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In the 1840s, the settler population was increasing, and Māori wheat-growing expanded to feed settlers and supply Australia. Growers began to find their hand-operated flour mills inefficient, and from the mid-1840s, tribal groups in the Waikato, Wellington, Taranaki and Whanganui areas began to invest in water-powered mills. Before roads and railways were built, communities inland and on the west coast found it very difficult to transport their produce. Milling the wheat reduced its bulk and weight and made it easier to access the main markets such as Auckland.
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