Auroa is a dairy-farming district, the central point of which is about twenty miles from Hawera and four miles to the westward of Otakeho, with which there is daily communication. The village has a public school, a public hall, and a small public library, which has its domicile in the school. There are three creameries within a short dis- page 213 tance of the village, and the business of the post and telegraph office is conducted at the local store, where there is also a telephone bureau. Auroa is almost due south of Mount Egmont, and forms part of the Waimate survey district of the Taranaki land district, and of the Waimate riding of the county of Hawera.

The Auroa Post Office, Telegraph Office, and Telephone Bureau . The business of these departments is conducted at the store of Mr. J. D. Proflitt. The branch line of wire connects with the Hawera-Opunake line at Otakeho.

Mr. John Deakin Proffit, Postmaster at Auroa, was born in the year 1870, in Staffordshire, England, where he was educated, and served his time as a draughtsman. In 1892 he came to New Zealand, and settled in the Nelson district. Shortly afterwards, however, he went to Taranaki, and engaged in dairy farming in the Pihama district. Eighteen months later, he was employed in a store at Manaia, and subsequently returned to Nelson, where he was for three years with the Farmers' Co-operative Association. In 1899 he was appointed manager of a store at Auroa, and afterwards took over the business on his own account. Mr. Proffitt is secretary of the Auroa Sports Club, and a member of the Auroa school committee, and the Manaia Racing Club. At one time he competed with success in amateur evele racing. Mr. Proffitt is married, and has four children. He is further referred to as a general storekeeper.

The Auroa Cheese Factory and Creamery was established by the Crown Dairy Company, and subsequently taken over by the Kaupokonui Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited. The building is large and well fitted, and the plant includes an eight horse-power Murray boiler, a four horse-power Tangye colonial engine, three De Laval separators, each of 440 gallons capacity, a pasteuriser, and four large cheese vats, etc. The maximum supply is 2560 gallons daily. The manager has five assistants.

Mr. William Ogle was appointed Manager of the Auroa Cheese Factory and Creamery in the year 1903. He was born in Nottinghamshire, England, in 1878, and accompanied his parents to New Zealand in 1885. He entered the service of the Crown Dairy Company, and was assistant at the Pihama factory for four years. For a few months subsequently he worked at the Toko factory, and was then appointed assistant at the Otakeho dairy factory, of which he afterwards became manager. Later on, he worked successively at the Skeet road and Ngaire creameries before receiving his present appointment. Mr. Ogle is married, and has one son.

Gungall, photo.
Mr. W. Ogle.

Joll's Auroa Creamery, or Skimming Station, is situated on the Skeet road, and is a wooden building with concrete floors. The plant includes an eleven horse-power Luke boiler, a four horse-power Luke engine, three De Laval 440 gallon separators, a pasteuriser, and the usual plant and fittings. There are twenty suppliers, and in the height of the season the creamery puts through 25,500 pounds of milk. An assistant is employed when necessary.

Mr. William Harold Cochrane was appointed Manager of the Auroa Creamery in 1904. He was born in the year 1881, in Hamilton, Waikato, where he was educated. He was engaged in engine driving, and started dairy factory work when sixteen years of age. Mr. Cochrane was afterwards farming for some time, and, later on, became first assistant in a butter factory. He was subsequently employed in brickmaking, but finally returned to dairy factory work. Mr. Cochrane is married, and has one child.

Mr. W. H. Cochrane.

Proffit, John Deakin, General Storekeeper, Auroa. Agent for the Auckland Weekly News. Mr. Proffitt's business is conducted in suitable premises, in which a full stock of country requisites, groceries, drapery, ironmongery, boots and shoes, etc., is carried. Mr. Proffitt also conducts a dairy farm of seventy acres in connection with his business.