Midnight Moot 2008
Whats the Deal with Otaki?
Otaki is a town in the Kapiti Coast District, half way between Wellington and Palmerston North, and is one of the oldest urban settlements in the country. The town sits near the banks of the Otaki River, around three kilometres from its outflow into the Tasman Sea. There are three main parts to Otaki: Otaki Beach, the Otaki Township that contains shops and residential areas, and the part known as Otaki Railway.

Otaki is renowned for its warm climate, beautiful gardens, and fresh fruit & vegetables. The area also boasts excellent tramping and camping with the dramatic Otaki River Gorge offering views of native bush, walking tracks and picnic areas. There are also more challenging tramps, including the Southern Crossing along the Tararua Peaks to Upper Hutt. The Otaki River provides pleasant riverside picnic spots as well as fun rafting and kayaking.

Otaki has a natural, unspoiled beach that offers safe swimming as well as an indoor heated pool that provides all-year swimming. There are many weekend markets, local artists & craftspeople, and excellent cafs and village shopping. The Township provides a delightful refreshment stop as it did in the days when the beaches were used as roads for the stagecoach runs between Wellington and Foxton. Otaki is the site of both St Marys Pukekaraka Church, the oldest Catholic Church still in use in New Zealand which was built in 1851; and Rangiatea, the oldest surviving Anglican Maori Church. Rangiatea was started by the famous Maori Chief of Kapiti, Te Rauparaha. Unfortunately the Chief passed away in 1849 before the church was finished. In 1995 Rangiatea was tragically destroyed by fire but has since been rebuilt. Te Wananga-o-Raukawa, a unique centre of higher learning devoted to the world of Maori knowledge (Matauranga Maori) has been recognised as helping boost the Otaki economy. The facility promotes group learning with a teaching method based upon knowledge and wisdom passed on by their ancestors, and is continuing to grow.

Otaki was also fleetingly involved in New Zealands film industry. It was considered a good place to establish a studio by Mr Frank Moore, a representative of the Australian company Federated Feature Films Ltd. The company proposed a New Zealand branch for the purpose of producing feature films in the early 1920s. Otaki was chosen because of the towns varied scenery and "potent actinic rays" (white light). Named The New Zealand Moving Picture Company (Maoriland Films), and only surviving six months, the company produced three films: Otaki Gorge Buller Lake, Otaki Maori Life; Historic Otaki; and Charlies Capers (a comedy starring a Charlie Chaplin impersonator).

Otaki is also home to the only Maori racing club in New Zealand, and possibly one of a few truly indigenous horse racing clubs in the world, the Otaki-Maori Racing Club Inc. The club was formed in 1886, and prior to that local Maori had raced horses since thoroughbreds were introduced in the 1840s. On special occasions races attracted people from as far away as Wellington, some driving bullock drays. The first official Otaki-Maori Racing Club race meeting was held at Rikiriki on February 18, 1887. The club raced there for more than 20 years, but had constant lease problems. Its early success resulted from the clubs management skills. Eventually a new site was purchased, and the club shifted to what is now its current home. The first raceday there was October 12, 1910.