48-733: The Hokitika Clock Tower , initially called the Westland War Memorial and then the Coronation and War Memorial , is a prominent landmark in Hokitika , New Zealand. The memorial was initiated, fundraised for, and carried out by a committee, to commemorate the region's contribution to the Second Boer War ; not just the four local men who had died but all 130 who had gone to war in South Africa. An additional purpose
96-476: A copper cupola with a decorative iron finial . Only four other Boer War memorials in New Zealand— Granity , Milton , Lawrence , and Featherston —have a cupola. Except for the pillars, which are made of bluestone , the structure above the base is made of Mount Somers / Te Kiekie stone. To the top of the finial, the tower measures 11.4 metres (37 ft 6 in). The belfry had started to rust and
144-557: A crowd of 5,000 onlookers; over 3,000 of them arrived by train. The mayor of Hokitika Borough, Michel, spoke first, followed by the unveiling of the clock tower by Seddon's wife. Seddon himself then addressed the crowd with a long speech. Brief speeches were then given by Arthur Clifton (chairman of Westland County), Arthur Guinness (member of the House of Representatives for the Grey electorate ), James Holmes (a Hokitika resident and member of
192-477: A growing ecotourism industry has grown up and the town is starting to show signs of recovery. It has become a major tourist stop on the West Coast's main highway route, with carving of greenstone an important local industry. It is also gaining a reputation for its annual wild food festival which has been running since 1990. Seaview Asylum was once the town's biggest employer. Another important industry
240-454: A memorial tablet mounted on them. One of the tablets shows the chosen motto. The square bases support turned columns and turned caps. Above the four columns, arches with a keystone give a striking effect. The square tower above the arches holds the clock, with a circular stone surrounding each clock face. Moulded arches top the masonry part of the tower. A belfry is mounted on top, with iron columns, ironwork friezes, four chiming bells, topped by
288-437: A population density of 276 people per km . Before the 2023 census, the town had a smaller boundary, covering 3.91 km (1.51 sq mi). 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
336-449: 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
384-557: A week on the West Coast, during which time the foundation stone could be laid. The committee responded that there was insufficient time to prepare and would prefer to wait until his next scheduled visit on 14 February 1902. In his role as mayor, Michel asked mayors of other West Coast boroughs to also declare Friday, 14 February 1902 a public holiday and the mayors of the boroughs of Brunner , Ross , Greymouth , and Kumara did so. When Seddon arrived in Hokitika, his first official action
432-638: 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, the Regent Theatre, due to volunteer hours and grants from the Lions foundation, Lottery's commission, Development West Coast through
480-536: Is one of the wettest places in New Zealand, with over 2,800 mm (110 in) of rainfall per year. Nearby Hokitika Gorge is a popular short tourist walk, with vibrant blue water and a "swing" (metal rope suspension) bridge. The Hokitika urban area, as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers 11.78 km (4.55 sq mi) and is coterminous with the Hokitika statistical area. The urban area has an estimated population of 3,250 as of June 2024, with
528-472: 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 mixed trains that carried both goods and passengers. In 1936, these services were augmented by a Leyland diesel railbus service that ran from Hokitika to Greymouth, Christchurch , and briefly Reefton . In the early 1940s,
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#1732797600126576-653: The Kokatahi River , have formed the Kowhitirangi - Kokatahi alluvial plain ; a fertile and productive land extensively used for dairy farming . The entrance to the Hokitika River was once used as a harbour during the West Coast gold rush ; however, the sand bar at the river mouth created a treacherous and often fatal obstacle - resulting in many shipwrecks . After the gold-rush subsided,
624-770: The Legislative Council ), and Major General James Babington (a Boer War veteran who at the time was the Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces ). On 21 September 1989, the Hokitika Clock Tower was registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (since renamed Heritage New Zealand ) as a Category II heritage structure with registration number 5054. It is a prominent landmark in
672-549: The Man Booker Prize in 2013. 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. Hokitika River The Hokitika River is in the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is about 64 kilometers (40 mi) long, beginning in
720-778: The Southern Alps , emerging from the narrow Hokitika Gorge after merging with the Whitcombe River , and flowing into the Tasman Sea just south of the town of Hokitika . The river then feeds into the offshore Hokitika Canyon , which merges with the Cook Canyon to form the Cook Channel. The canyons extend to about 650 km (400 mi) and are important spawning areas for hoki , hake and orange roughy . The Hokitika River, and its eastern tributary ,
768-524: The Vulcan railcars were introduced and they provided a twice-daily service between Ross and Christchurch via Hokitika. The mixed trains 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. In 1865, after
816-495: The 1950s proposal to add a clock to the Invercargill Troopers' Memorial caused considerable controversy and was only agreed to as a practical means to getting the memorial renovated. The memorial has a square concrete base 3.4 metres (11 ft) wide and 0.91 metres (3 ft) high. The foundation supports four square bases; one for each corner. Two faces of each square face outwards, with these eight faces having
864-480: 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
912-583: 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
960-611: The Tūhuru wharenui (meeting house). In October 2020, the Government committed $ 161,131 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae, and create four jobs. State Highway 6 passes through the town. The first rail transport was the Hokitika & Kanieri Tramway laid with wooden rails was established in 1868, with cars drawn by horses. A road followed in 1873. A branch line railway known as
1008-675: 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
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#17327976001261056-590: The area for many years. Its name was changed in 1963 to Westland High School , which caters for years 7 to 13 and has a roll of 384. Hokitika School is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 212. St Mary's School is a full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 130. 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 August 2024. Hokitika has one sister city . The events of The Luminaries , by Eleanor Catton , take place within Hokitika. The book won
1104-401: The coming year. The selected site had previously been used for a memorial for four West Coast pioneers who drowned or were murdered in the 1860s: George Dobson, Charlton Howitt, Henry Whitcombe, and Charles Townsend. This memorial had previously been relocated to Hokitika Cemetery. The borough council granted the request for the site in late November 1901. The following month, a public competition
1152-400: The discovery of gold in the area, the town became the official port of entry of the West Coast. A boom period ensued when Hokitika was second only to Auckland, with reports of over 40 ships in the harbour at one time, with more waiting offshore. It was a dangerous port, with 108 strandings and 32 ships lost from 1865 to 1867. The lack of nearby coal meant that the port declined rapidly along with
1200-499: 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
1248-533: The glaciers and remote landing strips beyond Haast 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 . A school was described as "recently opened" in Hokitika in 1875, and had nearly 350 students. The Hokitika District High School provided both primary and secondary education for
1296-405: The gold, though Hokitika remained an official entry port until the 1950s. Air New Zealand provides two flights a day to Christchurch. The Hokitika Airport is adjacent to the town, immediately to the north-east in the suburb of Seaview. 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
1344-700: The local Westland electorate , Richard Seddon , agreed for troops to be sent to South Africa in September 1899. This was in support of Britain in their escalating conflict with the South African Republic . The Second Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899 and the Westland region would send 130 men to serve in South Africa, four of whom would be killed. A Peace Celebration Committee was formed in Hokitika in June 1900 and at their inaugural meeting, it
1392-549: The main speech at the memorial's unveiling, some 17 months later in June 1903. Seddon's wife was a significant fundraiser in Wellington for the project, raising 7% of the cost, and was asked to unveil the tower. The work was undertaken by a stonemason in Auckland specialising in monumental sculpture, with the components all produced in their Auckland workshop and then shipped down for assembly on site. The four-faced town clock
1440-586: The memorial in honour of this event. It shares the dual function of a Boer War memorial and commemoration of Edward VII's coronation with memorials in Whanganui , Greymouth , Motueka , and Ashburton . The other New Zealand memorial that also commemorates peace, is in Marton . The clock tower was unveiled on 3 June 1903 (the birthday of the Prince of Wales , George Frederick Ernest Albert ), with perfect weather and
1488-601: The memorial was agreed on. The memorial was built in Auckland and then shipped to Hokitika for installation. A four-faced clock, manufactured by Gillett & Johnston in Croydon , England, and installed by Alfred Bartlett of Auckland, was to function as the town clock. To combine the commemoration of a war memorial with the utility of providing a town clock is unusual in New Zealand. There does not appear to have been any discussion about this dual-purpose in Hokitika. In contrast,
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1536-604: The mouth of the Hokitika River . It is the seat and largest town in the Westland District . The town's estimated population is 3,250 as of June 2024. On a clear day Aoraki / Mount Cook can clearly be seen from Hokitika's main street. The name Hokitika translates from Māori as "to return directly" (from hoki , 'to return', and tika , 'direct'). According to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage ,
1584-471: The name comes from when a band of Ngāi Tahu warriors in search of greenstone were about to attack Ngāti Wairangi pā . The chief of the invaders drowned while trying to cross the Hokitika River, and the leaderless taua (army) then returned directly to their own home. The land where Hokitika stands was purchased in 1860 from Māori when Poutini Ngāi Tahu chiefs signed the Arahura Deed . This
1632-505: 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. Arahura Marae is located near Hokitika. It is a marae (tribal meeting ground) of Ngāi Tahu and its Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae branch, and includes
1680-585: The town. The contract for the design and erection of the memorial was awarded to the stonemason William Parkinson of Auckland . The company had previously produced the Trooper's Memorial and the granite plinth for the Queen Victoria Statue, both located in Auckland's Albert Park . Although the foundation stone was laid in February 1902, it was not until July that year that the final design for
1728-399: 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. The major industries of greenstone ( pounamu ), gold , coal , and forestry have all dwindled over the last century, but
1776-467: 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
1824-466: Was a "very large attendance" by Westland people. As was usual at the time, the funds for the memorial were fundraised, and Louisa Jane Seddon (the premier's wife) had raised NZ£ 70 from ex-West Coasters who were living in the country's capital , Wellington . It took more than a year to erect the monument. In the meantime, Edward VII had his coronation in August 1902 and it was decided to also designate
1872-400: Was a prominent Freemason . 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
1920-418: Was decided that a memorial should be erected, listing the names of all Westland men who went to war, and to also commemorate the eventual peace. The mayor of Hokitika Borough , Henry Michel , was the driving force behind the memorial. In October 1901, it was decided to place the memorial in the middle of the intersection of Sewell and Weld streets, and to invite the premier to lay the foundation stone early in
1968-408: 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. Hokitika has an oceanic climate , with mild summers, cool winters, and rainfall evenly distributed across the year. It
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2016-466: Was held for a motto for the monument. The committee received 40 letters and the chosen motto was the Latin phrase Non sibi sed patriae meaning "Not for self, but for country". The chosen motto had been submitted by Miss Vida Perry and she won the one guinea (21 shilling) prize donated by the mayor. On 28 December 1901, Seddon sent a telegraph that he was leaving for Greymouth later that day to spend
2064-621: Was held in protest about the conviction and hanging of three Irish Fenians 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. In 1873 Hokitika became the capital of the short-lived Westland Province which lasted from 1873 until
2112-505: Was ordered from England and installed by another Aucklander. The memorial is within a roundabout on the main road into Hokitika and is practically unchanged, apart from the square iron fence that initially surrounded the tower having been replaced by a much larger circular concrete kerb. Since 1989, the tower has been on the national heritage register. Hokitika is located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island . Former Hokitika resident, New Zealand premier , and representative of
2160-502: Was replaced in 1957. Initially, there was an iron chain rail at the square base of the footing. The iron chain rail was removed and the base slightly enlarged to form an octagon. A larger, circular ring was later added that supports the operation of the intersection as a roundabout. This concrete ring was later fitted with landscaping. Hokitika Hokitika is a town in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island , 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Greymouth , and close to
2208-594: Was the sale of the whole of the West Coast region, apart from small areas reserved for Māori. It was almost 3 million hectares and sold to the Crown for £300. 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
2256-668: Was to drive the first pile for the railway bridge over the Hokitika River so that the railway could be extended south; what became known as the Ross Branch would reach Ross in 1909. Immediately afterwards, Seddon laid the foundation stone for what was then known as the Westland War Memorial. This was done as a full Masonic ceremony, with Seddon as Acting Grand Master representing the Grand Lodge of New Zealand . Both ceremonies were held in driving rain but there
2304-421: Was to provide Hokitika with a town clock. The driving force behind the initiative was Henry Michel , the mayor of Hokitika at the time. After fundraising had begun, the upcoming coronation of Edward VII was announced and the tower was designated to also commemorate that occasion. Former resident of Hokitika and then premier of the country, Richard Seddon , lent his support, laid the foundation stone, and gave
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