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Story: Government and agriculture

Ruakura research station

In the two decades after the Second World War the government’s research station at Ruakura, in the Waikato, made a major contribution to research to improve dairying. This clip from an annual field day shows that Ruakura was also active in farmer education and offered practical management advice.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Pictorial Parade 143. National Film Unit, 1963

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Tony Nightingale, Government and agriculture – Subsidies and changing markets, 1946–1983, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/18073/ruakura-research-station (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Tony Nightingale, published 1 March 2009.

Comments

John C. Jury
30 March 2025
During the mid-'70s I lived in Hamilton and worked as a bench tech. The place I worked was known as Number 5 Dairy. We were in a compact full lab on the lower level. There was an enormous walk-in flash freezer where large flat packets of grass could be stored for months if needed. I lived at the on-site residence, The Homestead, with a lot of others. We had our own small rooms and three very filling meals, plus a late supper seven days a week. It was great, there were places to go and so much exploring to do. I can still see parts of it when I close my eyes and relax. I'll never forget it or the many friends I was able to get to know. I still miss Ruakura and NZ, and I always will. I wish that I had been able to return, but things didn't turn out that way. I wish my email address could be shown, but it won't turn out that way either. John Jury Ottawa Ontario