Kapuka, New Zealand

Kapuka is a locality in the Southland Region of New Zealand's South Island. It is situated between Mokotua to the west and Ashers to the east on the Southern Scenic Route; Oteramika is to the north, and Kapuka South, Waituna Lagoon, and Toetoes Bay are to the south. Agriculture figures prominently in Kapuka's economy due to its rural location. It has been the site of experimentation to improve the milk output of dairy cattle by introducing genes of European holstein breeds. Significant lignite coal deposits are also located in the vicinity of Kapuka. The Ashers-Waituna coalfield contains roughly 746 tonnes of recoverable coal. Exploratory work has been undertaken, but commercial mining has not yet taken place. On 1 March 1895, an...