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Hokitika is a town in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island, south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. It is the seat and largest town in the Westland District. The town's estimated population is as of .
On a clear day Aoraki / Mount Cook can clearly be seen from Hokitika's main street.
Founded on gold mining in 1864, it was a centre of the West Coast gold rush and grew very quickly. Members of the Jewish community ran stores and businesses and built a synagogue in Tancred St. One of them, John Lazar, was appointed Town Clerk in 1866 and was a prominent Freemasonry. (1999). 9780473058548, West Coast Historical Museum. ISBN 9780473058548
By late 1866, it was one of New Zealand's most populous centres. On 16 September 1867, there were 41 vessels alongside the wharf at Hokitika, in some places three and four deep. In 1867, the port of Hokitika ranked first in New Zealand in both the number of vessels entered inwards and in the total value of exports; principally gold.
On 8 March 1868 a mock funeral was held in protest about the conviction and hanging of three Irish in Manchester – the Manchester Martyrs. The funeral was led by Roman Catholic Father William Larkin and a Celtic Cross was erected in the Hokitika Cemetery. Larkin was later arrested, charged, and convicted of riot and seditious libel.What is Truth, Newsletter – Friends of the Cathedral, Number 71, September 2007, Cathedral House, Christchurch
In 1873 Hokitika became the capital of the short-lived Westland Province which lasted from 1873 until the abolition of provinces in 1876.
In the early 20th century Hokitika had two hospitals, the Westland Hospital and the Seaview Asylum.
In October 1941, three Hokitika police officers (and a policeman stationed in the neighbouring locality of Kaniere), along with a field instructor for the Canterbury education board, were killed when a local farmer, Stanley Graham, went on a shooting rampage and killed seven people, including two armed Home guard personnel.
In the ensuing manhunt, the biggest in New Zealand history, overseen by the Commissioner of Police, Denis Cummings, more than 100 New Zealand Police and several hundred New Zealand Army & Home Guard searched the area for the gunman for 12 days, with orders to shoot him on sight if found still armed. On 20 October, after being spotted by two police constables and a local civilian carrying his rifle and ammunition belts, Graham was fatally wounded by a police constable and died the next day.
The population has declined greatly since that time but the population of the Westland District is now on the rise thanks to "lifestyle inhabitants". Almost 30% of the district's rate-payers live outside of Hokitika.
"Arguably the most scenic swingbridge in New Zealand!"
Before the 2023 census, the town had a smaller boundary, covering . Using that boundary, Hokitika had a population of 2,892 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 75 people (−2.5%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 186 people (−6.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,305 households, comprising 1,374 males and 1,521 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.9 males per female. The median age was 47.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 459 people (15.9%) aged under 15 years, 474 (16.4%) aged 15 to 29, 1,278 (44.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 687 (23.8%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 86.4% European/Pākehā, 20.1% Māori, 1.7% Pasifika, 4.9% Asian, and 1.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 11.6, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 47.7% had no religion, 41.3% were Christian, 0.4% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% were Hindu, 0.4% were Muslim, 0.3% were Buddhist and 1.3% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 330 (13.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 654 (26.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $27,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 318 people (13.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,146 (47.1%) people were employed full-time, 408 (16.8%) were part-time, and 57 (2.3%) were unemployed.
Seaview Asylum was once the town's biggest employer.
Another important industry is dairying, with Westland Milk Products having its headquarters and main processing plant in the town. Westland Milk Products was established as a dairy co-operative in 1937, and was sold to the Yili Group in 2019. It is the country's third-equal largest dairy processor as of 2018.
Hokitika has a 3D digital cinema, Xpand news the Regent Theatre, due to volunteer hours and grants from the Lions foundation, Lottery's commission, Development West Coast through the Major District Initiative and pub charity. The Art Deco theatre is a heritage building and narrowly avoided being demolished, thanks to a last-minute coup in the management committee. Community performances are also held there. Hokitika has a drama group which produce plays. It is also on the circuit for Arts on Tour and well known artists from many countries as well as New Zealand perform at the Old Lodge Theatre.
Every January, Hokitika beach hosts the Driftwood and Sand Festival. The festival involves members of the public and a sponsored artist constructing sculptures out of beach debris. Driftwood and Sand originated in beach festival run by Hokitika artist Donald Buglass in November 2002, and it has been run as an annual festival since 2003.
The Hokitika Museum is housed in the town's Carnegie library building. The Hokitika Sock Machine Museum in Revell Street has on display a collection of antique sock-knitting machines. Visitors are invited to knit their own socks. Hokitika also has a modern library, thriving community groups, and many excellent artists.
In October 2020, the Government committed $161,131 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae, and create four jobs.
passes through the town.
A branch line railway known as the Hokitika Branch was established to the town from Greymouth in 1893, and an extension to Ross was open from 1909 to 1980.
Passengers to Hokitika were initially served by that carried both goods and passengers. In 1936, these services were augmented by a Leyland diesel railcar service that ran from Hokitika to Greymouth, Christchurch, and briefly Reefton. In the early 1940s, the Vulcan railcars were introduced and they provided a twice-daily service between Ross and Christchurch via Hokitika. The continued to operate until 1967, and all passenger services to Hokitika ceased when the Vulcan railcars stopped running past Greymouth in 1972.
Since then, the line to Hokitika has been freight only with traffic primarily coming from Westland Milk Products.
Hokitika's Southside airfield was the base of Air Travel, New Zealand's first airline. Air Travel carried passengers, mail and freight south from Hokitika to the glaciers and remote landing strips beyond Haast Aerodrome and north up to Westport. Its first scheduled flight was in December 1934. Directors were Hokitika residents: Bert Mercer, Paul Renton and Harry Newman.
After the second world war, Air Travel was nationalised and became part of NAC.
Hokitika School is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of .
St Mary's School is a full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of . It is a state integrated Catholic school and is connected with St Mary's Catholic Church.
All these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of
The novel Hokitika Town, by Charlotte Randall, is set in Hokitika.
The 2004 historical novel The Colour by Rose Tremain is partially set in 1860s Hokitika.
The 1999 movie Magik and Rose was set in Hokitika.
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