History – Industry in a bygone age

Still occupying a significant space in Matakana is the old Dairy Company building. Its shabby charm adds to the special character of Matakana and only hints at its past purpose. Once it was extremely important to local dairy farmers as they responded to increased demand for their product. It also provided jobs for locals and brought people into the district from further afield. The museum holds many fascinating documents that give an insight into the operation of the business, as well as the individuals who worked there.

Established in 1902, it responded to the changes in the dairy industry. Up until then, dairying was small scale and was carried out on individual farms where enough cream was produced for the family’s consumption and any surplus sold locally. The development of refrigerated shipping in 1882 provided opportunities in an international market for butter and what had been a farm kitchen industry no longer satisfied demand.

Local farmers combined to create the Matakana Cooperative Dairy Company and the area was divided into individual “wards”. Each ward elected one director to represent them on the board, which dealt with company affairs. In our collection, there are completed voting papers with the chosen candidate’s name handwritten on the official slip.

Increased earnings for both farmers and factory workers had a positive impact on the local economy. Production was still labour intensive. For instance, wrapping the butter and packing it into boxes was all done by hand. Time sheets show that employees were paid for 7½ hours on a normal day, clocking off at midday for lunch and clocking back in again at 12.30. A position identified as Third Assist was paid 2 shillings and 11 pence an hour and there seems to have been regular overtime available.

The company gained a reputation for a high-quality product, winning competitions in Auckland, Whangarei and Waikato. In 1914, Matakana won the prestigious Weddell Cup.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing. The flood of 1938 caused problems with the cream supply as roads and bridges were swept away. In 1943, there began a series of letters between the Department of Health, Rodney County Council and the company about pollution. The Department of Health wrote, “In investigating the nuisance of an offensive odour in the river … I found this was clearly caused by the discharge into the river.” The company eventually agreed to take relatively expensive steps to improve the situation.

During the war, they had to justify keeping workers rather than seeing them enter the armed forces. In 1944 the Armed Forces Appeal Board wrote about Charles Atkins, “Please let me have your confirmation that this man is still employed by you and advise if you are likely to be in a position to release him in the near future.”

In 1963, changes in technology and market demand saw the need to rationalise local dairy production. The company amalgamated with the Rodney Cooperative Dairy Company based in Warkworth, ending 60 years of butter production in Matakana.