Toko
Encyclopedia
Toko is a small rural settlement 10 kilometres east of Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford, New Zealand
Stratford is the only town in the central Taranaki district of Stratford District, New Zealand. It lies beneath the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, approximately half-way between New Plymouth and Hawera, near the geographic centre of the Taranaki region. The town has a population of...

, at the intersection of East Road (State Highway 43
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...

) and Toko Road. It is located on a railway, the Stratford - Okahukura Line, the western portion of which was operated as a branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...

 known as the Toko Branch prior to the line's completion. The Toko Stream flows through the area to join the Patea River
Patea River
The Patea River is in Taranaki in the North Island of New Zealand. It runs for 105 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki, passing east through Stratford before swinging south and reaching the South Taranaki Bight near the town of Patea....

.

The population of the Toko statistical area was 1164 in the 2006 Census, unchanged from 2001. The statistical area covers a large region to the east of Stratford, not just the settlement of Toko.

Geography

Toko is surrounded by extremely fertile land, being located on the periphery of the Taranaki ringplain and adjacent to the Patea River
Patea River
The Patea River is in Taranaki in the North Island of New Zealand. It runs for 105 kilometres from the eastern slopes of Mount Taranaki, passing east through Stratford before swinging south and reaching the South Taranaki Bight near the town of Patea....

. The area is drained by the Toko Stream, and its tributaries the Manawaiwiri and Waiwiri Streams. Once covered in wetlands, since settlement the area has been drained to take advantage of the fertile soils. Dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...

 farming predominates the surrounding land use, with some sheep
Sheep husbandry
Sheep husbandry is a subcategory of animal husbandry specifically dealing with the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. Sheep farming is primarily based on raising lambs for meat, or raising sheep for wool. Sheep may also be raised for milk or to sell to other farmers.-Shelter and...

 and beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...

 farming in the steeper hill country.

History

Toko was established in the 1890s, and served as an important centre for the developing hinterland. The settlement took on the nature of a village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...

, containing a railway station, a dairy factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...

, a church, a hall
Hall
In architecture, a hall is fundamentally a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age, a mead hall was such a simple building and was the residence of a lord and his retainers...

, a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...

, a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....

, a trucking depot, a playcentre
Playcentre
Playcentre is an early childhood education and parenting organisation which operates parent-led early childhood education centres throughout New Zealand and delivers the Diploma in Early Childhood and Adult Education...

, a sports facility, and a number of other businesses and numerous dwellings. Toko School
Toko School
Toko School is a full co-educational primary school located in Stratford, New Zealand which was established in 1893.Toko School is a traditional country school, with a roll of approximately 100 children....

 was established in 1893, and located on a site approximately 2 km east of Toko at the intersection of East Road and Wawiri Road.

Like other rural centres, Toko went into decline in the latter part of the 20th century. The railway station, dairy factory and sawmill all closed. However the factory buildings are now used for an engineering business, and the church, hall, domain, hotel, trucking depot, and an automotive workshop are still being used for business and social activities.

Born in Toko

  • John (Jack) Walter
    John Walter (All Black)
    John Walter was an All Black and Taranaki rugby football representative in the 1920s and 1930s.-Biography:...

    , All Black and Taranaki rugby football representative
  • Toss Woollaston
    Toss Woollaston
    Sir Mountford Tosswill "Toss" Woollaston was one of the most important New Zealand painters of the 20th century.Born in Toko, Taranaki on April 11, 1910, Woollaston studied art at the Canterbury School of Art in Christchurch...

    , New Zealand painter (1910-1998)

Education

Toko School
Toko School
Toko School is a full co-educational primary school located in Stratford, New Zealand which was established in 1893.Toko School is a traditional country school, with a roll of approximately 100 children....

 is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a decile rating
Socio-Economic Decile
Decile, Socio-Economic Decile or Socio-Economic Decile Band is a widely used measure in education in New Zealand used to target funding and support to more needy schools....

of 8 and a roll of 97. The school was founded in 1893.
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