100-473: Bunnythorpe is a village in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island , 10 km (6 mi) north of the region's major city, Palmerston North . Dairy farms predominate the surrounding area but the community facilities include Bunnythorpe School, with a roll of about 80 pupils as of 2010, as well as a rugby football club, country club and several manufacturing plants. The population
200-587: A city council. The governing body of the regional council consists of 12 councillors from 6 constituencies across the region, elected by the public; from the north: Ruapehu (1 councillor), Whanganui (2), Manawatū-Rangitikei (2), Palmerston North (4), Horowhenua (2), Tararua District (1). It sits in Palmerston North. It has the responsibility for managing natural and physical resources, providing flood protection and monitoring environmental problems and fresh air, clean water, productive land and natural eco-systems. It
300-539: A low of 43.7% (in Kawerau) to a high of 63.4% (in Ashburton). In general, the tendency is for rural areas, particularly in the lower South Island, to have somewhat higher numbers of Christians, and urban areas to have lower numbers—of the sixteen designated Cities of New Zealand , fifteen have a smaller proportion of Christians than the country as a whole (the exception being Invercargill). The average proportion of Christians in
400-534: A major producer of energy or minerals. Some new power schemes are operating, including the southern hemisphere's largest collection of wind farms , with 194 installed turbines and more planned. The New Zealand Defence Force maintains three bases in the Manawatū-Whanganui region: Waiouru Military Camp in the Ruapehu district, RNZAF Base Ohakea near Bulls, and Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North. For
500-697: A poll in 2007 found 58% of people were opposed to official status being granted. Despite this, each sitting day of the New Zealand Parliament opens with a Christian prayer. In contrast to England , where the Anglican Church is the officially established church , in New Zealand the Anglican Church has no special status, although it often officiates at civic events such as Anzac Day . Most New Zealanders consider politicians' religious beliefs to be
600-453: A population of 1,000 or more include: Other towns and settlements include: In the 2023 census, people could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 78.1% European ( Pākehā ); 25.1% Māori ; 5.0% Pasifika ; 7.7% Asian ; 1.0% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English
700-824: A population of 251,412 in the 2023 New Zealand census , an increase of 12,615 people (5.3%) since the 2018 census , and an increase of 28,740 people (12.9%) since the 2013 census . There were 123,594 males, 126,804 females and 1,011 people of other genders in 96,291 dwellings. 3.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+ . The median age was 39.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 48,645 people (19.3%) aged under 15 years, 46,077 (18.3%) aged 15 to 29, 107,565 (42.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 49,122 (19.5%) aged 65 or older. Religious affiliations were 31.4% Christian , 1.2% Hindu , 0.8% Islam , 2.1% Māori religious beliefs , 0.6% Buddhist , 0.6% New Age , 0.1% Jewish , and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.3%, and 8.0% of people did not answer
800-506: A private matter. Many New Zealand prime ministers have been professing Christians, including Jim Bolger , David Lange , Robert Muldoon , Walter Nash , Keith Holyoake , Michael Joseph Savage and Christopher Luxon . Prime ministers Helen Clark , John Key and Jacinda Ardern identified as agnostic during their time in office. Christian political parties have never gained significant support and have often been characterised by controversy. Many of these are now defunct, such as
900-417: A rapid rate, while smaller Protestant groups and non-denominational churches are growing. "Anglican" is the largest single Christian religious affiliation in New Zealand, according to the 2018 census , which recorded 314,913 adherents in New Zealand. "Roman Catholic" recorded 295,743. When all "catholic" religious affiliations are added together they total 473,145 people. (Note: All figures are for
1000-678: A saintly person and in 1997 the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference agreed to support the "Introduction of the Cause of Suzanne Aubert", to begin the process of consideration for her canonisation as a saint by the Catholic Church. In 1892 the New Zealand Church Missionary Society (NZCMS) formed in a Nelson church hall and the first New Zealand missionaries were sent overseas soon after. Although there
1100-566: A significant role (e.g. the Rātana movement and Labour ). Politicians are often involved in public dialogue with religious groups. In 1967, Presbyterian minister and theologian Lloyd Geering was the subject of one of the few heresy trials of the 20th century, with a judgement that no doctrinal error had been proved. The Catholic Church in New Zealand had a number of its priests convicted of child sexual abuse , notably at Marylands School . Newspapers have also reported child sex abuse cases within
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#17328836107081200-478: A smaller congregation of both unvaccinated and vaccinated members attend or the alternative of an unlimited amount of attendees that provided a vaccination pass. Many churches, such as Auckland's Life Church, Wellington's Arise Church and Christchurch's Harmony Church, opted to take their ministry online over the Christmas period. Christianity has never had official status as a national religion in New Zealand, and
1300-468: Is 11.2 C. Bunnythorpe is popular among younger children as it is a small community and regarded as quite safe. Children often spend weekends and spare time utilising the open access to the primary school's playgrounds and sporting fields. There is also a Rugby Football Club on Raymond St with clubrooms and this is the site of the ANZAC memorial Cenotaph. The Mangaone Stream bridge off Maple Street on Te Ngaio Road
1400-471: Is 4.0 to 7.9 °C (39.2 to 46.2 °F), while inland areas are considerably colder. Waiouru has a minimum mid-winter daily average of 0.1 °C (32.2 °F). Rainfall on the plains is slightly below average, with Palmerston North receiving 960 mm (38 in), while the rest of the region receives the New Zealand average rainfall of 1,000 to 2,000 mm (39 to 79 in). The region contains areas of great ecological significance, reflected in
1500-533: Is a New Zealand radio broadcaster, Media Chaplain, and ordained Christian Minister who is a Sunday evening radio host on Newstalk ZB . Rhema Media is a Christian media organisation in New Zealand . It owns radio networks Rhema , Life FM and Star , and television station Shine TV . In November 2021, the New Zealand government announced that New Zealand will head into a traffic light system. This meant that New Zealand churches had to choose between having
1600-471: Is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of 27 as of August 2024. Manawat%C5%AB-Whanganui Manawatū-Whanganui ( [manawaˈtʉː ˈʔwaŋanʉi] ; spelled Manawatu-Wanganui prior to 2019) is a region in the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand, whose main population centres are the cities of Palmerston North and Whanganui . It is administered by
1700-423: Is also a permanent home to 13 species of birds, six species of fish and four plants species, all of which are threatened. It regularly supports about one percent of the world population of wrybills. Manawatū-Whanganui Region covers 22,220.64 km (8,579.44 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 263,300 as of June 2024, with a population density of 12 people per km . Manawatū-Whanganui Region had
1800-716: Is also popular among the children, with eels and fresh water trout among the catch. The main access to Bunnythorpe comes via Railway Road from Palmerston North and Wellington in the south; Ashhurst-Bunnythorpe Road from Ashhurst, Woodville and Hawke’s Bay in the east; Kairanga Bunnythorpe Road from the west; and Campbell Road to the north, serving Feilding. Bunnythorpe is less than 10 minutes' drive from Palmerston North Airport in Milson, where regular flights to Auckland , Wellington , Hamilton , Christchurch and Nelson are available. The North Island Main Trunk Railway runs through
1900-563: Is also responsible for public transport. The region is dominated and defined by two significant river catchments, the Whanganui and the Manawatu . The Whanganui River, in the northwest, is the longest navigable river in New Zealand. The river was extremely important to early Māori as it was the southern link in a chain of waterways that spanned almost two-thirds of the North Island. It was one of
2000-433: Is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 4.26 km (1.64 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 740 as of June 2024, with a population density of 174 people per km. It is part of the larger Newbury statistical area. Bunnythorpe had a population of 687 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 12 people (1.8%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 42 people (6.5%) since
2100-551: Is located on these plains, and is an important service city for the southern North Island as a whole. This river is unusual, in that it passes from hill country to plains through a gorge cut into much higher country, an indication that the hills have risen since the river formed. To the southeast, a further, more sparsely populated area of the Tararua District lies between the sources of the Manawatū River near Norsewood and
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#17328836107082200-420: Is of note as having one of the most diverse ranges of wetlands birds to be seen at any one place in New Zealand. A total of 95 species have been identified at the estuary. It is a significant area of salt marsh and mudflat and a valuable feeding ground for many birds including the migratory Eastern bar-tailed Godwit, which flies all the way from Siberia to New Zealand to escape the harsh northern winter. The estuary
2300-559: Is still heavily forested. As late as the 1950s the Whanganui River remained a river of mystery. Since then exploitation of the river's commercial potential has opened up the area, often causing friction with local Māori, who have long-standing grievances. Manawatū-Whanganui as a whole is one of the most important pastoral areas in New Zealand, its status recognised when the government opened the Massey Agricultural College in
2400-465: Is strong in the lower South Island—the city of Dunedin was founded as a Presbyterian settlement, and many of the early settlers in the region were Scottish Presbyterians. Elsewhere, however, Presbyterians are usually outnumbered by both Anglicans and Catholics, making Presbyterianism the most geographically concentrated of the three main denominations. The territorial authorities with the highest proportion of Presbyterians are Gore (where they are 30.9% of
2500-478: The 2006 census . There were 264 households, comprising 342 males and 345 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female, with 135 people (19.7%) aged under 15 years, 123 (17.9%) aged 15 to 29, 333 (48.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 87 (12.7%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 90.4% European/ Pākehā , 17.5% Māori , 0.4% Pacific peoples , 2.6% Asian , and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Although some people chose not to answer
2600-854: The Christian Democrat Party , the Christian Heritage Party (which collapsed after leader Graham Capill was convicted as a child sex offender), Destiny New Zealand , The Family Party , and the New Zealand Pacific Party (whose leader Taito Phillip Field was convicted on bribery and corruption charges). The Exclusive Brethren gained public notoriety during the 2005 election for distributing anti-Labour pamphlets, which former National Party leader Don Brash later admitted to knowledge of. The two main political parties, Labour and National , are not affiliated with any religion, although religious groups have at times played
2700-810: The New Zealand Geographic Board announced that from 18 October 2019 the name of the Manawatu-Wanganui region, and the regional council, would incorporate both the letter "h" and a macron, becoming "Manawatū-Whanganui". This became the official spelling of the name on 18 October, although the Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council would continue to use the trading name of Horizons Regional Council. See: Controversy over Wanganui/Whanganui spelling . The region covers all or part of ten territorial authority areas. Parts of five of these are covered by five other regions of New Zealand ,
2800-565: The Southern Hemisphere Summer allowing open air carolling and barbecues in the sun. Nevertheless, various Northern hemisphere traditions have continued in New Zealand—including roast dinners and Christmas trees , with the pōhutukawa regarded as New Zealand's iconic Christmas tree. Christian and Māori choral traditions have been blended in New Zealand to produce a distinct contribution to Christian music , including
2900-507: The Volcanic Plateau are higher and more rugged, often subject to harsh temperatures in winter. The Manawatū District has a much gentler topography, consisting mainly of the flat, tree-studded Manawatū Plains that run between the ranges and the sea. The land was under the sea till about 500,000 years ago and still has a very thick layer of marine sediment , which is about five or six million years old. A block faulting system underneath
3000-440: The 1920s. Much of Manawatu-Wanganui was fertile and bush -covered when Europeans arrived and developed the area as a source of timber . Saw milling and flax milling dominated the 19th century, followed by an influx of sheep farmers who exploited the newly cleared ground. Deforestation , burn-offs of timber and scrub and large scale drainage combined with overgrazing , resulted in considerable environmental degradation . In
3100-909: The Anglican Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland , ChristChurch Cathedral, Christchurch and Saint Paul's Cathedral, Wellington and the Catholic St Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland , Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington , Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch , St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin . The iconic Futuna Chapel was built as a Wellington retreat centre for the Catholic Marist order in 1961. The design by Māori architect John Scott, fuses Modernist and indigenous design principles. The Christian festivals of Christmas and Easter are marked by public holidays in New Zealand . Christmas Day, 25 December, falls during
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3200-474: The Anglican Church administers a number of schools; and schools administered by members of the New Zealand Association for Christian Schools educated 13,000 students in 2009. The architectural landscape of New Zealand has been affected by Christianity and the prominence of churches in cities, towns and the countryside attests to its historical importance in New Zealand. Notable Cathedrals include
3300-657: The Bible increased mana and social and economic benefits, decreased the practices of slavery and intertribal violence, and increased peace and respect for all people in Māori society, including women. Henry Williams played an important role in the translation of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. In August 1839 Captain William Hobson was given instructions by the Colonial Office to take
3400-507: The CMS trading muskets for food. Māori eventually came to see that the ban on muskets was the only way to bring an end to the tribal wars. Williams organised the CMS missionaries into a systematic study of the Māori language and soon started translating the Bible into Māori. In July 1827 William Colenso printed the first Māori Bible, comprising three chapters of Genesis, the 20th chapter of Exodus,
3500-679: The Church Missionary Society (chaplain in New South Wales ) officiated at its first service on Christmas Day in 1814, at Oihi Bay, a small cove in Rangihoua Bay in the Bay of Islands , at the invitation of chiefs Te Pahi and Ruatara , considered to have been the first preaching of the gospel in New Zealand. The CMS founded its first mission at Rangihoua Bay in the Bay of Islands in 1814 and over
3600-677: The Hawke's Bay Region, then flows through a deep gorge to the Manawatu Plains before exiting in the Tasman Sea . The river is also unique in New Zealand (and rare worldwide) in that this gorge (the Manawatū Gorge ) is a water gap through recently uplifted rock, causing the river to flow from relatively low-lying land along an eroded course through higher terrain. The Whanganui District is more rugged, with canyon -like valleys and gorges carved out of
3700-614: The Manawatu-Oroua Electric Power Board. It shortly afterwards became a major switching point, with transmission lines extending from Bunnythorpe to Napier-Hastings, Whanganui, and Masterton. Today, the substation is owned by national grid operator Transpower , and continues to be the main switching point for the lower-central North Island. Bunnythorpe is about midway between the Manawatū region's main city of Palmerston North and its second largest settlement, Feilding . To
3800-562: The Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council, which operates under the name Horizons Regional Council . The region takes its name from the two major rivers flowing through it: the Manawatū River and the Whanganui River . In the Māori language , the name Manawatū is a compound word that originates from an old Māori waiata (song). The waiata "Ka tatū e hine ko Manawatū" describes the search by an early ancestor, Haunui-a-Nanaia, for his wife, during which he named various waterways in
3900-484: The North Island and the fourth-highest figure in the country behind Canterbury, Southland and Otago . Barley , which is used for the manufacture of stock feed and for malting, is grown. The region produces the largest quantities of barley in the North Island, providing 10% of the national refined crop of 302,804 tonnes in 1995. The region has 4,062 hectares (10,040 acres) of horticultural land, of which 3,647 hectares are used for vegetable growing. While only having 8% of
4000-526: The North Island's East Coast. It is the largest denomination in most parts of rural New Zealand, the main exception being the lower South Island. The territorial authorities with the highest proportion of Anglicans are Gisborne (where they are 27.4% of the total population), Wairoa (27.1%), and Hurunui (24.9%). The territorial authorities with the lowest proportion of Anglicans are Invercargill (7.7%), Manukau (8.3%), and Clutha (8.5%). Presbyterianism , associated mostly with New Zealanders of Scottish descent,
4100-453: The North Island, falling to −13.6 °C (7.5 °F) on 7 July 1937. In summer the region is warm, with a maximum mid-summer daily average of between 20.1 and 22.9 °C (68.2 and 73.2 °F). Sunshine hours approximate the national average for much of the region (1,800-2,000 hours per annum) but Palmerston North is defined as cloudy with an average of 1,725 sunshine hours. In the winter the minimum mid-winter daily average for coastal areas
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4200-461: The North Island. Soils are productive with the addition of nitrogen fertiliser . In the Manawatū and Horowhenua districts there are sandy soils and swampy hollows around the coast with loess -covered terraces and river flats inland. These river flats and swamp areas contain fertile alluvial and organic soils. On the drier terraces inland yellow-grey earths predominate. The flatter more fertile soils suit intensive sheep farming and cropping while
4300-762: The Pacific coast. This area, often historically connected with both the Hawke's Bay Region to the north and the Wairarapa to the south, was historically simply known as Bush, a name which still survives in some businesses and organisations, most notably the Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union . The two river catchments have very different natures. While the open Manawatu Plains became more densely settled by Europeans, inland Ruapehu , Rangitikei , and Whanganui remained more Māori-dominated, remote and independent, and
4400-678: The United Kingdom's GlaxoSmithKline in 2000. In 1979 the Glaxo factory was transformed into the Pantha BMX manufacturing plant, which was the first BMX plant in New Zealand and also the home of the first BMX track. The Bunnythorpe electrical substation was established in 1924, with the electricity transmitted from Mangahao Power Station stepped down to supply the Palmerston North Municipal Electricity Department and
4500-574: The bay from Kororāreka (nowadays Russell) ; then described as "the hell-hole of the South Pacific" because of the abuse of alcohol and prostitution that was the consequence of the sealing ships and whaling ships that visited Kororāreka. Williams concentrated on the salvation of souls. The first baptism occurred in 1825, although it was another 5 years before the second baptism. Schools were established, which addressed religious instruction, reading and writing and practical skills. Williams also stopped
4600-425: The census question. Of those at least 15 years old, 28,686 (14.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 112,935 (55.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 52,803 (26.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $ 36,400, compared with $ 41,500 nationally. 15,501 people (7.6%) earned over $ 100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
4700-463: The census usually resident population. Percentages are based on number of responses rather than total population. These are nominal. The 2011 census was cancelled due to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake In all censuses, up to four responses were collected.) The number of Christians in New Zealand varies slightly across different parts of the country—as of the 2006 census, the number of Christians in each territorial authority ranged from
4800-452: The census's question about religious affiliation, 55.9% had no religion, 33.2% were Christian , 0.9% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.4% were Hindu , 0.9% were Muslim and 1.3% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 75 (13.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 126 (22.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 81 people (14.7%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
4900-670: The centre of Bunnythorpe but trains no longer stop in the village, as the station was closed in 1985. Freight and passenger trains run from between Wellington and Auckland, though passengers must board these services in Palmerston North. A service operates between Feilding and Palmerston North hourly, which stops in Bunnythorpe. The main stop in Palmerston North is Main Street which is also the main Palmerston North suburban bus terminus, where buses can be caught to other suburbs. Inter-City buses depart from Palmerston North. Bunnythorpe until recently
5000-429: The chief areas of Māori settlement with its easily fortified cliffs and ample food supplies. Legends emphasise the importance of the river and it remains sacred to Whanganui iwi . Māori along the coast and lowland plains grew kumara and other crops. The Manawatū River runs across the centre of the region, from rolling hill country in the east to the fertile Manawatū Plains in the west. The main city of Palmerston North
5100-568: The college into animal genetics in the 1930s led to the development of new breeds of sheep, the Drysdale and the Perendale , which became commercially significant after World War II. Agriculture dominates land use although there are areas of forestry and horticulture . Soils and climate favour pastoral farming. There were 6,344 farm holdings on 30 June 1996, which was almost a tenth of all farm holdings in New Zealand. Farming occupied 72.5% of land, which
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#17328836107085200-464: The constitutional steps needed to establish a British colony in New Zealand. Hobson was sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor in Sydney on 14 January, finally arriving in the Bay of Islands on 29 January 1840. The Colonial Office did not provide Hobson with a draft treaty, so he was forced to write his own treaty with the help of his secretary, James Freeman, and British Resident James Busby . The entire treaty
5300-515: The country often before European missionaries arrived. Jean Baptiste Pompallier was the first Catholic bishop to come to New Zealand, arriving in 1838. With a number of Marist Brothers , Pompallier organised the Catholic Church throughout the country. George Augustus Selwyn became the first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand in 1841. Selwyn was criticised by the CMS for being ineffective in training and ordaining New Zealand teachers, deacons and priests—especially Māori. It would be 11 years until
5400-404: The country's 45,000-hectare vegetable-growing land, the Manawatū-Whanganui region grows 26% of New Zealand's asparagus , 20% of its lettuce , 19% of its brassicas ( broccoli , cabbage and cauliflower ), and 10% of its carrots and potatoes . The region is one of the most significant forestry areas in the southern North Island. The predominant soil type, yellow-brown earths, when enhanced by
5500-452: The designation of approximately a seventh of its land area as part of the nation's conservation estate. Tongariro National Park is the largest park in the region (795.98 km [307.33 sq mi]) and is the oldest national park in the country, established in 1887. The volcanoes Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe are sacred to Māori and were given to the nation by Te Heuheu Tukino IV , paramount chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa . They form
5600-593: The district, and says that his heart ( manawa ) settled or momentarily stopped ( tatū ) when he saw the Manawatu River. Whanga nui is a phrase meaning "big bay" or "big harbour". The first name of the European settlement at Whanganui was Petre (pronounced Peter), after Lord Petre, an officer of the New Zealand Company , but the name was never popular and was officially changed to "Wanganui" in 1854. In
5700-466: The early 1900s authorities realised that careful management was needed to maintain this important agricultural area. Manawatū-Whanganui takes up a large proportion of the lower half of the North Island. It is the second-largest local government region in the North Island and the sixth-largest in New Zealand, totalling 22,215 km (8,577 sq mi) (8.1% of New Zealand's land area). The region stretches from north of Taumarunui to south of Levin on
5800-509: The east of the village lies Ashhurst , and Kairanga sits to the west. Bunnythorpe is part of the Manawatu Plains and is on relatively flat land, with few rolling hills in surrounding farming properties. Several small streams run through the town: the Mangaone Stream and Jack's Creek run parallel towards the south-west through Palmerston North. Several smaller waterways merge with these streams, passing through Bunnythorpe's south. Bunnythorpe
5900-403: The economy. A higher than average proportion of businesses were engaged in the agriculture , forestry and fishing industries, 6.3% compared with 4.4% nationally. Businesses engaged in retail trade were dominant numerically. In 1997 there were 2,300 businesses, employing a total of 10,380 full-time equivalents (FTEs). The percentage of businesses engaged in manufacturing was slightly higher than
6000-566: The eight quarters between September 1996 and June 1998 the region averaged 4.1% of total guest nights in New Zealand. This was close behind Wellington at 6.7% and greater than Hawke's Bay, which averaged 3.1%. Occupancy rates, at 20.1%, were the fourth-lowest in the country for the June 1998 quarter. Rates for the city of Palmerston North were significantly higher than the national average (39.5% compared with 25.8%) whereas districts such as Ruapehu are far more seasonal with fairly low occupancy rates except in
6100-456: The first Māori deacon, Rota Waitoa , would be ordained by the Bishop at St Paul's, Auckland , and 24 years before he ordained a Māori priest. The first Māori bishop in New Zealand's history was Frederick Bennett , who was consecrated Anglican Bishop of Aotearoa , in 1928. The first Catholic Māori priest, Father Wiremu Te Āwhitu was ordained in 1944, and the first Māori bishop, Bishop Max Mariu
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#17328836107086200-760: The first chapter of the Gospel of St John, 30 verses of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of St Matthew, the Lord's Prayer and some hymns. It was the first book printed in New Zealand and his 1837 Māori New Testament was the first indigenous language translation of the Bible published in the southern hemisphere. Demand for the Māori New Testament, and for the Prayer Book that followed, grew exponentially, as did Christian Māori leadership and public Christian services, with 33,000 Māori soon attending regularly. Literacy and understanding
6300-553: The highest proportion of Catholics are Kaikōura (where they are 18.4% of the total population), Westland (18.3%), and Grey (17.8%). The territorial authorities with the lowest proportion of Catholics are Tasman (8.1%), Clutha (8.7%), and Western Bay of Plenty (8.7%). Anglicanism , associated mostly with New Zealanders of English descent, is common in most parts of the country, but is strongest in Canterbury (the city of Christchurch having been founded as an Anglican settlement) and on
6400-413: The hill country of Rangitikei favours semi-intensive sheep and beef farming. Areas close to the volcanic plateau consist largely of pumice soils which lack some essential trace elements but within the region much of this land is occupied by national parks. The region has a comparatively mild climate with greater climatic extremes inland. Chateau Tongariro experienced the lowest temperature recorded in
6500-438: The indigenous people, with over half of Māori regularly attending church services within the first 30 years. Christianity remains New Zealand's largest religious group, but no one denomination is dominant and there is no official state church . According to the 2018 census 38.17% of the population identified as Christian . The largest Christian groups are Anglican , Catholic and Presbyterian . Christian organisations are
6600-560: The leading non-government providers of social services in New Zealand. The first Christian service conducted in New Zealand waters was probably to be carried out by Father Paul-Antoine Léonard de Villefeix , the Dominican chaplain on the ship Saint Jean Baptiste commanded by the French navigator and explorer Jean-François-Marie de Surville . Villefeix was the first Christian minister to set foot in New Zealand, and probably said Mass on board
6700-582: The link between the North Island Main Trunk and the Napier line would be here. However plans changed and the junction was located at Palmerston North. The building of Mugby Junction never eventuated. The Glaxo company was founded in Bunnythorpe. In 1904 Joseph Nathan and Sons established a baby-food manufacturer which processed local milk into a baby food named Glaxo (sold in the 1930s under the slogan Glaxo builds bonny babies ). As of 2010, still visible on
6800-514: The local dialect, Māori pronounce the wh in Whanganui as [ˀw] , a voiced labial–velar approximant combined with a glottal stop , but to non-locals the name sounds like "Wanganui" and is hard to reproduce. In 1991 the New Zealand Geographic Board considered demands from some local Māori to change the name of the river to Whanganui. After widespread controversy for many years, in September 2019
6900-412: The main street of Bunnythorpe is the factory for drying and processing cows' milk into powder, with the original Glaxo logo clearly visible, but nothing to indicate the birthplace of a major multinational. Products were made in Bunnythorpe until 1973. As of 2010 the building is commercially owned. The Glaxo company became a major pharmaceutical manufacturer and after a series of mergers it became part of
7000-434: The major animal pest since they damage native forests and endanger cattle production through the spread of bovine tuberculosis . Eradication programmes also concentrate on rabbits , rooks and feral goats , while other exotic species such as Parma wallaby ( Macropus parma ), wasps , ferrets , stoats and weasels are a source of concern. The internationally recognised Ramsar estuarine wetlands site at Foxton Beach
7100-422: The most of any region. In descending order of land area the territorial authority districts are Ruapehu , the major parts of Tararua District and Rangitikei , Manawatū , Whanganui , Horowhenua , and small parts of Stratford , Waitomo , and Taupō . The largest city is Palmerston North , with a population of 85,300 (June 2012 estimate). It is the only territorial authority in the region to be administered by
7200-453: The national average and manufacturing employed the greatest number of people (12,830 FTEs). The region is known for its strong agricultural base, which prompted the establishment of an agricultural college there in the 1920s. The government wanted to promote scientific farming and established colleges in two of the most important farming areas, Canterbury and the Manawatū. Research by members of
7300-591: The next decade established farms and schools in the area. In June 1823 Wesleydale, the first Wesleyan Methodist mission in New Zealand, was established at Kaeo , near Whangaroa Harbour . The first book published in the Māori language was A Korao no New Zealand ; or, the New Zealander's First Book , published by CMS missioner Thomas Kendall in 1815. In 1817 Tītore and Tui (also known as Tuhi or Tupaea (1797?–1824)) sailed to England. They visited Professor Samuel Lee at Cambridge University and assisted him in
7400-467: The nucleus of the park, which is designated a World Heritage Site . Whanganui National Park is slightly smaller (742.31 km [286.61 sq mi]) and was established 99 years later when a series of reserves were incorporated into one area and given national park status. There are two state forest parks in the rugged, bush-clad Ruahine Range and Tararua Range. The four parks offer skiing , tramping , jetboating and white-water rafting and
7500-533: The opportunity to appreciate the environment. The regional council, responsible for managing natural and physical resources, provides flood protection and monitors environmental problems such as pest infestation and pollution. Invasive plant pests such as African feathergrass , goats rue and nodding thistle pose a threat to pastureland in this heavily agricultural-dependent region, and the council has instituted control campaigns. The council has also instituted animal pest control programmes. Possums are perceived as
7600-860: The peak ski season. Key cultural institutions in the region include Te Manawa in Palmerston North, the Whanganui Regional Museum , the Sarjeant Gallery and the Quartz Museum of Studio Ceramics in Whanganui, the National Army Museum in Waiouru, and the multi-cultural Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom in Foxton . State Highway 1 , the main highway, and the North Island Main Trunk railway, which both link Auckland and Wellington , run through
7700-609: The popular hymns Whakaria Mai and Tama Ngakau Marie. New Zealand once hosted the largest Christian music festival in the Southern Hemisphere, Parachute Music Festival , however in 2014, the music festival was cancelled due to financial difficulties. Large Christian Easter events still occur. Eastercamp, a Christian youth event in South Island, draws 3500 youths from over 50 youth groups and churches. New Zealand has many media organisations and personalities. Frank Ritchie ,
7800-539: The preparation of a grammar and vocabulary of Māori. Kendall travelled to London in 1820 with Hongi Hika and Waikato (a lower ranking Ngāpuhi chief) during which time work was done with Professor Samuel Lee, which resulted in the First Grammar and Vocabulary of the New Zealand Language (1820). In 1823, Rev Henry Williams became the leader of the CMS mission in New Zealand. He settled at Paihia , across
7900-599: The region. The Palmerston North–Gisborne Line and State Highway 3 follow the Manawatū Gorge , linking the region with Hawke's Bay. The Marton–New Plymouth Line provides a railway link with Taranaki, and from this line the short Wanganui Branch runs to Whanganui . Road and rail transport give the region's exporters easy access to ports. The region has approximately 16% of the North Island's road length. There are 8,732 km (5,426 mi) of road, of which two-thirds are sealed. Approximately 12% of roads are classified as urban and three-quarters as rural, with almost half of
8000-414: The region: the Whanganui (290 km [180 mi]), Manawatū (182 km [113 mi])), and Rangitīkei (241 km [150 mi]). The Whanganui is the second-longest river and has the second-largest catchment in the North Island, draining most of the inland region west of Lake Taupō . There are few roads in this area, which contains some of the largest surviving areas of native bush in
8100-605: The rural roads being unsealed. With 945.9 km (587.8 mi) the region has the second-highest length of state highways in the North Island, after Waikato. Christianity in New Zealand Christianity in New Zealand dates to the arrival of missionaries from the Church Missionary Society who were welcomed onto the beach at Rangihoua Bay in December 1814. It soon became the predominant belief amongst
8200-571: The ship near Whatuwhiwhi in Doubtless Bay on Christmas Day in 1769. He is reported to have also led prayers for the sick the previous day and to have conducted Christian burials. New Zealand's religious history after the arrival of Europeans saw substantial missionary activity, with Māori generally converting to Christianity voluntarily (compare forced conversions elsewhere in the world). The Anglican Church Missionary Society (CMS) sent missionaries to settle in New Zealand. Samuel Marsden of
8300-579: The sixteen cities is 50.2%. Catholicism , associated mostly with New Zealanders of Irish , Polish, descent, is the most evenly distributed of the three main denominations, although it still has noticeable strengths in south and central Taranaki , on the West Coast , and in Kaikōura . It is also the largest denomination in Auckland and Wellington , although not by a great extent. The territorial authorities with
8400-570: The soft rock by rivers and ocean waves. The region includes a series of mountain ranges, notably the Tararua Range and the Ruahine Range and the three major active volcanoes of the North Island. Mount Ruapehu at 2,797 m is the tallest mountain in the North Island, Ngauruhoe 2,291 m and Tongariro 1,968 m. During the last 100 years Ruapehu has experienced six significant eruptions, and last erupted in 1995 and 1996. Three major rivers divide
8500-492: The soils. Forestry largely disappeared until the early twentieth century. In an attempt to combat erosion problems in sandy soils the government planted forests in the Foxton/Levin area in the early twentieth century. Inland forests were planted later. Some private native forest has been set aside for sustainable logging but most forestry depends on exotic plantings. Unlike its neighbour Taranaki , Manawatū-Whanganui has not been
8600-512: The thick sediment has raised a series of domes and gentle depressions. These structures can provide natural storage areas for oil and some of the Manawatu domes have been drilled. The domes have shaped the course of the Manawatū River, giving it a meandering path which, uniquely among New Zealand rivers, begins close to the east coast and exits on the west coast. The Manawatū River begins just inside
8700-966: The total population), Clutha (30.7%), and Southland (29.8%). The territorial authorities with the lowest proportion of Presbyterians are Far North (4.4%), Kaipara (6.2%), and Wellington (6.7%). Pentecostalism and non-denominational churches are amongst the highest denominations according to the 2018 census. Examples of these churches are Life Church in Auckland, Curate Church in Mount Maunganui, Arise in Wellington and Harmony Church in Christchurch. Christian organisations in New Zealand are heavily involved in community activities including education; health services; chaplaincy to prisons, rest homes and hospitals; social justice and human rights advocacy. Approximately 11% of New Zealand students attend Catholic schools;
8800-438: The treaty. In 1845, 64,000 Māori were attending church services, over half of the estimated population of 110,000. By then, there was probably a higher proportion of Māori attending Church in New Zealand than British people in the United Kingdom. The New Zealand Anglican Church , te Hāhi Mihinare (the missionary church), was, and is, the largest Māori denomination. Māori made Christianity their own and spread it throughout
8900-427: The use of fertilisers, is very suitable for forestry. Forestry has a long history in the Manawatū since Palmerston North developed as a saw-milling town, and the region's initial prosperity depended on heavy exploitation of native timbers. But land use practices inhibited the long term viability of this indigenous forestry industry. Severe burn-offs destroyed large areas of native forest and subsequent overgrazing affected
9000-471: The west coast, and across to the east coast from Cape Turnagain to Owhanga. It borders the Waikato , Taranaki , Hawke's Bay and Wellington regions and includes river catchment areas that run from the volcanic plateau to the sea. The Pacific Ocean is the eastern boundary and the Ruahine Range forms a natural boundary with Hawke's Bay. The area includes a variety of landscape formations. Districts close to
9100-551: Was 687 in the 2018 census. The North Island Main Trunk Railway passed over government owned land, which was subdivided and later became Bunnythorpe. The village takes its name from Henry Bunny, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Wellington Provincial Council , which functioned from 1853 to 1876. On the other side of the rail line, the town of Mugby Junction was to be established. It was proposed in 1878, that
9200-465: Was estimated at NZ$ 11.60 billion in the year to March 2019, 3.8% of New Zealand's national GDP. The regional GDP per capita was estimated at $ 46,764 in the same period. In the year to March 2018, primary industries contributed $ 1.26 billion (11.5%) to the regional GDP, goods-producing industries contributed $ 2.01 billion (18.3%), service industries contributed $ 6.76 billion (61.6%), and taxes and duties contributed $ 942 million (8.6%). Agriculture dominates
9300-415: Was much higher than the national average of 60.1%. Approximately 80% of this land was used for agricultural purposes (grazing, arable, fodder and fallow land). In the Manawatū, Rangitikei and Tararua Districts this percentage rose to over 90% of total land. The region is one of the most important areas of pastoral farming in New Zealand. It had 7,216,177 sheep (at 30 June 1996), the largest number of sheep in
9400-684: Was ordained in 1988. The Sisters of Mercy arrived in Auckland in 1850 and were the first order of religious sisters to come to New Zealand and began to work in health care and education. At the direction of Mary MacKillop (St Mary of the Cross), the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart arrived in New Zealand and established schools. In 1892, Suzanne Aubert established the Sisters of Compassion —the first Catholic order established in New Zealand for women. The Anglican Church in New Zealand recognises her as
9500-704: Was part of the Manawatu District. In a quest to attract growth to the region, Manawatu District agreed to transfer a portion of its territory to Palmerston North City; Bunnythorpe was a part of this portion. Bunnythorpe is represented in the Rangitīkei electorate by Suze Redmayne of the New Zealand National Party . Bunnythorpe is represented in the Te Tai Hauāuru Māori electorate by Debbie Ngarewa-Packer of Te Pāti Māori . Bunnythorpe School
9600-627: Was prepared in four days. Realising that a treaty in English could be neither understood, debated or agreed to by Māori, Hobson instructed Williams, who worked with his son Edward , who was also proficient in the Māori language, to translate the document into Māori and this was done overnight on 4 February. Williams was also involved in explaining the treaty to Māori leaders, firstly at the meetings with William Hobson at Waitangi, but later also when he travelled to Port Nicholson, Queen Charlotte's Sound, Kapiti, Waikanae and Otaki to persuade Māori chiefs to sign
9700-448: Was some hostility between Catholic and Protestants in the 19th and early 20th centuries, this declined towards the end of the 20th century. The proportion of New Zealanders who identify as Christian is declining—accounting for around 38% of responses to the 2018 census , whereas in the 1991 census it stood at around three-quarters. Christian groups are experiencing mixed trends. Anglicanism and Presbyterianism are both losing adherents at
9800-565: Was spoken by 96.6%, Māori language by 6.0%, Samoan by 1.0% and other languages by 8.5%. No language could be spoken by 2.1% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.8%. The percentage of people born overseas was 15.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.Ethnicities in the 2018 census were 79.4% European/Pākehā, 22.9% Māori, 4.2% Pacific peoples, 6.4% Asian, and 2.2% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities). The subnational gross domestic product (GDP) of Manawatū-Whanganui
9900-426: Was that 324 (58.7%) people were employed full-time, 72 (13.0%) were part-time, and 24 (4.3%) were unemployed. Bunnythorpe has a very similar temperate climate to Palmerston North, but temperatures tend to be slightly lower in winter and can be significantly lower during the summer months of December to February. The average summer temperature is 20.6 C and the average temperature during the coldest months of June–August
10000-485: Was that 97,110 (47.9%) people were employed full-time, 27,678 (13.7%) were part-time, and 6,198 (3.1%) were unemployed. There are two major urban areas. Palmerston North , with a resident population of 83,100 (June 2024 estimate), expanded as an educational centre and a supply centre for the surrounding rural hinterland. It became a city in 1930. The other major urban area is Whanganui , with an estimated resident population of 42,500 as of June 2024. Urban areas with
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