Tokonui occupies a picturesque valley, and the hills on both sides page 906 are clothed here and there with beautiful bush. The river running through the district empties itself into the Toetoes harbour, about four miles south of the township of Fortrose. At the census of 1901 Tokonui had a population of 139. The district is in the Toetoes riding of the county of Southland, and in the electorate of Mataura. In November, 1897, the settlers formed a Co-operative Cheese Factory, which has since been continuously in active operation. The public school has been conducted since 1888, and the average attendance in 1904, was twenty-nine. The centre of the settlement is nine miles from Fortrose, six miles from Quarryhills, and eighteen miles from Waikawa. Sawmilling and flaxmilling are carried on in the district. Presbyterian church services are conducted every Sabbath in the local school. There has been a post office in Tokonui since 1884; mails are received by coach from Fortrose on three days in the week, and the return mail is despatched on the ensuing days.

The Tokonui Co-Operative Cheese Factory was established on the 29th of November, 1897. The building, which is of wood and iron, occupies a site of about an acre of land, and includes making, curing and engine-rooms. The machinery is driven by an engine and boiler of six-horsepower. Cheese is made daily during eight months of the year, and the large cheese vat has a capacity of 550 gallons. The curing room will store five tons of cheese. There were eight suppliers in the season of 1904, when the output of the factory was about fifteen tons. Mr B. Paddon is chairman of directors of the company.

Mr. William Neiel Taylor , Manager of the Tokonui Cheese Factory, was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1880. He arrived in Otago with his parents in 1884, was educated at Faieri, and took employment at the Otara Cheese Factory in 1899. He subsequently worked at the Aparima Factory, Riverton, and at the Mokoreta Factory before being appointed to his present position in 1903. Mr Taylor was a member of the Riverton Cycling Club, and was at one time connected with the Good Templars.

Paddon, Benjamin , Farmer, “Viewforth,” Tokonui. Mr Paddon was born in 1841, at Plymouth. England, where he was educated. When a youth, he went to sea, and afterwards served in India during the Mutiny. He arrived at Port Chalmers by the ship “Andrew,” in 1862, and for some years was engaged in goldmining at Nokomai, Switzers, and Orepuki. In 1879 Mr Paddon removed to Fortrose, and two years later bought 150 acres of land at Tokonui. To this he has since added 320 acres, and he also owns sixty-six acres elsewhere. While in Switzers, Mr Paddon was a member of the school committee. He was one of the founders of the Tokonui Co-operative Cheese Factory, of which he is chairman. As an Oddfellow, Mr Paddon joined the Loyal Mount Wendon Lodge at Switzers. He has been twice married; his first wife, who was a daughter of the late Mr William Edge, of Switzers, and to whom he was married in 1864, died in 1884, leaving two sons and three daughters. His second wife, whom he married in 1891, is a daughter of Mr A. D. Martin, of Dunedin, and has borne him one son.

Gerstenkorn, photo.
Mr. B. Paddon.