Over 600 people gathered on a Rangitikei farm near Hunterville to launch a new book “Otiwhiti Station”, the story of the Duncan family. Many Polio survivors owe their recovery to the Duncan Hospital, which was started by Mr & Mrs T.A. Duncan and funded from the proceeds from the Otiwhiti Station farm in the 1940s and 1950s.

Former Duncan patients and staff mingled with the Duncan family members, friends and neighbours to hear speeches by David Duncan and others, to inspect the old Otairi homestead and gardens, and to enjoy refreshments. But the Polios spent much of their time catching up on each other’s news and reminiscing on their days at the Duncan Hospital.

   

The book: Centering on Tom (T.A.) Duncan, and his wife Jeannie, the founders and driving forces behind the Duncan Trust, Otiwhiti Sation chronicles the fortunes of the farm from the turn of last century to the present day, and also charts the story of the Duncan Hospital. Part family history, part social and farming history, Otiwhiti Station is an engaging look at a New Zealand family that is not only deeply connected to its local community but has also made a difference to the well-being of the country as a whole.