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Graphic: An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 1966.

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This information was published in 1966 in An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock. It has not been corrected and will not be updated.

Up-to-date information can be found elsewhere in Te Ara.

WAIRARAPA REGION

Contents

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Statistics of the Wairarapa Region

Urban Population
Town 1911 1936 1951 1961 1961 Maoris
Pahiatua 1,358 1,668 2,097 2,578 59
Eketahuna 806 732 722 771 2
Masterton 5,182 9,096 11,545 15,128 556
Carterton 1,546 1,921 2,197 3,077 137
Greytown 1,042 1,190 1,258 1,580 131
Featherston 743 1,050 1,069 1,476 66
Martinborough 631 959 970 1,422 139
Total 11,308 16,616 19,858 26,032 1,090
County Population
County 1911 1936 1951 1961 1961 Maoris
Pahiatua 3,398 2,849 2,727 2740 81
Akitio 1,421 1,159 1,237 1,189 128
Eketahuna 1,914 2,049 1,807 1,819 49
Mauriceville 950 769 554 515 37
Masterton 4,640 4,045 3,773 4,132 453
Wairarapa South 2,745 3,001 3,003 3,038 165
Featherston 2,591 3,902 3,742 3,676 320
Total County 17,659 17,774 16,843 17,109 1,233
Total region 28,967 34,390 36,701 43,141 2,323
Cows in Milk
County Cows in Milk Dairy Cows in
Milk per 100
Sheep Shorn 1960
1921–22 1951–52 1959–60
Pahiatua 11,009 12,612 11,270 3·78
Akitio 732 758 315 0·11
Eketahuna 6,994 10,999 9,853 3·40
Mauriceville 1,499 1,984 1,631 1·96
Masterton 4,486 5,844 4 284 0·61
Wairarapa South 9,212 13,415 13,340 3·99
Featherston 12,731 15,470 13,889 2·37
Total 46,663 61,082 54,582 ..
Land Occupation
County Average Area of Holdings 1960 Area Occupied 1960
acres acres
Pahiatua 409 165,805
Akitio 1,188 196,048
Eketahuna 547 184,217
Mauriceville 530 55,153
Masterton 833 469,550
Wairarapa South 478 225,523
Featherston 789 452,224

Masterton acts as the regional centre of the Wairarapa, containing many branches of Government Departments, some educational institutions, and a growing share of industry which, however, is more concerned with supplying regional rather than national markets, textiles and food products being the exception. As a centre for commerce it has to compete with Wellington and Palmerston North which serves much of the northern Wairarapa. With the opening of the Rimutaka Tunnel, 1955, the rail journey to Wellington has been shortened and the Rimutaka Road has been considerably widened and improved. During the period 1911–51, urban development was concentrated in Masterton and Martinborough and, to a lesser extent, in Carterton and Pahiatua, whereas Greytown's growth was relatively slow, whilst Eketahuna registered a small decline. During the last decade, however, Featherston, Carterton, and Martinborough have grown appreciably. The county population has generally shown a decline continuing, in some cases, into the last decade.


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