1919

The practice was established in Dannevirke by Archie Runciman (a past mayor of Dannevirke.

To 1935

Intensive farming and orchards

Cobalt deficiency in soils recognised. Cobalt is added to superphosphate to help make more intensive livestock farming possible. First commercial orchards of Chinese gooseberries (later known as kiwifruit) are established.

1924

Archi Runciman was joined by Norman Weebley – Archie Runciman retired in 1930.

1928

Income tax was levied on farmers.  Prior to 1928 no tax levied on farmers because of heavy land tax.

1935

General election: First Labour Government elected under Michael Joseph Savage.

The First Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1935 to 1949. Responsible for the realisation of a wide range of progressive social reforms^[1] during its time in office, it set the tone of New Zealand's economic and welfare policies until the 1980s, establishing a welfare state, a system of Keynesian economic management, and high levels of state intervention.

1935

Harold Ruby joins the practice.

1936

Reserve Bank taken over by state.

State housing programme launched.

Guaranteed prices for dairy products introduced.

National Party formed from former Coalition MPs.

Working week reduced from 44 to 40 hours.

1937

April: Federation of Labour unifies trade union movement.

March: Free Milk in schools introduced.

1939

Mr H Rowe Dingle joined the practice – he retired in 1950.

1939

Bulk purchases of farm products by Great Britain.

War declared on Germany.

1940s

During this decade the number of New Zealand’s farms using milking machines is over 50%.

1944

Australia-New Zealand Agreement provides for co-operation in the South Pacific.

1945

Science helps farm production

New Zealand scientists produce grasses, clover, crops and breeds of sheep to suit local conditions. Cow population is 1.7 million.

1946

Family benefit of £1 per week becomes universal.

Bank of New Zealand nationalised.

1947

Use of fertiliser widespread.

Aerial topdressing makes it possible to fertilise hill country paddocks.

World War II Tiger Moths were among the first aircraft used for topdressing in New Zealand. Here, in 1953, a loader bucket releases fertiliser into the aircraft hopper.

1947

New Zealand gains full independence from Britain.

New Zealand Constitution Amendment (Request and Consent) Act 1947 passed, granting Parliament of New Zealand the ability to amend the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852.

1948

Many aspects of farming are revolutionised with the arrival of the first British-made Ferguson tractor.

1950

Frank Skipper joined the practice.

1950

Naval and ground forces sent to Korean War.

New Zealand Legislative Council abolished.

The wool boom hits.

1951

Prolonged waterfront dispute, state of emergency proclaimed.

ANZUS treaty signed between United States, Australia and New Zealand.

1951

Tanker delivery of whole milk from farms to factory begins.

1952

Dairy farming intensifies

Waikato farmer Ron Sharp develops the herringbone dairy, cutting milking times in half. Herd sizes increase.

1957

Dairy products gain 10 years of unrestricted access to Britain.

30 November: General election, National loses election, Walter Nash leads Second Labour Government.

The 1957 elections marked the beginning of the second Labour government, although this administration was to last only a single term.

1958

PAYE tax introduced.

1960

26 November: General election, National Government elected.

The Second National Government of New Zealand (also known as the Holyoake government) was the government of New Zealand from 1960 to 1972. It was a conservative government which sought mainly to preserve the economic prosperity and general stability of the early 1960s. It was one of New Zealand's longest-serving governments.

1961

New Zealand joins the International Monetary Fund.

1963

Frank Skipper and Norman Webley retired leaving Harold Ruby practising on his own.

1967

10 July: Decimal currency introduced

Water and Soil Conservation Act passed, addressing water and soil pollution issues. Cow population is now over 2 million.

1969

John Clarke joined the practice and worked with Harold Ruby till he retired in 1975 – the practice was known as Ruby & Clarke.

1969

Taranaki farmer Merv Hicks develops the first turnstile milking system – forerunner to the rotary.

1971

New Zealand secures continued access of butter and cheese to the United Kingdom.

1972

Values Party is formed.

Equal Pay Act passed.

25 November: General election, Labour Government led by Norman Kirk elected.

The Labour Party, led by Norman Kirk, defeated the governing National Party which had remained in power for 4 consecutive terms.

1973

Dairy exports face troubling times as the UK joins the EEC (European Economic Community).

1974

Prime Minister Norman Kirk dies.

1975

The Waitangi Tribunal is established.

29 November: New Zealand general election, 1975. Robert Muldoon becomes Prime Minister after National Party victory.

It was the first general election in New Zealand where 18- to 20-year-olds^[1]and all permanent residents of New Zealand were eligible to vote, although only citizens were able to be elected.  While National won a majority of seats in parliament, it did not actually win a majority of the vote.

1976

New Zealand's national day 6 February renamed from 'New Zealand Day to Waitangi Day

Matrimonial Property Act passed.

EEC import quotas for New Zealand butter set until 1980.

Introduction of metric system of weights and measures.

1977

Further intensification

The Livestock Incentive Scheme is set up by the government to encourage farmers to farm more livestock and entice them to stay farming. Export competition results in declining international prices.

1978

Supplementary Minimum Price scheme (SMPs) is introduced to guarantee farmers a minimum income.

The Land Development Encouragement Loans Scheme encourages further development of land into farming pastures.

Fertiliser subsidies encourage the use of fertiliser and lime.

1980

Grant Ingram joined the practice and became a partner in 1992 – the practice was known as Ruby Clarke & Ingram.

1980

CER agreement signed with Australia.

Year-long wage, price and rent freeze imposed lasts until 1984.

1984

Christine and Murray Donald purchased their first “economic” farm at Wimbledon CHB.

1984

Farming subsidies removed

Government removes subsidies on fertilisers, weed control, tax breaks and grants. Farmers diversify and are more efficient and more responsive to the market. High country sheep farming declines. Number of sheep peaks in 1982 (70 million). Smaller farms amalgamate.

1984

When Prime Minister Robert Muldoon called an election in July 1984 Lange led his party to a landslide victory, becoming, at the age of 41, New Zealand's youngest prime minister of the 20th century. The Fourth Labour Government came to power amid a constitutional crisis. It rapidly implemented far-reaching constitutional, economic and social reforms; however, the free market ethos of Lange's government did not conform to traditional expectations of a social-democratic party.

Constitutional Crisis 

The Reserve Bank advised the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, that the dollar should be devalued. Muldoon ignored the advice, owing to his belief that it would hurt poorer New Zealanders in the medium term. In June 1984 Muldoon announced a snap election to be held in July. This caused an immediate run on the dollar, as currency speculators believed a Labour win would mean devaluation. Despite a deepening foreign exchange crisis, Muldoon continued to refuse to devalue, forcing the Reserve Bank to take some extraordinary steps, such as closing the Forex markets for a short period of time to slow down devaluation.

Government devalues New Zealand dollar by 20 percent.

Finance Minister Roger Douglas begins deregulating the economy.

1985

4 March: New Zealand dollar floated.

Waitangi Tribunal given power to hear grievances arising since 1840.

1986

Royal Commission reports in favour of an MMP (Mixed Member Proportional) electoral system.

Jim Bolger becomes National Party leader.

Goods and Services Tax introduced.

The Constitution Act ends the right of the British Parliament to pass laws for New Zealand.

1987

Stock Market Crash: Share prices plummet by 59 percent in four months.

1989

New regional councils take responsibility for water and soil management. Farmers diversify into deer and goat farming. Horticulture becomes popular in better soils. Sustainable use of South Island high country explored – programmes put into place to control rabbits.

1989

Prime Minister David Lange suggests formal withdrawal from ANZUS.

Jim Anderton founds NewLabour Party.

Lange resigns and Geoffrey Palmer becomes Prime Minister.

First annual balance of payments surplus since 1973.

Reserve Bank Act sets bank's role as one of maintaining price stability.

First elections under revised local government structure.

Sunday trading begins.

1990

Geoffrey Palmer resigns as Prime Minister and is succeeded by Mike Moore.

One and two cent coins are no longer legal tender.

Commonwealth Games held in Auckland.

27 October: New Zealand general election, 1990: National Party has landslide victory. Jim Bolger becomes Prime Minister.

1991

The Resource Management Act 1991 is enacted, rewriting planning law.^[33]

The Resource Management Act (RMA) focuses on using resources to provide wellbeing for people while safeguarding the environment. Landowners take responsibility for impacts of their activities. Tougher environmental standards set in place.

First budget of new Finance Minister, Ruth Richardson. Welfare payments further reduced.

The Alliance party is formed.

Employment Contracts Act passed.

Consumers Price Index has lowest quarterly increase for 25 years.

Welfare payments cut.

1992

Science, forestry, dairy increase

Crown research institutes are formed for agricultural research, ending research through government departments. Forestry planting expands. Conversion of sheep and beef farms to dairy farms increasing, particularly in the South Island. Nutrient budgeting is encouraged.

1994

Christine Donald (now Christine Craig) joins the practice. 

1996

John Clarke retired leaving Christine and Grant running the practice – the practice was known as Clarke Ingram & Donald

1996

Christine & Murray sold their farm at Wimbledon and purchased 1,000 acres at Motea which was much closer to Dannevirke

1996

Christine & Murray became Tararua’s first Monitor Farm (a programme run by Meat & Wool NZ to help pass knowledge from the experts to the farmers)

2000

Christine & Murray won the Scanpower Business Excellence Awards winning both the farming section and the overall business section

1997

After leadership challenge, Bolger resigns and Jenny Shipley becomes New Zealand's first woman prime minister.

2001

The dairy industry is deregulated and two dairy companies merge to form Fonterra. The first cow is milked with an Automatic Milking System. Average farm size - 105ha and 286 cows.

2003

Pollution and farming addressed

Dairying and Clean Stream Accord highlights water pollution of lakes, rivers and streams due to intensification of dairy farming and promotes sustainable dairy farming. Tax on agricultural gas emissions (‘fart’ tax) proposed. Pollution in Rotorua lakes investigated.

2004

Farming changes continue

Amalgamation of smaller farms continues. Number of farms reduced from 71,505 in 1980 to 60,000. Wine, olives and avocados become popular diversifications. Invasive rock snot (didymo) found in rivers. Nitrate becomes an increasing problem in groundwater.

2005

Christine & Murray purchased another 1250 acre farm at Kumeroa east of Woodville.

2006

Grant Ingram retired and Christine ran the practice alone – at this stage the practice was called Donald & Associates.

2006

Five cent coins are dropped from circulation and existing 10 cent, 20 cent and 50 cent coins are replaced with smaller coins.

The government announces a NZ$11.5 billion surplus, the largest in the country's history and second only to Denmark in the Western World.

2007

Murray Donald was tragically killed in a tractor accident on the farm at Motea.

2008

ETS enforced

Climate Change Response Amendment Act passed to reduce emission of greenhouse gasescaused by human activity. An Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) charges high gas producers as an incentive to produce less. Report criticises dairy industry and high emissions production.

2008

John Key leads the centre-right National Party to victory in a general election, ending nine years of Labour-led government.

New Zealand's economy goes into recession for the first time since 1998.

2009

The practice opened another branch at Waipukurau and operated solely from Waipukurau from 2014.

2009

New Zealand's economy shrinks for the fifth consecutive quarter, making it officially the longest recession in the country's history. New Zealand's unemployment rate hits a nine-year high of 6.5% in the third quarter as the economy sheds 17,000 jobs. Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard warns of a slow and vulnerable recovery.

2011

Cow and sheep population

Cow population 4.4 million. Average dairy herd size is about 400 cows. Sheep population reduced to just over 31 million.

2013

A new dairy industry strategy is launched that focuses on competitive and responsible dairy farming. Average herd size – 402.

2014

Christine married Ian Craig who was a kiwifruit orchardist and co-founder of OPAC in Opotiki.

2016

The name of the practice changed from Donald & Associates to Rural Accountants Limited.

2017

Shannon Harnett (Christine’s daughter) joined the practice and opened a branch in Whakatane.

Inconclusive parliamentary elections. Labour's Jacinda Ardern forms coalition government.

2017

Frans Els joined the practice based in the Waipukurau office.

2018

Christine, Frans and Shannon formed a three way partnership called Rural Accountants Limited Partnership.

2018

Rural Accountants purchased Brian Ritchie’s accounting practice (Brian Ritchie Accounting Services) in Whakatane.

2018

The practice purchased the Whakatane accounting practice of John Banbury called Prideaux & Co.

2018

A Fresh Look, A Fresh Approach

New brand launched with a website and new marketing strategies to support the business’s growth plans.