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Story: Farming in the economy

Eltham Dairy Co-operative

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Eltham Dairy Co-operative

Entrepreneur Chew Chong established his first dairy factory at Eltham, in Taranaki, in 1887. However, farmers were attracted by the cooperative movement and their factories ultimately replaced private companies. These workers are making butter at the Eltham Dairy Co-operative around 1910.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/2-061084; F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Robert Peden, Farming in the economy – Refrigeration and the growth of the dairy industry, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/17625/eltham-dairy-co-operative (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Robert Peden, published 1 March 2009.