The book with the title Latest information from the settlement of New Plymouth on the coast of Taranake, New Zealand comprising letters from settlers there; with an account of its general products, agricultural and commercial capabilities etc is nowadays digital available. It was published under the direction of the West of England Board of the New Zealand Company in 1842. One of the sources used for this publication was the journal of mr. Cutfield. On 3 August he wrote about the possibility to found a whaling company there.
P. 20: “The whale which Mr. B. anchored on the 30th June, rose, and drove to sea. To whale here with success, six boats at least should be employed; and to form a six-boat establishment a capital of £3000 would be required. To allow the Sydney merchants to form establishments would be folly on the part of the settlers, because Sydney would derive all the profit, which is great, and all the trade incident to whaling, by sending whaling gear, slops, and provisions, and taking away the oil; whereas the oil ought to be an article of export. Lines and cordage might be made, and boats built here, as easily as at Sydney. It is to be hoped that as soon as a few persons of capital collect, a joint-stock whaling company will be established. Had there been a sixboat party here, six or eight whales might by this time have been taken, even at this early part of the season."—Ibid, August 3.
It will be seen that this object has been since accomplished, as one of the early settlers writes, on the 13th August,—"We are going to form a whaling company here. It is an excellent place for it, and will be highly advantageous to the colony. It is a matter of policy to support this undertaking ourselves, otherwise most of the profit will go out of the colony to Sydney, &c. The capital proposed is £5,000,
p. 21: which would fit out six boats. A great number of fish frequent this place; the other day, when one was towing home, I saw several playing about.”
