New Zealand’s Early Far Northern Dairy Co-Operatives

By the age of seven in 1897, far north pioneer dairyman, Howard Dunn, was helping to hand-milk 30-40 cows at Pamapuria.  Storing their milk in large vats which they hand-skimmed for the cream, the family of 15 made butter for sale to gumfield settlers at 6d a pound.

In 1901 Howard’s father, Robert, who had married one of Rev Joseph Matthews’ daughters, became a founding director of the Kaitaia Dairy Company (KDC). Farmers were expected to supply 140 pounds of fat per year for each cow guaranteed. Robert guaranteed the produce of 25 cows.

Every day Howard took twelve 20-gallon cans of milk by dray to the factory, a round trip of 2.5 hours.  Poor roads meant farmers often had to cut ti-tree to lay on the tracks so they could get the dray through. Milk was separated at the factory and farmers given an allotment of skim milk to feed their pigs.

Factory produced butter was carted in two ton loads by bullock to Awanui and shipped to Auckland weekly.

The first dairy factories, set up by entrepreneurs, had opened in the 1880’s In Waikato and Taranaki. Entrepreneur-built factories were so successful that farmer co-operatives also began building them and by 1920, 85% of the existing 600 factories were farmer co-operative owned.

In Northland, the Oruru-Fairburns Dairy Company was established in 1901. By 1907 a milking plant for 60-90 cows, with the power to milk 120, had been established in Oruru. The Lawrence-Kennedy-Gillies machine was reputed to ‘allow a woman and youth to milk 24 cows per hour.’

That year the Victoria Valley Creamery opened with supply from 242 cows guaranteed.  The largest herd constituted 25 cows and the smallest, eight. The creamery supplied KDC until it burned down in 1910.

By 1909 home separators had become available. The 65 gallon Alfa-Laval separator cost £27/10, and by  1911 home separation had become the norm and the factory ceased its separation process.

Awanui began to supply KDC in 1909 but transport difficulties over rough roads led Herekino to start its own Company. In 1929, with suppliers opting for Kaitaia, Herekino was obliged close.

Utilising  the new new kerosene powered milking machine, Howard Dunn was able to milk 80-90 cows by himself from 1915, though he still developed land with horse and plough, a good team turning over two acres a day.

Waipapakauri, Paparore and Kaiangaroa had been included in cream runs by 1916 and by 1920 suppliers to Kaitaia numbered 136 producing 213 tons.  In 1921 KDC purchased a truck and began picking cream up.  Because Kaitaia couldn’t sustain the increasing output, in 1926 the Awanui factory was opened. Now Te Kao began supplying cream, delivering it with the Land Board lorry which enabled Waiharara and Houhora producers also to supply. By 1934, the KDC truck was also collecting from Whatuwhiwhi.

Eventually dairy companies became involved with fertiliser, the supply of seeds and general stores, herd testing, pig marketing, lime supply, and the collection and disposal of bobby calves. They supplied WWII army and air department buildings to farmers at low cost for use as outbuildings. The operation of cool stores for butter opened the possibility for involvement with freezing works, and diversification brought  dried milk manufacture, a veterinary services scheme, and the agency for Caltex Oil Co in 1949.

At its height, KDC had its own trading store with knowledgeable staff in dust coats…now the Postie+ in Melba Street.

Reference -Kaitaia Co-Op Dairy Co – 70 Years of Service – 1901-1971 – Photos courtesy of Far North Regional Museum.

©Theresa Sjoquist