Emotional day as iwi visit their new farming station

More than 200 people took the opportunity to be part of an open day at Tautane Station, one of the North Island's biggest sheep and cattle stations, bought by Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated in May.

The new owner held the open day on Saturday, for iwi members to walk over the 3680ha station near Herbertville in the Tararua district.

Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Asset Holding Company bought the station from the Herrick family which had owned the property for 111 years.

The deal was signed on May 17 but the purchase price, which Hawke's Bay Today understood was to be revealed at the open day, remained a mystery.

Quotable Valuation's rating data for 2011, showed the capital value of Tautane was $4.275 million and its land value was $3.925 million. Asset holding company chairman Rangi Manuel said the iwi authority wanted to let its members know of the cost via a letter rather than through the media.

The station is being leased by Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre, which has its headquarters in Masterton. It will be used as a facility for farm managers and agri-scientists to learn, work and train.

Members of the holding company, representatives of the iwi, Taratahi, as well as the Herrick family were among the visitors at the open day. Visitors assembled at Rongomaraeroa marae in Porangahau on Saturday morning. Marae chairman Ahuriri Houkamau was the event organiser for the day.

"We had the powhiri about 8am and there were speakers from the Herrick family as well as the company leasing the station, Taratahi," Mr Houkamau said.

"The Herrick family spoke about their long connection and life with the land, the length of time their family had worked on the station and Taratahi spoke about their work and the future at the Tautane."

The drive from Porangahau to the station was about 45 minutes and Mr Houkamau said the poor weather held off long enough for people to enjoy a walk over the land. Taratahi education delivery manager Nigel Udy said it was "quite an emotional day" to hear stories of the past, the importance Ngati Kahungunu placed on Tautane station due to its relationship with the iwi, as well as stories from the previous owners. "Taratahi's staff have been managing the station for the last three weeks and we are in process of recruiting new staff to operate the property from here."