mum cut out a pattern on new netting bought that day in Greymouth, then hand sewed the material round the top of the supplejack my brothers bought from the bush. Later years a bought pole was used, however the netting was still sewed by hand onto the pole As we grew older we helped with the sewing ready for my father to have an early morning start. I love Westcoast whitebait.

Trevor Molloy
we went into the bush and cut a suitable supple jack vine , then a white pine sapling , came home and put it together , our mothers had sown up the net to fit it , then it was up to us to catch the bait , we had the best days .

Edwin Lord
Trevor Molloy the good old days the best days of our lives

Martin Burt
Paulina Tulloch

Paulina Tulloch
Martin Burt I’ve got that photo on my wall Marty. Thanks for the tag

Rebekah Fairhurst Geer
Martin Burt I was just about to tag too! Great pic Paulina Tulloch!

Paula Tulloch
Paulina Tulloch its on our wall too.

Mary Saxon Faulkner
I think Noely Saxon may have been my uncle Noel Francis Saxon who later died in World War 2.

Angela Penn
Mary Saxon Faulkner oh wow really? Mum’s namesake?
Mary Saxon Faulkner
Paul Watson Angela Penn
Terry Harding
Well now will you look at that! Our da (Jack) DID have a real mop of hair once upon a time!!
Dave Curtis

My Dad did the supplejack whitebait net on the Grey

Warner Nut Curry
What a beauty thanks
Paulina Tulloch
Yea dad would have been 8 in that photo
Trevor Keith Scott
Used to make them for the Grey river, with supeljack for the ring, cant remember the tree we used for the pole. I can see it with sharp spear like leaves at the very top. Brain not what it used to be!!!
Anne Miller Mcmillan
Trevor Keith Scott lol nothing the same as it used to be Trevor

Ursula Tauwhare Tainui
Supeljack for the ring and Lancewood handle
Trevor Keith Scott
Right on Ursula, I worked with a very good man when in Otira he was a dam good mate of mine....George & Pup Tainui. Fantastic people. Lost track of them in the late 60's early 70.
Ursula Tauwhare Tainui
George passed away Pup is living at Arahura they were/are the most beautiful people any one could know cheers Trevor
Trevor Keith Scott
Thank you so much Ursula, I have NEVER stopped thinking about those two. I can still see Georges smile and laugh, we did drink a few together Pup would come up to the pub in Otira to drag George home. After telling George off she would stay and have a drink anyway. Sorry to hear about George, please mention me to Pup when next you contact her. God bless the Tainui Family!Christine Hogg
I always remember my mother talking of a year with a glut of whitebait, 3d a pint if you were lucky, the fowls got sick of eating them, and they were dug-into the garden as well. That was Kaniere, in the 1940's I think

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On an island in the Hokitika River - boys posing with their home- made scoop nets.1932.

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