Geoffrey Bridson interviews Mr Coughlan, of Rotorua.
Mr Coughlan says the local land was considered unproductive, but it was through the foresight of Sir Apirana Ngata that the idea of land development in the area was first initiated. With the aid of a landowner and leader of the Arawa, Ruhi Pururu [Raharuhi Pururu], it was decided to develop the land.
They thought the Arawa people were not "farm minded", so tribes from other districts were brought in to develop the land. It was thought this would create competition, and so improve farming methods. It was also thought this would weld the tribes together peacefully through intermarriage. Ngāti Kahungunu were brought in from Wairoa, along with people from Ngāti Porou, and from Waikato.
After two or three years the area was subdivided into holdings, each considered enough to enable a family to be self-supporting. This was the idea behind the whole scheme - to have each family be self-supporting, rather than working as labourers in town. In the early stages it was entirely dairy farming. Now they carry out dairy and sheep farming. They shear around 3,800 ewes, and send away the same number of lambs. The land is around a thousand feet above sea level, with a shorter season than the coastal areas.