Pahiatua
Encyclopedia
Pahiatua is a rural service town in the south-eastern North Island
of New Zealand
with an urban and rural population of over 4,000. It is between Masterton
and Woodville
on State Highway 2
and the Wairarapa Line
railway, 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) north of Masterton and 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) east of Palmerston North
. It is usually regarded as being in the Northern Wairarapa
, but for local government purposes it is in the Tararua District
, which encompasses Eketahuna
, Pahiatua, Woodville and Dannevirke
.
Unusually for a town of its size Pahiatua has retained several amenities that were lost to similar towns around New Zealand in the 1980s and 1990s, in particular banking, postal services, and a cinema. The town is served by three banks, a post office, a supermarket, four schools (3 Primary, 1 Secondary), a volunteer fire brigade, and a public library.
When translated from Māori
, the name Pahiatua means "god's resting place". The explanation accompanying this translation is that a chief fleeing from his enemies was led by his war god to this hill to seek refuge.
The name has also been attributed by the town clerk to the town's founder, W. W. McCardle.
The Pahiatua village was not a settlement initiated by the government, but rather one that had its origin in land speculation. Several subdivisions were established by private landholders including W. W. McCardle, H. Manns, A. W. and Henry Sedcole, and W. Wakeman. It is claimed that the first settlers were John Hall who arrived on 28 February 1881, followed by John Hughes the next day. These men, plus the brothers of Hughes and their families, comprised Pahiatua's population the first summer. Precisely when the town of Pahiatua came into being is not clear as it has not been established when McCardle's first land sale took place. However, by the summer of 1883 he was advertising grassed suburban sections, "improved" acres, and other unimproved lots. In November 1885 he sought to dispose of a large portion of one of his subdivisions at an auction in Napier
.
Development of the land quickly produced results, and by August 1883 5000 acres (2,023.4 ha) had been cleared, several hundred head of cattle were being grazed, and the population stood at 150. The efforts of the early settlers were sufficient to attract storekeepers and even a hotel.
The government belatedly decided to get involved and agreed to survey a township reserve in December 1882. They later changed their minds and postponed any decision, citing the need to wait for the final determination of the route of the railway. The settlers, also desirous of being close to the railway to improve land values, made strenuous efforts to have the line run through the town, but like their southern counterparts in Greytown
, were ultimately unsuccessful. The legacy of this plan can be seen today in the unusual width of Pahiatua's Main Street which was designed to accommodate the railway down the centre. The intended railway reserve became a grassed median after it was decided to build the railway line to the west of the town.
refugee
s, of which 733 were children, were sent to a refugee camp
about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the town. The camp had been used as an internment camp for foreigners at the start of World War II
. The settlement was expected to be a temporary measure, but with the rise of communism
in eastern Europe after the end of the war, the refugees stayed on at the camp until 1949 at which point they were naturalised
. In 2004 the New Zealand Polish community celebrated its 60th anniversary and the 65th anniversary celebrations were held in 2009 at which former Polish president Lech Wałęsa
was to have been the guest of honour.
could no longer afford to keep it open. This was despite numerous assurances given to the town from 1992 by successive health authorities that the hospital was in no danger of being closed. The closure date was set at 30 June 1998, by which time the only services offered by the hospital were an x-ray department, maternity, a general ward, and geriatric, palliative, convalescent, and rehabilitation care. However, part of the complex remained open until the last patients could be relocated to a new facility at Waireka Home that was still under construction.
At central government level, Pahiatua was located in the Wairarapa seat
until 1881, at which point the electorate was split into Wairarapa North
and Wairarapa South
(later to become Masterton and Wairarapa respectively in 1887). Part of the Masterton seat
was divided off into the new Pahiatua seat
in 1896 which remained the political home of Pahiatua until the electorate was amalgamated with the Wairarapa seat in 1996.
, Pahiatua had a resident population of 2,559 residents in 1,029 dwellings. This was a decrease of 51 people since the previous census. Of these, 1,197 were male and 1,362 were female, while 18.6% were aged 65 or over and 22.5% were aged under 15 years.
The ethnic composition of the population was European, 79.2%; Māori, 20.3%; Pacific Islanders, 1.3%; Asian, 1.4%; Middle Eastern/Latin American/African, 0.1; Other, 10%.
way system was considered for Pahiatua but never constructed.
Rail transport to Pahiatua was available from 3 May 1897 when the town's railway station
opened, marking the completion of the Wairarapa Line as far north as the town. The line was completed through to Pahiatua's northern neighbour, Woodville, several months later on 11 December 1897. Improvements made to the region's road network in the latter half of the 20th century led to a decline in the popularity of rail for public transport. The service was finally withdrawn in 1988 when the last passenger train between Palmerston North and Masterton stopped at Pahiatua on Friday, 29 July.
The town's public transport now consists of a single daily Masterton – Palmerston North and return bus service (with an extra service on Fridays) run by Tranzit Coachlines.
Also subsequent to the closing of the town's hospital was the establishment of the Pahiatua Medical Centre which now dispenses general practice health care to the town's residents and, via outreach clinics, to residents of Eketahuna and Woodville. It is run by the Tararua PHO (Primary Health Organisation).
The old Pahiatua hospital complex has been refurbished and converted into a private conference and accommodation business called Masters Hall.
technology. Incumbent telecommunications operator Telecom is planning to upgrade their infrastructure in Pahiatua, which will improve the delivery of broadband internet services, by October 2011.
The Tararua District Council formed an alliance with the telecommunications companies Inspire Net, Inspired Networks, Digital Nation and FX Networks to link the four major towns in its jurisdiction to Palmerston North with a fibre optic cable
. The link between Palmerston North and Pahiatua was expected to go live on 31 July 2008. The service is now available to some rural residents and urban customers.
Tararua College is one of 14 schools nationwide set to become the first to benefit from the government's broadband in schools initiative. Funding of $34 million has been allocated for the programme, of which the schools will receive $5 million for upgrades to their information technology equipment.
and Prime
from Sky Television
. Also available is digital television from both Sky Television (via satellite) and Freeview (either via UHF terrestrial broadcasts or by satellite).
Pahiatua is the home of regional television station Tararua Television. The channel began in a studio at Tararua College in 2004 and was broadcasting to an audience of approximately 5,000 in Pahiatua and Woodville. A local fundraising effort enabled the station to increase its coverage to Palmerston North, Foxton, Bulls, Marton, Feilding and Ashhurst and a ceremony to mark the occasion was held on 1 May 2008. Plans by the New Zealand Government to switch off the analogue television network have cast doubt on the future of Tararua Television as the costs of switching to digital transmission are proving to be a major obstacle.
, which was founded in 1960, is based in Pahiatua and is the main provider of secondary education in the area.
A consultation document proposing the reorganisation of educational facilities in the Tararua District was released by the Bush Education Plan working group in July 2009. Amongst its recommendations was the closure of several schools in the district, such as Hillcrest School, and for their rolls to be merged into other schools such as Pahiatua School. The plan was scrapped a month later when the working group was dissolved after a vitriolic response from local residents and a statement from the Minister of Education that she had no plans to close any schools in the region against the wishes of the local community.
Pahiatua is the home of the Pahiatua Railcar Society
, a non-profit railway heritage organisation based at the town's railway station, whose purpose is to preserve and restore to working order railcar
s formerly in revenue service on New Zealand's railway network
. Some of the notable vehicles in their collection include a Standard class railcar
(RM31), a Wairarapa class railcar
(RM5), and a Twin Set railcar
(RM121). The society leases the railway station from KiwiRail
and opens their museum to the public once a month.
Fonterra
's Pahiatua dairy factory, a manufacturer of milk products and milk powder for local and export markets, is a significant employer in the area. Other major employers include Betacraft and the Tui Brewery at Mangatainoka
.
Pahiatua is one of several northern-Wairarapa towns to have experienced an increase in popularity as a place to live as evidenced by a 43% increase in average residential property prices between 2005 and 2008.
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
with an urban and rural population of over 4,000. It is between Masterton
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
and Woodville
Woodville, New Zealand
Woodville is a small town in the southern North Island of New Zealand, 75 km north of Masterton and 25 km east of Palmerston North. In the 2006 census 1,398 people are usually resident in Woodville, a decrease of 81 people, or 5.5%, since the 2001 Census.-Early History and Local...
on State Highway 2
New Zealand State Highway 2
State Highway 2 is one of New Zealand's eight national highways. With the exception of State Highway 1, which runs the length of both of the country's main islands, SH 2 is the longest highway in the North Island...
and the Wairarapa Line
Wairarapa Line
The Wairarapa Line is a secondary railway line in the south-east of the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city of Wellington with the Wairarapa region. The line ends at Woodville, where it joins the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line...
railway, 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) north of Masterton and 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) east of Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
. It is usually regarded as being in the Northern Wairarapa
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
, but for local government purposes it is in the Tararua District
Tararua District
The Tararua District lies near the south-east corner of New Zealand's North Island. Created in 1989, it was named after the Tararua Range, which forms much of its western boundary. It has a population of and an area of 4,360.56 km²....
, which encompasses Eketahuna
Eketahuna
Eketahuna is a small rural service town, the most southerly in the Tararua District in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand, but is considered to be in northern Wairarapa. It was called Mellenskov, but was renamed soon after its founding.The town is located at the foot of...
, Pahiatua, Woodville and Dannevirke
Dannevirke
Dannevirke , is a rural service town in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of the North Island, New Zealand. It is the major town of the administrative Tararua District, the easternmost of the districts in which the Regional Council has responsibilities...
.
Unusually for a town of its size Pahiatua has retained several amenities that were lost to similar towns around New Zealand in the 1980s and 1990s, in particular banking, postal services, and a cinema. The town is served by three banks, a post office, a supermarket, four schools (3 Primary, 1 Secondary), a volunteer fire brigade, and a public library.
Name
There are conflicting accounts of how the town acquired its name.When translated from Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
, the name Pahiatua means "god's resting place". The explanation accompanying this translation is that a chief fleeing from his enemies was led by his war god to this hill to seek refuge.
The name has also been attributed by the town clerk to the town's founder, W. W. McCardle.
Township
The Wellington Land Board decided in December 1880 to offer land in the Pahiatua Block for settlement. This consisted of 12000 acres (4,856.2 ha), of which 3000 acres (1,214.1 ha) was offered on a deferred payment basis. Applications for the land closed in February the following year, but there seems to have been little interest at first. Sales of land from the original offer continued over the next few years.The Pahiatua village was not a settlement initiated by the government, but rather one that had its origin in land speculation. Several subdivisions were established by private landholders including W. W. McCardle, H. Manns, A. W. and Henry Sedcole, and W. Wakeman. It is claimed that the first settlers were John Hall who arrived on 28 February 1881, followed by John Hughes the next day. These men, plus the brothers of Hughes and their families, comprised Pahiatua's population the first summer. Precisely when the town of Pahiatua came into being is not clear as it has not been established when McCardle's first land sale took place. However, by the summer of 1883 he was advertising grassed suburban sections, "improved" acres, and other unimproved lots. In November 1885 he sought to dispose of a large portion of one of his subdivisions at an auction in Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
.
Development of the land quickly produced results, and by August 1883 5000 acres (2,023.4 ha) had been cleared, several hundred head of cattle were being grazed, and the population stood at 150. The efforts of the early settlers were sufficient to attract storekeepers and even a hotel.
The government belatedly decided to get involved and agreed to survey a township reserve in December 1882. They later changed their minds and postponed any decision, citing the need to wait for the final determination of the route of the railway. The settlers, also desirous of being close to the railway to improve land values, made strenuous efforts to have the line run through the town, but like their southern counterparts in Greytown
Greytown, New Zealand
Greytown or Te Hupenui, population 2,001 , is a town in the Wellington region of New Zealand. It lies in the Wairarapa, in the lower North Island...
, were ultimately unsuccessful. The legacy of this plan can be seen today in the unusual width of Pahiatua's Main Street which was designed to accommodate the railway down the centre. The intended railway reserve became a grassed median after it was decided to build the railway line to the west of the town.
Refugees
On 1 November 1944 838 PolishPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s, of which 733 were children, were sent to a refugee camp
Refugee camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...
about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the town. The camp had been used as an internment camp for foreigners at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The settlement was expected to be a temporary measure, but with the rise of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
in eastern Europe after the end of the war, the refugees stayed on at the camp until 1949 at which point they were naturalised
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
. In 2004 the New Zealand Polish community celebrated its 60th anniversary and the 65th anniversary celebrations were held in 2009 at which former Polish president Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
was to have been the guest of honour.
Hospital
Pahiatua had its own hospital, located on a site at the southern end of the town, since 1902. In November 1997 the hospital, then under the jurisdiction of Palmerston North-based Mid Central Health, was informed that it would soon close as the Health Funding AuthorityHealth Funding Authority
The Health Funding Authority, now defunct, was a New Zealand government entity responsible for funding of public health care in New Zealand between 1997-2001...
could no longer afford to keep it open. This was despite numerous assurances given to the town from 1992 by successive health authorities that the hospital was in no danger of being closed. The closure date was set at 30 June 1998, by which time the only services offered by the hospital were an x-ray department, maternity, a general ward, and geriatric, palliative, convalescent, and rehabilitation care. However, part of the complex remained open until the last patients could be relocated to a new facility at Waireka Home that was still under construction.
Politics
The residents of Pahiatua were politically active from early on, advocating for their own Roads Board around June 1883. By August 1886 Pahiatua had gained town district status and only two years later, in October 1888, the Pahiatua County Council was established. The town was constituted as a borough on 25 July 1892. The council remained the political master of the town and surrounding area until the local government reforms of 1989 merged the town into the Tararua District Council.At central government level, Pahiatua was located in the Wairarapa seat
Wairarapa (New Zealand electorate)
Wairarapa is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It was first created in 1859 and existed until 1881. It was recreated in 1887 and has since existed continuously...
until 1881, at which point the electorate was split into Wairarapa North
Wairarapa North
Wairarapa North was a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1881 to 1887.The Wairarapa North electorate in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand and the adjacent Wairarapa South electorate were formed in 1881 by splitting the old Wairarapa electorate.These electorates only existed for...
and Wairarapa South
Wairarapa South
Wairarapa South was a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1881 to 1887.The Wairarapa South electorate in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand and the adjacent Wairarapa North electorate were formed in 1881 by splitting the old Wairarapa electorate.These electorates only existed for...
(later to become Masterton and Wairarapa respectively in 1887). Part of the Masterton seat
Masterton (New Zealand electorate)
Masterton was a New Zealand electorate, focused on the town of Masterton and the surrounding area.-History:The electorate of Masterton was created at the 1887 elections. Its boundaries were roughly based on those of the Wairarapa North electorate that it replaced, although it was not an exact match...
was divided off into the new Pahiatua seat
Pahiatua (New Zealand electorate)
-History:The Pahiatua electorate existed from 1896 to 1996. Early holders of the seat were John O'Meara from 1896 to 1904, William Henry Hawkins from 1904 to 1905, Robert Beatson Ross from 1905 to 1911, James Escott from 1911 to 1916, George Smith from 1916 to 1919, Archibald McNicol from 1919 to...
in 1896 which remained the political home of Pahiatua until the electorate was amalgamated with the Wairarapa seat in 1996.
Natural disasters
Pahiatua was the location of one of New Zealand's most powerful earthquakes when on 5 March 1934 a magnitude 7.6 quake struck at Horoeka. It was felt as far away as Auckland and Dunedin.Demographics
Historical population counts show a steady increase in the size of the town throughout most of the 20th century.| Population | 1886 | 1896 | 1906 | 1926 | 1945 | 1961 | 1975 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pahiatua | 473 | 1158 | 1370 | 1477 | 1749 | 2578 | 2630 |
, Pahiatua had a resident population of 2,559 residents in 1,029 dwellings. This was a decrease of 51 people since the previous census. Of these, 1,197 were male and 1,362 were female, while 18.6% were aged 65 or over and 22.5% were aged under 15 years.
The ethnic composition of the population was European, 79.2%; Māori, 20.3%; Pacific Islanders, 1.3%; Asian, 1.4%; Middle Eastern/Latin American/African, 0.1; Other, 10%.
Economy
The economy is based on support for sheep and beef farming and the dairy industry with the Fonterra Dairy factory and Tui Brewery both located on the outskirts of the town.Transportation
An electric tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way system was considered for Pahiatua but never constructed.
Rail transport to Pahiatua was available from 3 May 1897 when the town's railway station
Pahiatua Railway Station
Pahiatua railway station is a station on the Wairarapa Line, a railway line that runs through the Wairarapa region of New Zealand’s North Island. It was opened in May 1897, shortly before the line was completed and opened to Woodville in December of that year...
opened, marking the completion of the Wairarapa Line as far north as the town. The line was completed through to Pahiatua's northern neighbour, Woodville, several months later on 11 December 1897. Improvements made to the region's road network in the latter half of the 20th century led to a decline in the popularity of rail for public transport. The service was finally withdrawn in 1988 when the last passenger train between Palmerston North and Masterton stopped at Pahiatua on Friday, 29 July.
The town's public transport now consists of a single daily Masterton – Palmerston North and return bus service (with an extra service on Fridays) run by Tranzit Coachlines.
Healthcare
Healthcare in Pahiatua used to be provided via private doctor's clinics and the town's hospital. Following the closure of the hospital in 1998, hospital-level care has been provided at Palmerston North hospital as the town is in the jurisdiction of Mid Central Health.Also subsequent to the closing of the town's hospital was the establishment of the Pahiatua Medical Centre which now dispenses general practice health care to the town's residents and, via outreach clinics, to residents of Eketahuna and Woodville. It is run by the Tararua PHO (Primary Health Organisation).
The old Pahiatua hospital complex has been refurbished and converted into a private conference and accommodation business called Masters Hall.
Telephone
The area code for Pahiatua is 06 as for telecommunications purposes it is part of the Manawatu-Wairarapa-Hawkes Bay region.Internet
Broadband internet is available to customers in Pahiatua using Digital Subscriber LineDigital Subscriber Line
Digital subscriber line is a family of technologies that provides digital data transmission over the wires of a local telephone network. DSL originally stood for digital subscriber loop. In telecommunications marketing, the term DSL is widely understood to mean Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line ,...
technology. Incumbent telecommunications operator Telecom is planning to upgrade their infrastructure in Pahiatua, which will improve the delivery of broadband internet services, by October 2011.
The Tararua District Council formed an alliance with the telecommunications companies Inspire Net, Inspired Networks, Digital Nation and FX Networks to link the four major towns in its jurisdiction to Palmerston North with a fibre optic cable
Optical fiber cable
An optical fiber cable is a cable containing one or more optical fibers. The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for the environment where the cable will be deployed....
. The link between Palmerston North and Pahiatua was expected to go live on 31 July 2008. The service is now available to some rural residents and urban customers.
Tararua College is one of 14 schools nationwide set to become the first to benefit from the government's broadband in schools initiative. Funding of $34 million has been allocated for the programme, of which the schools will receive $5 million for upgrades to their information technology equipment.
Television
Free-to-air television broadcasts are available in Pahiatua including the major national channels offered by TVNZTelevision New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
and Prime
Prime Television New Zealand
Prime is the seventh national free-to-air television station in New Zealand. The station airs a mixed group of programmes, largely imported from Australia, the UK and the United States, as well as free-to-air rugby union, cricket and rugby league matches....
from Sky Television
SKY Network Television
Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
. Also available is digital television from both Sky Television (via satellite) and Freeview (either via UHF terrestrial broadcasts or by satellite).
Pahiatua is the home of regional television station Tararua Television. The channel began in a studio at Tararua College in 2004 and was broadcasting to an audience of approximately 5,000 in Pahiatua and Woodville. A local fundraising effort enabled the station to increase its coverage to Palmerston North, Foxton, Bulls, Marton, Feilding and Ashhurst and a ceremony to mark the occasion was held on 1 May 2008. Plans by the New Zealand Government to switch off the analogue television network have cast doubt on the future of Tararua Television as the costs of switching to digital transmission are proving to be a major obstacle.
Education
There are three primary schools in Pahiatua serving the education needs of students from years 1 to 8. One of these schools, St. Anthony's School, is state-integrated while the other two, Hillcrest School and Pahiatua School, are state schools. Tararua CollegeTararua College
Tararua College is a secondary school in Pahiatua, New Zealand, with a role of approximately 407 students.The college mission statement is Tararua College promotes excellence and personal development inside and outside the classroom. The college celebrated its 50th Jubilee over Easter...
, which was founded in 1960, is based in Pahiatua and is the main provider of secondary education in the area.
A consultation document proposing the reorganisation of educational facilities in the Tararua District was released by the Bush Education Plan working group in July 2009. Amongst its recommendations was the closure of several schools in the district, such as Hillcrest School, and for their rolls to be merged into other schools such as Pahiatua School. The plan was scrapped a month later when the working group was dissolved after a vitriolic response from local residents and a statement from the Minister of Education that she had no plans to close any schools in the region against the wishes of the local community.
Culture & community
In 1981 Pahiatua celebrated its centennial with a weekend full of historical events, and in 2006 its 125th anniversary with a grand parade of 125 floats, vehicles and horses.Pahiatua is the home of the Pahiatua Railcar Society
Pahiatua Railcar Society
The Pahiatua Railcar Society is a society located in Pahiatua, New Zealand, dedicated to the restoration of railcars and other locomotives and rolling stock formerly operated by the New Zealand Railways Department...
, a non-profit railway heritage organisation based at the town's railway station, whose purpose is to preserve and restore to working order railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s formerly in revenue service on New Zealand's railway network
Rail transport in New Zealand
Rail transport in New Zealand consists of a network of gauge railway lines in both the North and South Islands. Rail services are focused primarily on freight, particularly bulk freight, with limited passenger services on some lines...
. Some of the notable vehicles in their collection include a Standard class railcar
NZR RM class (Standard)
The NZR RM class Standard railcars were a class of railcar operated by the New Zealand Railways Department in the North Island of New Zealand. Officially classified as RM like all other railcar classes in New Zealand, they acquired the designation of 'Standard' to differentiate them from others...
(RM31), a Wairarapa class railcar
NZR RM class (Wairarapa)
The NZR RM class Wairarapa railcar was the first truly successful class of railcars to operate on New Zealand's national rail network...
(RM5), and a Twin Set railcar
NZR RM class (88 seater)
The NZR RM class 88-seaters were a class of railcar used in New Zealand, known unofficially as 'articulateds', 'twinsets', 'Drewrys' and 'Fiats'. They were purchased to replace steam-hauled provincial passenger trains and mixed trains...
(RM121). The society leases the railway station from KiwiRail
KiwiRail
KiwiRail Holdings Limited is the rail operations subsidiary of the New Zealand Railways Corporation, which trades as KiwiRail. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, KiwiRail is the largest rail transport operator in New Zealand. Since July 2010 John Spencer has been the Chairman...
and opens their museum to the public once a month.
Fonterra
Fonterra
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational dairy co-operative owned by almost 10,500 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue exceeding NZ$19.87 billion, is New Zealand's largest company.- History :In...
's Pahiatua dairy factory, a manufacturer of milk products and milk powder for local and export markets, is a significant employer in the area. Other major employers include Betacraft and the Tui Brewery at Mangatainoka
Mangatainoka
Mangatainoka is a small settlement in northern Wairarapa Bush, New Zealand. It is located between Pahiatua to the south and Woodville to the north and is intersected by the Mangatainoka River. The 2001 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings gave its population as 1,617, consisting of 858...
.
Pahiatua is one of several northern-Wairarapa towns to have experienced an increase in popularity as a place to live as evidenced by a 43% increase in average residential property prices between 2005 and 2008.
See also
- List of former territorial authorities in New Zealand
- Pahiatua (New Zealand electorate)Pahiatua (New Zealand electorate)-History:The Pahiatua electorate existed from 1896 to 1996. Early holders of the seat were John O'Meara from 1896 to 1904, William Henry Hawkins from 1904 to 1905, Robert Beatson Ross from 1905 to 1911, James Escott from 1911 to 1916, George Smith from 1916 to 1919, Archibald McNicol from 1919 to...
- Pahiatua Railcar SocietyPahiatua Railcar SocietyThe Pahiatua Railcar Society is a society located in Pahiatua, New Zealand, dedicated to the restoration of railcars and other locomotives and rolling stock formerly operated by the New Zealand Railways Department...
- Pahiatua Railway StationPahiatua Railway StationPahiatua railway station is a station on the Wairarapa Line, a railway line that runs through the Wairarapa region of New Zealand’s North Island. It was opened in May 1897, shortly before the line was completed and opened to Woodville in December of that year...
- Wairarapa (New Zealand electorate)Wairarapa (New Zealand electorate)Wairarapa is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It was first created in 1859 and existed until 1881. It was recreated in 1887 and has since existed continuously...