Te whakatipu whenua mo te iwi
Cultivating our land for the people
Rakaia Incorporation is a Maori farming enterprise made up from the original 27 owners in 1886. There are now approximately 300 shareholders, spread throughout New Zealand and overseas who receive dividends from farms. Rakaia Incorporation currently owns three dairy farms – Tahu a Tao in Dorie, The Pahau in Culverden and Hororata . Tahu a Tao is Maori Freehold land and is subject to the Maori Reserve Act, meaning it cannot be sold without a substantial portion of shareholders approving such a decision. Pahau is Investment Land.
History
Original owners outlined
Rakaia Maori Reserve 2058 Section 3 was one of 16 blocks gazetted as Maori Reserve Land under the Kaiapoi Maori Reserve Act 1877. The land was managed by the Maori Affairs Department, and leased to the Kingsbury family until the expiration of the lease.
Read More1877
1973
Interim owner meeting called
On 9 August 1973 an owners meeting was called at the MED Theatrette to consider an offer by the Kingsbury’s to buy the land for Government valuation. The resolution to owners was defeated and immediately following a Interim Trustee group was formed to look at the land and report back. The land was leased to the Kingsbury's for a further 2 years.
Read MoreDecision to Incorporate
The Proprietors of Rakaia 2058 Section 3 was incorporated on 24 September 1975, and leased to the same cropping tenant for 20 years when the lease, in 1996, was due to expire and the owners decision was to convert the land to dairying
Read More1975
1996
Conversion to dairying
Rakaia 2058 Section 3 was converted to a dairy farm and within 10 months the first milk was processed in August 1997. The dairy farm was named Tahu a Tao, as the area was Mahika Kai (food gathering place) and Nohoaka (food gathering resting place) when travelling up and down the east coast.
Read MoreLand acquired
As section 3 was land locked with only a paper road, land was acquired from a neighbour. The land acquired was 30.68ha being the old section 14 Maori Reserve land that the owners had, like other sections, sold their interests in years earlier.
Read More1990
1991
Longview farm acquired
The Longview farm (223.8 ha) was acquired as an investment property and leased out for cropping.
Read MoreLongview farm sold
Longview farm was sold and the proceeds used to repay the debt from Tahu a Tao's conversion.
Read More2001
2006
Culverden farm acquired
An 11-year old farm known as Braeside was acquired and the Incorporation set about upgrading the farm to better achieve its perceived potential. The farm was renamed Pahau after the river which borders the land
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Winner of Ahuwhenua Trophy
Rakaia Incorporation makes history by becoming the first South Island dairy farm in the 83 year history of the competition to won the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Māori Excellence in Farming Award dairy.
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