65-590: The Mount Victoria Tunnel in the New Zealand capital city of Wellington is 623 metres (slightly more than a third of a mile) long and 5 metres (16.4 ft) in height, connecting Hataitai to the centre of Wellington and the suburb of Mount Victoria , under the mount of the same name . It is part of State Highway 1 . The tunnel was built in 15 months by the Hansford and Mills Construction Company. The project cost around £132,000 and greatly reduced travel time between
130-439: A approximately 2.5 metres diameter pilot tunnel was dug through the hill over a 12-month period. The intention was to expand the tunnel out to 10m over the next three years but the plans was cancelled by budget constraints and the entrance was bricked up in 1981. The NZTA still owns 31 properties which were meant to have been used for the tunnel access. In 2011, they attempted gain permission to remove some of these homes to construct
195-654: A capital in the Bay of Islands. His initial recommendation was for Kororareka, but there were conflicting land claims and Hobson refused to accept this recommendation as he felt that he had insufficient authority to overcome those legal problems. His second recommendation was Captain James Reddy Clendon 's property, as it met the requirements for a good anchorage and immediate availability of land suitable for subdivision and on-sale to settlers. Locations such as Paihia and Kerikeri were bypassed for various reasons. Pōmare II ,
260-579: A community centre and bowling club, both of which offer venues for community activities, a medical centre, three churches (All Saints Anglican , Hataitai Methodist , Latter-day Saints ) and the Treasure Grove and Waipapa Road Play Areas. In addition, the Alexandra Road Play area is accessible from Hepara Street, with a 180 degree view from Wellington Harbour's Eastbourne to Lyall Bay in the South and only
325-451: A decade. James FitzGerald , who had briefly lead the country's first ministry, moved that the next session "should be held in a more central position in the colony". He had failed to consult with others beforehand, and many of the southern members were absent when the votes were cast, and the proposal was defeated 13 to 11. In 1856, a resolution that the next session should be held in Auckland
390-480: A large store and other buildings. Hobson eventually agreed with Clendon on £15,000; the agreement was made on 22 March and Hobson took possession in May. Clendon had only been paid £1,000 when word was received that Governor George Gipps did not sanction the purchase. Clendon received a further £1,250 and a land grant of 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) at Papakura . Hobson changed its name from Okiato to Russell, in honour of
455-405: A long-standing designation for a second parallel tunnel to the north, in order to relieve peak period congestion resulting from lane merges at both ends of the tunnel. A pilot tunnel was bored through in 1974 to investigate the technical feasibility and still exists, although the eastern end has been bricked up and the western end lies on private property. Plans to build the second tunnel paralleled
520-789: A member of the New South Wales Legislative Council , Francis Murphy , the Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly , and Ronald Campbell Gunn , a former member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly and the Tasmanian Legislative Council . Sir George Grey appointed the commissioners to fulfil the brief "that the Seat of Government should be placed in a central position, that is to say, somewhere upon
585-462: A popular place to live. The earliest European pioneers in Wellington knew the area that became Hataitai as "Jenkins Estate". The name Hataitai originated with the syndicate which sub-divided it for building in 1901, and derives from Whātaitai , the name of one of the two brother taniwha (sea monsters) that formed Te Whanganui-a-Tara ( The Great Harbour of Tara/Wellington Harbour ). However, it
650-602: A road up Mount Victoria, fenced much of his land and used it for breeding horses. Population was minimal until the late 19th century. In the early days the area was part of Kilbirnie in the Evans Bay district – so the school opened in Moxham Ave in 1884 was called Kilbirnie School. In 1901 the Hataitai Land Company was formed to sell sections on the hillsides north from Waitoa Road, and the area became known as Hataitai. In 1902
715-479: A safety overhaul in 2016. This included a repainting of the interior, replacement of lighting with LED bulbs , and ventilation improvements. The control rooms were also refurbished and an additional one was added. Following the opening of the Wellington Airport in 1959 it was identified that due to the additional traffic that this would generate a second tunnel would be needed. However it wasn't until 1974 that
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#1732851661326780-499: A second tunnel, but faced legal roadblocks regarding the heritage nature of some of these properties, many of which were built before 1930. More recently, the New Zealand government has proposed a second tunnel. This was initially proposed as a public transport tunnel in 2022 as part of the Let's Get Wellington Moving project. Following the 2023 general election , the new government scrapped
845-1005: A short walk to the Mount Victoria summit. Hataitai School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of 233 as of August 2024. Kilbirnie School is also a co-educational state primary school, for Year 1 to 6 students, with a roll of 192. The nearest intermediate school is Evans Bay Intermediate School in Kilbirnie . The nearest state secondary schools are Rongotai College (single-sex boys' school) in Rongotai , and Wellington East Girls' College (single-sex girls' school) in Mt Victoria. There are also two state-integrated Catholic secondary schools nearby: St Patrick's College (for boys) and St Catherine's College (for girls), both in Kilbirnie. The suburb also has
910-525: A simple two-page letter, where their main finding was summed up in a single sentence without further elaboration: Having thus made themselves acquainted, as far as was practicable, with the character and capabilities of both shores of Cook's Strait, the Commissioners have arrived at the unanimous conclusion that Wellington, in Port Nicholson , is the site upon the shores of Cook's Straits which presents
975-525: A site for Government House . On 18 September, the land (some 3,000 acres or 1,200 hectares) had been chosen and an agreement signed with Āpihai Te Kawau and others representing the Ngāti Whātua iwi. A flagstaff was erected on Point Britomart , and Her Majesty 's health was "most rapturously drunk with cheers long and loud". Sarah Mathews, the wife of the Surveyor General, recorded in her diary that
1040-565: A six-year period without a command and on half pay. Whilst the name was bestowed in gratitude, it certainly met with general approval, as Lord Auckland was at the height of his fame in 1840 after he had been appointed Viceroy of India in 1835. Queen Victoria's approval of Auckland as the name for the settlement was published in the New Zealand Gazette on 26 November 1842. Work progressed well in Auckland. Hobson first visited Auckland on 17 October 1840 to check on progress, and decide on
1105-453: Is Miramar Peninsula that is thought to be the petrified remains of the great taniwha Whātaitai. The story goes that when the taniwha Ngake broke through the mountains that separated the then-lake from the Cook Strait , the waters rushed out, leaving his older brother Whātaitai stranded on the rocks as he tried to escape after him. An earthquake later lifted Whātaitai's body completely out of
1170-516: Is a small holiday spot in the Bay of Islands , 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of present-day Russell , which was then known as Kororareka. Okiato was New Zealand's first national capital, for a short time from 1840 to 1841, before the seat of government was moved to Auckland. William Hobson arrived in New Zealand on 29 January 1840, the date now celebrated as the Auckland Anniversary Day . On
1235-559: Is located in Mount Eden . Old Government House has since been in use by the University of Auckland. Following a motion in parliament by Alfred Domett , the 4th Premier , three Australian commissioners were tasked with deciding where the capital should move to. The motion asked for the colonial governors of New South Wales , Victoria , and Tasmania to appoint one representative of each of those colonies. The appointees were Joseph Docker ,
1300-539: The 2013 census , and an increase of 324 people (6.3%) since the 2006 census . There were 2,052 households, comprising 2,742 males and 2,754 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female, with 876 people (15.9%) aged under 15 years, 1,617 (29.4%) aged 15 to 29, 2,586 (47.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 411 (7.5%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 85.4% European/ Pākehā , 8.4% Māori , 3.8% Pasifika , 9.8% Asian , and 4.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
1365-520: The Herald to explore the Waitematā; they arrived there two days later. They visited various places, but on 1 March, Hobson suffered a stroke which paralysed half of his body and affected his speech. Rather than delegate the decision making to his officers, the party returned to the Bay of Islands with the task incomplete. Mathew, who was Surveyor General, was then instructed to report on possible locations for
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#17328516613261430-530: The Premier House . Hataitai#Settlement Hataitai is an inner-city suburb of Wellington , the capital of New Zealand , 3.5 kilometres southeast of the city centre. The suburb extends over the southeastern flank of Mount Victoria and down a valley between the Town Belt and a ridge along the shoreline of Evans Bay . Hataitai is bounded by Hepara Street, Grafton Road and the suburb of Roseneath in
1495-652: The University of Auckland in 1969, is now known as Old Government House , and was registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category I heritage structure in 1983. The initial form of government was an executive council formed of public servant appointed by and responsible to the governor. This changed when the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 , an Act of the Parliament of
1560-444: The capital of New Zealand since 1865. New Zealand 's first capital city was Old Russell ( Okiato ) in 1840–41. Auckland was the second capital from 1841 until 1865, when Parliament was permanently moved to Wellington after an argument that persisted for a decade. As the members of parliament could not agree on the location of a more central capital, Wellington was decided on by three Australian commissioners. Okiato or Old Russell
1625-527: The Bay of Islands to Auckland in January 1841. Hobson moved into his new residence on 14 March 1841, and with him moving in, the capital had shifted from the Bay of Islands to Auckland. The first Supreme Court in New Zealand was built in 1842 on the corner of Queen Street and Victoria Street West . The court was presided over by Justice Martin . On 23 June 1848, Government House burned down during Sir George Grey 's tenure as Governor. Nobody came to harm but
1690-459: The Eastern Suburbs and the central business district of Wellington. Construction employed a standard tunnel-excavation technique in which two teams of diggers begin on either side of the obstacle to be tunnelled through, eventually meeting in the centre. The initial breakthrough, when the two separate teams of diggers met, occurred at 2.30pm on 31 May 1930, and the first people to pass through
1755-907: The House , David Carter , and the Mayor of Wellington , Celia Wade-Brown . Several national organisations, including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra , the Royal New Zealand Ballet , and the New Zealand Opera , offered free performances for the anniversary. Over 30 national institutions opened their collections to the public; this included the Supreme Court , the Reserve Bank , the Katherine Mansfield Birthplace , and
1820-414: The Mt Victoria tunnel (1931). The population increased slightly between 2001 and 2006, a result of new dwellings being added to the area. Hataitai covers 1.49 km (0.58 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 5,620 as of June 2024, with a population density of 3,772 people per km . Hataitai had a population of 5,493 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 243 people (4.6%) since
1885-558: The Russell (i.e. Okiato) residents moved there too. A few officials lived on in the Government House at Russell but when it and the offices burned down in May 1842, they moved to Kororareka leaving Russell virtually deserted. Kororareka was part of the Port of Russell and gradually became known as Russell also. In January 1844 Governor Robert FitzRoy officially designated Kororareka as part of
1950-536: The Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord John Russell . Hobson and his family moved there in May 1840 and officials, troops, workmen and immigrants took up residence in permanent or temporary buildings and tents. Mathew drew up ambitious plans for a town, but only one of the intended roads was ever built – leading directly from the town hall to the town jail. A year later Hobson moved the capital to Auckland and most of
2015-607: The United Kingdom that granted self-government to the Colony of New Zealand , was received. This allowed for a bicameral General Assembly (or Parliament), consisting of the Governor, an appointed Legislative Council and an elected House of Representatives , with an Executive Council nominally appointed by the Governor. It also allowed for provincial governments, and six provinces were initially established. The first general election
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2080-702: The area around the Waitematā Harbour . William Cornwallis Symonds agreed with that assessment. A week after the signing of the treaty, seven Māori chiefs from Ōrākei on the Waitematā Harbour came to see Hobson and invited him to stay amongst them. They wanted protection from a rival iwi , the Ngāpuhi , and offered him land in return for living there. On 21 February, a small party including Hobson, Williams, Symonds, Captain Joseph Nias , and Felton Mathew left on
2145-565: The breakthrough were tunnellers Philip Gilbert and Alfred Graham. The tunnel was opened officially by the mayor of Wellington, Thomas Hislop , on 12 October 1931. Although the tunnel has been eclipsed in terms of features and amenities by more recent tunnels around the country, such as the Terrace Motorway Tunnel , the Mount Victoria Tunnel was the first road tunnel in New Zealand to be mechanically ventilated. There has been
2210-407: The building was a total loss. A viceregal residence was then rented for many years (known as Scoria House and located on Karangahape Road ) before the new Government House was built in 1856. Construction of this building was part of Auckland's campaign to retain the seat of government, as the discussion about the capital moving further south had already started. This building formally became part of
2275-459: The capital moving to Wellington was celebrated on the weekend of 25 and 26 July 2015. A concert organised by Wellington City Council was held in front of Parliament House and a light show depicting the history of Wellington projected onto the front of the building. The main act was musician Dave Dobbyn , supported by the Orpheus Choir of Wellington . The crowd was addressed by the Speaker of
2340-508: The capital to their city. After the capital had moved to Wellington, the Parliament Building was eventually transferred to the University of Auckland and demolished in 1919. Government House remained one of the seats for the governor, who alternates between Wellington and Auckland to this day. Old Government House remained in this use until 1969, when Sir Frank and Lady Mappin donated the current Government House (Birchlands) that
2405-470: The country's first capital. There is no doubt that Hobson regarded Russell as a temporary capital only. On 18 April 1840, he sent Mathew on a second journey south; the Surveyor General was instructed to explore the harbours of Whangārei , Mahurangi , and Waitematā, and to pay particular attention to a location on the southern shore of the Waitematā. Mathew spent two months exploring the various locations and rejected Whangārei and Mahurangi, but also rejected
2470-474: The difficult access by water. Hobson also admitted that his favoured location was impractical. After the party watched a sunset and were impressed by a "lovely aspect of the shore further down the harbour in the golden glow of the late afternoon", they went ashore there the following day. They agreed that the place held great promise for a future capital; it is believed that they landed at Shelly Beach in Ponsonby . By
2535-472: The end of the month, the decision was made that the capital would shift to the Waitematā. On 13 September 1840, a barque left Russell for the Waitematā. On board were seven Government officials, some cabin passengers, and numerous steerage passenger. The party, under the command of Symonds, was to finalise the choice of the future capital, buy the land off the Maori, erect stores and accommodation buildings, and find
2600-516: The fill from the tunnel. It is suspected that the girl was pregnant by her lover and the story was later covered in the Wellington newspapers. Upon learning of the murder, police ordered workers to excavate the tunnel's fill in order to find the victim's body.. Phyllis Symons was buried in Karori Cemetery. Around 45,000 vehicles pass through the Mount Victoria each day. The tunnel also accommodates pedestrians and cyclists, who use an elevated ramp on
2665-627: The following day, as Lieutenant-Governor he proclaimed British Sovereignty in New Zealand. 30 January 1840 was the day that the Union Jack was flown on the masthead of the Herald , the ship that brought Hobson to the Bay of islands, and that the flag was saluted by guns. A capital city needed to be decided on, and immediately after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on 6 February 1840, Hobson sought advice from those who had been living in New Zealand for some time. The missionary Henry Williams recommended
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2730-450: The government planned to use the tunnel as an air raid shelter if Wellington were attacked. However, the plan was scrapped, as the tunnel was thought to be too vulnerable to assault from either side by hostile troops. A well-known local story revolves around a murder that occurred during the construction of the Mount Victoria Tunnel. A young woman named Phyllis Avis Symons (17) was murdered by George Errol Coats (29), who buried her alive in
2795-513: The greatest advantages for the administration of the Government of the Colony. The move of the capital from Auckland to Wellington was undertaken in 1865, and Wellington has been New Zealand's capital since. The fifth session of the 3rd Parliament was opened on 26 July 1865 in Wellington, and this date is regarded as the move of the capital function to Wellington. The sesquicentennial anniversary of
2860-463: The initiative and changed these plans into a tunnel for general traffic. There is a tradition among Wellingtonians of tooting sounding a vehicle's horn as they pass through the tunnel, leading to the local colloquial name of "Toot Tunnel". Some suggest that this began as a tribute to the murder of Phyllis Symons. The honking was referenced in an episode of the comedy series Wellington Paranormal . Capital of New Zealand Wellington has been
2925-465: The local Māori chief in the 1830s, sold land at Okiato to a British merchant and ship owner, Captain Clendon on 7 December 1830 for £ 28 15 s . Clendon settled there in 1832 and set up a trading station with partner Samuel Stephenson. Clendon became the first United States Consul for New Zealand in 1838 or 1839. Clendon wanted £23,000 for the 380 acres (150 ha) of land, the house, two small cottages,
2990-547: The location for Government House. He returned to the Bay of Islands, having decided to take up residence in Auckland in the following year. Government House was a kit set built in England and shipped out to New Zealand, weighing 250 tonnes (250 long tons; 280 short tons). It had 16 rooms, was 120 feet (37 m) long, 50 feet (15 m) wide, and 24 feet (7.3 m) high. It was placed on the corner of Hobson and Cook Streets. The officials and all of government's papers were moved from
3055-530: The mid-1980s. Traffic lights have been installed at the end of the city approach to the tunnel to ease congestion and improve safety at the Basin Reserve roundabout. Mount Victoria Tunnel became part of State Highway 1 in 1997 when Transit New Zealand designated the road from Wellington Airport to the Basin Reserve a State Highway. The NZ Transport Agency has no plans in the next ten years to duplicate
3120-580: The name "Auckland" was inscribed in the flag pole, together with the date of the land purchase. This may be regarded as the unofficial naming of the city, as the name was first put in writing by Hobson on 10 November of that year. George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland was First Lord of the Admiralty . In 1834, he had given a commission to William Hobson to sail for the East Indies on the Rattlesnake , which ended
3185-476: The new suburb was advertised by the cutting of gigantic letters spelling 'HATAITAI' in the turf of the town side of Mount Victoria. Many of the streets in Hataitai are named after native trees: Hinau Road, Konini Road, Matai Road, Rata Road, Rewa Road etc. Significant development took place from the early 20th century into the 1950s, spurred by improved access via the Hataitai tram (now bus) tunnel (opened in 1907) and
3250-408: The north side of the roadway. In the late 1970s, a number of crime incidents resulted in an alarm system being installed based on buttons spaced along the length of the pedestrian ramp; the system was removed several years later, as it proved ineffective. Recent additions include new lighting, CCTV cameras, brighter cleanable side panels and pollution control. These have significantly improved safety in
3315-486: The north, Wellington Harbour in the east, Cobham Drive, Wellington Road and Crawford Road in the south, and Alexandra Road in the west. Hataitai is on important transport links between the central city and Wellington Airport , to the south of Evans Bay on the isthmus at Rongotai . It is at the eastern end of the Mount Victoria Tunnel and the bus-only Hataitai Tunnel, built in 1907 for trams , making Hataitai
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#17328516613263380-537: The original plan to complete the Wellington Urban Motorway to the tunnel to provide a motorway bypass of the whole of central Wellington. The second tunnel component was shelved indefinitely in 1981 when budget cuts meant that a scaled-down motorway extension was proposed that would terminate at the existing tunnel. Since that date there have been no serious proposals to duplicate the existing tunnel, although cost estimates for such work were at $ 40 million in
3445-485: The outside of listed buildings, or demolition of them, would require resource consent. Most of the buildings at the village date from the 1910s and 1920s and together they form a historic streetscape that is rare in Wellington. Sports facilities include the Badminton Hall on Ruahine Street and Hataitai Park on the Town Belt. Hataitai Park has a velodrome, tennis courts and rugby fields. Other community facilities include
3510-527: The second session of the 3rd Parliament in Wellington, and parliament met from July to September 1862 in the building of the Wellington Provincial Council . A proposal to make this move to Wellington permanent was lost by a single vote. The Wellington Provincial Council buildings were built in 1858 and were opulent in style; the stark contrast to the "Shedifice" in Auckland was part of Wellington's campaign to entice members of parliament to move
3575-499: The shores of Cook's Straits ." The commissioners inspected Wellington , Picton , Queen Charlotte Sound , the Tory Channel , Blenheim , Pelorus Sound / Te Hoiere , Havelock and Nelson . Their criteria were the central position in New Zealand that was asked for, access by water, land availability, resources in the surrounding country, defence considerations, and any natural disadvantages. The commissioners reported their findings in
3640-556: The site favoured by Hobson that later became known as Hobsonville . In his words, it was "totally unfit for the site of the principal settlement, and indeed ill adapted for a settlement at all". Mathew recommended the Panmure Basin for the settlement, which had numerous advantages, but he conceded that access from the harbour was difficult. Once Hobson had regained some health, he went south to check Mathew's recommendations. On 6 July, he visited Panmure and immediately dismissed it over
3705-483: The township of Russell. Now the name Russell applies only to the erstwhile Kororareka while Okiato has resumed its original name. There is often confusion between modern-day Russell, Kororareka and Okiato in relation to the original capital: even the historian Michael King in The Penguin History of New Zealand —his most notable work and the most commonly-read New Zealand history book—incorrectly names Kororareka as
3770-447: The tunnel, but plans to investigate work to upgrade the city approaches around the Basin Reserve, including a possible flyover to Buckle Street, to reduce congestion at the city end of the tunnel and around the Basin Reserve. A study is currently underway (The Ngauranga to Airport Study) investigating long-term transport options for the route. The study indicates that a new tunnel would cost around (NZ)$ 170 million. During World War II ,
3835-408: The tunnel. The tunnel currently is a traffic bottleneck in the morning peak from around 7.30 to 9.00am on the Hataitai side with traffic sometimes backing up over 1 km and in the afternoon peak between 5 and 6pm on the city side with queuing back around 0.5 km. Buses to the eastern suburbs bypass this congestion by using the much-older single-lane Hataitai bus tunnel . The tunnel received
3900-423: The water, causing him to dry out and pass away. With his body having turned to earth, Whātaitai's spirit manifested into a bird that flew to the top of Tangi Te Keo (Mount Victoria) to mourn never being able to be with his brother again. Colonial settlement of the area dates from 1841, with land used mainly for farming and grazing. Robert Jenkins acquired a hundred acres of hill pasture. In order to reach it he made
3965-564: Was 28.9, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 59.4% had no religion, 29.0% were Christian , 0.2% had Māori religious beliefs , 1.5% were Hindu , 0.6% were Muslim , 1.1% were Buddhist and 3.1% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 2,388 (51.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 222 (4.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,449 people (31.4%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
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#17328516613264030-465: Was amended by substituting the phrase "a more central position" as the location, but the matter was left for the governor to decide. Only a few months later, a proposal for the next session to be convened in Nelson was narrowly defeated. The governor, Thomas Gore Browne , suggested that there could be merit in having alternating meetings in Wellington and Auckland. After much argument, it was decided to hold
4095-551: Was desirable, a move not supported by the members from Auckland constituencies. What also did not help was that the General Assembly House had been erected in a hurry and was nothing more than a shell, and members called it the "Shedifice". The wind blew through the building, it leaked in the rain, and basic amenities like toilets were missing. Built on what was then the edge of town, it was a building without comforts. Arguments over where Parliament should meet were had for
4160-424: Was held in 1853 and Parliament convened in Auckland for its first session, which was opened on 27 May 1854. On 3 June, the question of the seat of Parliament was first discussed, with Edward Gibbon Wakefield arguing that the seat of government must be shifted to Wellington. Travel to and from parliament was arduous, and the members from the far south had taken two months to get to Auckland. A more central location
4225-417: Was that 2,943 (63.7%) people were employed full-time, 654 (14.2%) were part-time, and 177 (3.8%) were unemployed. A small shopping village is centred on Moxham Avenue and Waitoa Road. In 2011 Wellington City Council added Hataitai Village shops to its District Plan list of heritage buildings. The heritage listings mean the buildings are recognised and protected for their heritage value and any major changes to
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