Taumarunui

Coordinates: 38°53.0′S 175°15.7′E / 38.8833°S 175.2617°E / -38.8833; 175.2617
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Taumarunui
Town
Hakiaha Street in 2009
Hakiaha Street in 2009
Map
Coordinates: 38°53.0′S 175°15.7′E / 38.8833°S 175.2617°E / -38.8833; 175.2617
CountryNew Zealand
RegionManawatū-Whanganui
DistrictRuapehu District
Ward
  • Ruapehu General Ward
  • Ruapehu Māori Ward
CommunityTaumarunui-Ōhura Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityRuapehu District Council
 • Regional councilHorizons Regional Council
Area
[1]
 • Total13.65 km2 (5.27 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2023)[2]
 • Total4,800
Postcode(s)
3920
Area code07

Taumarunui is a small town in the King Country of the central North Island of New Zealand. It is on an alluvial plain set within rugged terrain on the upper reaches of the Whanganui River, 65 km south of Te Kūiti and 55 km west of Tūrangi. It is under the jurisdiction of Ruapehu District and Manawatū-Whanganui region.

It has a population of 4,800 as of June 2023,[2] and is the largest centre for a considerable distance in any direction. It is on State Highway 4 and the North Island Main Trunk railway.

Name

The name Taumarunui is reported to be the dying words of the Māori chief Pehi Turoa – taumaru meaning screen and nui big, literally translated as Big Screen,[3] being built to shelter him from the sun, or more commonly known to mean – "The place of big shelter". There are also references to Taumarunui being known as a large sheltered location for growing kūmara.

In the 1980s publication Roll Back the Years there are some details on how Taumarunui got its name.[4] Extract: "According to Frank T Brown, who wrote in the Taumarunui Press in 1926, the name Taumarunui is closely connected with the arrival of and conquering of that portion of the King Country by the Whanganui River natives during the 18th century . . . The war party that succeeded in capturing the principal pa and taking prisoner the chief of the district was headed by "Ki Maru". His warriors, to show their appreciation of his prowess and the honour of the victory, acclaimed him "Tau-maru-nui", which means "Maru the Great", or "Maru the Conqueror", that name was taken for the district and has been used ever since."

Locality

On State Highway 4 south of Taumarunui are the villages of Manunui, Piriaka, Kakahi, Ōwhango, Raurimu and then National Park. To the north are the school and truck stop of Māpiu.

History and culture

Ngāti Tūwharetoa, who lived together in relative harmony.[5]

Late in December 1843

Bishop Selwyn
travelled from the district south of Taupō to a point on the Whanganui River about six miles downstream from Taumarunui and thence continued his journey to the coast by canoe. Towards the end of 1869 Te Kooti was at Taumarunui before his march through the western Taupō district to Tapapa. In the early 1880s the first surveys of the King Country commenced, and by the early 1890s the Crown had begun the purchase of large areas of land.

In 1874, Alexander Bell set up a trading post, and became the first European settler. The town has a road called Bell Road.

During the New Zealand Wars a resident named William Moffatt manufactured and supplied Māori with a coarse kind of gunpowder. He was afterwards expelled from the district. Despite warnings, he returned in 1880, ostensibly to prospect for gold, and was executed.

The Whanganui River long continued to be the principal route serving Taumarunui. Traffic was at first by Māori canoe, but by the late 1880s regular steamship communication was established. Taumarunui Landing (Image) was the last stop on Alexander Hatrick's steam boat service from Wanganui. The river vessels maintained the services between Wanganui and Taumarunui until the late 1920s, when the condition of the river deteriorated.

Later, Taumarunui gained importance with the completion of the

station refreshment room). The line south of Taumarunui caused considerable problems due to the terrain, and has several high viaducts and the famous Raurimu Spiral. The Stratford–Okahukura Line to Stratford connected just north of Taumarunui. In more recent times, the town's economy has been based on forestry
and farming. It has gained in importance as a tourism centre, especially as an entry point for voyagers down the scenic Wanganui River and as the possessor of a high-quality golf course.

Timeline

1800s

1900–1914

A view of Taumarunui, circa 1910s
A landing on the Whanganui River at Taumarunui in motorised boats

1914–1939

  • 1914–19 – William Thomas Jennings re-elected Member of Parliament
  • 1915 – Taumarunui Hospital Board formed, 30 beds.
  • 1915 – Only a single car in town.[22]
  • 1915–1917 – Mayor: G.S. Steadman.[23]
  • 1916 – Census: 3,021 (Taumarunui & Manunui)[24]
  • 1917 – Tuku Te Ihu Te Ngarupiki, Chief of Rangatahi, dies in Matapuna near Taumarunui aged 97.
  • 1917–1919 – Mayor: A.S. Laird.[25]
  • 1919–1923 – Mayor: G.S. Steadman.[26]
  • 1923–1925 – Mayor: C.C. Marsack.[27]
  • 1924 – The Piriaka Power Station was built to supply electricity to Taumarunui.[28]
  • 1925–1929 – Mayor: G.E. Manson.[29]
  • 1928 – Four thousand bales of wool shipped down river
  • 1929–1944 – Mayor: Cecil Boles.[30]
  • 1932 – Stratford–Okahukura Line completed.
  • 1939 – Hatricks's steamer ceased running, final section of the journey having been done by coach from Kirikau landing since 1927.
Junction of the Whanganui and Ongarue River

1939–1999

Town Mayors immediately prior to 1988 include: Charles Binzegger, Les Byars and Terry Podmore.[38]

  • 1989, 1 Nov – Taumarunui District Council merged into Ruapehu District Council.[39]
  • 1991 – Census: 6,141, Full-time in labour force: 1,935
  • 1996 – Census: 5,835, Full-time in labour force: 1,438
  • 1997/98 – AFFCO Holdings freezing works closes.

2000s

Local government

Taumarunui County was defined in the Waikato and King-country Counties Act 1922,[47] this statute states:

All that area of land in the Auckland and Wellington Land Districts bounded towards the north generally by the Waitomo and Taupō Counties (as described in the Third and Ninth Schedules to this Act respectively); on the east generally by Lake Taupō and Taupō County; on the south generally by the middle of the Wanganui River; on the west generally by the Ongarue River to the Waitomo County. the place of commencement: excluding the Borough of Taumarunui.

In 1952 the

Kaitieke County and the Ohura County were amalgamated with a new Taumarunui County. In 1988, the Taumarunui District Council was formed, only to be replaced the following year as it was merged into the now Ruapehu District Council
.

Marae

There are a number of marae in the Taumarunui area, affiliated with local iwi and hapū, including:

  • Kimihia Marae is affiliated with
    Ngāti Te Wera
  • Morero Marae and Hauaroa is affiliated with
    Ngāti Reremai
  • Ngāpuwaiwaha Marae and Te Taurawhiri a Hinengākau is affiliated with the Ngāti Hāua hapū of
    Ngāti Hāua
    and Ngāti Hāuaroa
  • Petania Marae and Hinemihi meeting house are affiliated with the Ngāti Maniapoto hapū of
    Ngāti Hinemihi
  • Takaputiraha Marae is affiliated with Ngāti Maniapoto
  • Te Peka Marae is affiliated with the Ngāti Hāua hapū of
    Ngāti Hekeāwai
  • Tupu
  • Whānau Maria Marae and Whānau Maria meeting house is affiliated with the Ngāti Hāua hapū of Ngāti Hāua
  • Wharauroa Marae and Hikurangi meeting house is affiliated with the Ngāti Maniapoto hapū of Hinemihi,
    Ngāti Rangatahi.[48][49][50]

In October 2020, the Government committed $1,560,379 from the

Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade Takaputiraha Marae, Whānau Maria Marae, Wharauroa Marae and 5 other nearby marae, creating 156 jobs.[51]

Railway station clock

Demographics

Taumarunui covers 13.65 km2 (5.27 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 4,800 as of June 2023,[52] with a population density of 352 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20064,995—    
20134,449−1.64%
20184,707+1.13%
Source: [53]

Taumarunui had a population of 4,707 at the

2006 census
. There were 1,812 households, comprising 2,307 males and 2,403 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female, with 1,035 people (22.0%) aged under 15 years, 804 (17.1%) aged 15 to 29, 1,914 (40.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 966 (20.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 60.5% European/Pākehā, 52.1% Māori, 3.3% Pacific peoples, 3.5% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 9.9, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 47.9% had no religion, 36.1% were Christian, 5.0% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 1.5% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 315 (8.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,119 (30.5%) people had no formal qualifications. 210 people (5.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,362 (37.1%) people were employed full-time, 489 (13.3%) were part-time, and 270 (7.4%) were unemployed.[53]

Individual statistical areas
Name Area
(km2)		 Population Density
(per km2)		 Households Median age Median
income
Taumarunui North 3.59 1,677 467 633 41.6 years $22,500[54]
Taumarunui Central 5.54 1,485 268 624 46.3 years $22,100[55]
Taumarunui East 4.52 1,545 342 555 36.5 years $19,300[56]
New Zealand 37.4 years $31,800

Climate

Under the Köppen, Taumarunui has an Oceanic climate:(Cfb). Due to location, low altitude and Geography surroundings, Taumarunui is more liable to warm to hot summers than other central North Island centres and in winter, Taumarunui is cold and frosty. Rainfall yearly is 1,449 mm (57.047244 in). Annual sunshine yearly is 1822 hrs. In June 2002, Taumarunui recorded just 27 hrs of sun, this is the lowest in the whole country, beating the old record at Invercargill with 35 hrs in June 1935.[57] The lowest temperature recorded in Taumarunui, −6.8 °C, was in July 2010.[58]

Climate data for Taumarunui (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 23.8
(74.8) 		24.2
(75.6) 		22.5
(72.5) 		19.0
(66.2) 		15.5
(59.9) 		12.9
(55.2) 		12.2
(54.0) 		13.6
(56.5) 		15.3
(59.5) 		17.4
(63.3) 		19.6
(67.3) 		22.0
(71.6) 		18.2
(64.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 17.7
(63.9) 		18.0
(64.4) 		16.2
(61.2) 		13.2
(55.8) 		10.5
(50.9) 		8.1
(46.6) 		7.5
(45.5) 		8.6
(47.5) 		10.3
(50.5) 		12.1
(53.8) 		13.8
(56.8) 		16.2
(61.2) 		12.7
(54.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 11.5
(52.7) 		11.8
(53.2) 		9.8
(49.6) 		7.4
(45.3) 		5.4
(41.7) 		3.3
(37.9) 		2.8
(37.0) 		3.6
(38.5) 		5.4
(41.7) 		6.8
(44.2) 		7.9
(46.2) 		10.4
(50.7) 		7.2
(44.9)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 107.9
(4.25) 		91.4
(3.60) 		80.6
(3.17) 		119.4
(4.70) 		141.6
(5.57) 		145.4
(5.72) 		156.8
(6.17) 		147.2
(5.80) 		154.8
(6.09) 		144.0
(5.67) 		124.0
(4.88) 		132.6
(5.22) 		1,545.7
(60.84)
Source: NIWA[59]

Community institutions

Ngāpuwaiwaha

Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.[60]

Taumarunui has many societies and community organisations. It has a

steam locomotives that became the hallmark of NIMT
Rail Transport of the forties, fifties and sixties.

Education

Taumarunui High School is a co-educational state secondary school for Year 9 to 13 students,[61] with a roll of 278 as of February 2024.[62]

The town has three primary schools for Year 1 to 8 students: Taumarunui Primary School,[63] with a roll of 135,[64] Tarrangower School,[65][66] with a roll of 34,[67] and Turaki School,[68][69] with a roll of 168.[70]

St Patrick's Catholic School is a co-educational state-integrated Catholic primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[71] with a roll of 50.[72]

Notable people

Students of Taumarunui High School

Born in Taumarunui

Carmen Rupe

Resident and New Years Honours recipients

Pei Te Hurinui Jones
  • 1956 – OBE – Pateriki Joseph Hura – For services to the Māori people, especially as a member of the Board of Maori Affairs.
  • 1957 – MBE – Mrs Catherine Goodsir – For social welfare services
  • 1958 – MBE – Mrs Rumatiki Wright of Raetihi. For services to the Māori people, especially as Senior Lady Māori Welfare Officer
  • 1961 – OBE – Pei Te Hurinui Jones – For services to the Māori people.
  • 1967 – MBE – James Dempsey J.P. – chairman of the Taumarunui County Council.
  • 1970 – BEM – Eric Raymond Clark – For services to the community and interest in the education of the Māori people.
  • 1974 – BEM – Arthur Tukiri Anderson – For services to the Returned Services Association and the community
  • Hepi Hoani Te Heuheu
    – For services to the Māori people and community.
  • 1995 – CBE – Alexander Phillips QSM – For services to the Māori people.
  • 1998 – MNZM – John Stacey Black J.P. – For services to the community.
  • QSM
    – Jean Bassett – For Community Service
  • 2001 – QSM – Mrs Verna Lenice Warner J.P. – For Community Service
  • 2002 – MNZM – Mrs Nansi Whetu Dewes – For services to Māori and the community
  • 2002 – QSM – Barry David FISHER, of Taumarunui. Chief Fire Officer, Taumarunui Volunteer Fire Brigade, New Zealand Fire Service – For Services to the community
  • 2003 – QSM – Leonard Patrick Harwood – For Public Services
  • 2007 – QSM – Mr William Vernon McMinn – For services to music.
  • 2009 – MNZM – Ngarau Tarawa – For services to Māori and community education
  • 2010 – QSM – Mrs Lorraine Ivy Edwards J.P. – For services to the community.
  • 2012 – MNZM – Ian Trevor Corney – For services to agriculture
  • 2013 – ONZM – Susan May Morris – For services to local government.

Notes

  1. ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
  3. ^ "1000 Māori place names". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 6 August 2019.
  4. ^ "How Taumarunui got its name" (PDF). Roll Back the Years. p. 9. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
  5. ^ "TAUMARUNUI – Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand". Teara.govt.nz. 22 April 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  6. ^ "Recollections of travel in New Zealand and Australia : Crawford, James Coutts : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive". 10 March 2001. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  7. ^ "Papers Past — Colonist — 18 January 1870 — IMPORTANT FROM WAIKATO". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  8. ^ "The "Father of Taumarunui." | NZETC". Nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. 1 August 1932. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  9. ^ "Papers Past — Evening Post — 12 November 1880 — FURTHER DETAILS. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wanganui, This Day". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  10. ^ "The Trail of Adventure – Pioneer Survey of the North Island Main Trunk Railway". The New Zealand Railways Magazine. 8 (7). 1 November 1933. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  11. ^ Platts, Una (1980). "PAYTON, Edward William 1859–1944". Nineteenth Century New Zealand Artists: A Guide & Handbook. Christchurch: Avon Fine Prints. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  12. ^ "ROCHFORT, John". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  13. ^ "Alfred Burton and Edward Payton, 1885 – King Country region". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  14. ^ "Taumarunui Post Office". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  15. ^ Staff reporter – Taumarunui. "Old Post Office to Make Way for New Court House" (29 December 1966 ed.). Taumarunui: clipping.
  16. ^ Craig 1990, 1900 p.143
  17. ^ "MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 3 December 1900. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  18. ^ "Farm Notes". Ohinemuri Gazette. Vol. XXI, no. 2639. 9 May 1910. p. 3. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  19. ^ "Kaitieke Co-op Dairy Co". Auckland Star. Vol. XLIX, no. 193. 14 August 1918. p. 6. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  20. ^ "Taumarunui Hospital". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. L, no. 15325. 11 June 1913. p. 4. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  21. ^ "Outbreaks Near Taumarunui". Wanganui Chronicle. No. 12889. 23 July 1913. p. 5. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  22. ^ Craig 1990, First car p.143
  23. ^ Craig 1990, 1915–1917 p.143
  24. ^ "North Island influenza death rates | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". Nzhistory.net.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  25. ^ Craig 1990, 1917–1919 p.143
  26. ^ Craig 1990, 1919–1923 p.143
  27. ^ Craig 1990, 1923–1925 p.143
  28. ^ "Piriaka Power Scheme". King County Energy. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011.
  29. ^ Craig 1990, 1925–1929 p.143
  30. ^ Craig 1990, 1929–1944 p.143
  31. ^ Craig 1990, 1944–1947 p.143
  32. ^ Craig 1990, 1947–1953 p.143
  33. ^ "KCE celebrates 50th anniversary of Kuratau Power Station | Scoop News". Scoop.co.nz. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  34. ^ "Taumarunui Queen Carnival". Te Ao Hou THE MAORI MAGAZINE. Department Maori and Islands Affairs. September–November 1968. Retrieved 10 June 2008.
  35. ^ ":::King Country Energy:::". Home.xtra.co.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  36. ^ NZPA (23 October 2008). "Chronology of fatal shootings by NZ police". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  37. ^ "Appendix II: Taumarunui: Farming-Community Linkages". Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (New Zealand). Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  38. ^ Craig 1990, pre 1988 mayors p.143
  39. ^ "About Council". Ruapehu District Council. Archived from the original on 22 January 2010.
  40. ^ "About Us at King Country Driver Training". Kingcountrydrivertraining.co.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  41. ^ "Certificate of Incorporation : TAUMARUNUI MILK CO-OPERATIVE (1972) LIMITED : 193624". Business.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  42. ^ "KAITIEKE CO-OP. DAIRY CO". Auckland Star. Vol. XLIX, no. 193. 14 August 1918. p. 6. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  43. ^ "Our District – Facts and Figures". Ruapehu District Council. Archived from the original on 28 January 2010.
  44. ^ Dearnaley, Mathew (9 November 2009). "Line's mothballing sets off alarm bells". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  45. ^ "Dash to catch the last train". Manuwatu Standard. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  46. ^ Census 2013
  47. ^ "Waikato and King-country Counties Act 1921 (12 GEO V 1921 No 64)". Nzlii.org. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  48. ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  49. ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  50. ^ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
  51. Provincial Growth Fund
    . 9 October 2020.
  52. ^ "Population estimate tables - NZ.Stat". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  53. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Taumarunui North (222500), Taumarunui Central (222600) and Taumarunui East (222700).
  54. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Taumarunui North
  55. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Taumarunui Central
  56. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Taumarunui East
  57. ^ "Climate extremes". NIWA. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  58. ^ Dickison, Michael (14 July 2010). "Mercury plunges to record lows". The New Zealand Herald.
  59. ^ "CliFlo – National Climate Database : Taumarunui Ews". NIWA. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  60. ^ "Ngāpuwaiwaha". Māori Maps. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  61. ^ "Taumarunui High School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  62. Education Review Office
    .
  63. ^ "Taumarunui Primary School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  64. Education Review Office
    .
  65. ^ "Tarrangower School Official School Website". tarrangower.school.nz.
  66. ^ "Tarrangower School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  67. Education Review Office
    .
  68. ^ "Turaki School Official School Website". turakiprimary.school.nz.
  69. ^ "Turaki School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  70. Education Review Office
    .
  71. ^ "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  72. Education Review Office
    .
  73. ^ Craig 1990, T.J. Meredith p.147
  74. ^ "James L. Beck". Its.caltech.edu. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  75. ^ "John Butcher's Homepage". Math.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  76. ^ "Ben Fouhy : Words". Benfouhy.com. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  77. ^ Lambert, Traue & Taylor 1991, p. 31.
  78. ^ "The Arts Foundation : Don Selwyn – Biography". Thearts.co.nz. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  79. The Dominion Post
    . Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  80. ^ O'Keefe and Fox 2008, p. 249.
  81. The Dominion Post
    . 15 December 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  82. ^ "Professor Emeritus joins prominent US Academy". Massey University. Retrieved 30 January 2019.

References

External links

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