Tokanui is a rural locality in the Waipa District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.

Tokanui
Village
Tokanui Hospital in the centre left, Tokanui Settlement in the foreground and Mount Kakepuku in the background
Tokanui Hospital in the centre left, Tokanui Settlement in the foreground and Mount Kakepuku in the background
Map
Coordinates: 38°03′47″S 175°19′55″E / 38.063°S 175.332°E / -38.063; 175.332
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWaikato
DistrictWaipa District
WardKakepuku Ward
CommunityTe Awamutu Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWaipa District Council
 • Regional councilWaikato Regional Council
Area
 • Territorial7.90 km2 (3.05 sq mi)
Population
 (2018 Census)[2]
 • Territorial144
 • Density18/km2 (47/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)

It is located southwest of Te Awamutu. State Highway 3 runs to the east of the locality.

History

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Tokanui railway station in 1956

Te Mawhai railway station operated from 1887 to 1962, originally as Te Puhi railway station.[3]

Tokanui is the site of the former Tokanui Psychiatric Hospital, which operated from 1912 to 1997.[4] The closure of the hospital resulted in the loss of 600 jobs, and there was little alternative employment available in the area.[5]

Tokanui Crossroads Hall

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The hall, at 4 Te Kawa Road,[6] about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Tokanui,[7] opened on 18 January 1928.[8] It is a converted casein factory,[9] which had been working since at least 1919.[10]

Etymology

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Tokanui is a name used for 6 locations in North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui).[11] It is thought to be a corruption of Tāiko nui, a large petrel. Tokanui is also the name of a village in Southland, where its origin is thought to be the Māori words for rock (toka) and large, or many (nui).[12]

Demographics

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Tokanui settlement is in an SA1 statistical area which covers 7.90 km2 (3.05 sq mi).[1] The SA1 area is part of the larger Tokanui statistical area.

Historical population of Tokanui settlement and surrounds
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006153—    
2013162+0.82%
2018144−2.33%
Source: [2]

The SA1 area had a population of 144 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 18 people (−11.1%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 9 people (−5.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 48 households, comprising 75 males and 69 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.09 males per female. The median age was 26.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 39 people (27.1%) aged under 15 years, 36 (25.0%) aged 15 to 29, 57 (39.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 12 (8.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 66.7% European/Pākehā and 54.2% Māori. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 56.2% had no religion, 25.0% were Christian, 2.1% had Māori religious beliefs and 2.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 9 (8.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 27 (25.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $26,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 12 people (11.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 54 (51.4%) people were employed full-time, 12 (11.4%) were part-time, and 9 (8.6%) were unemployed.[2]

Tokanui statistical area

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Tokanui statistical area covers 23.68 km2 (9.14 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 480 as of June 2024,[13] with a population density of 20 people per km2.

Historical population of the statistical area
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006426—    
2013441+0.50%
2018435−0.27%
Source: [14]

The statistical area had a population of 435 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 6 people (−1.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 9 people (2.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 144 households, comprising 231 males and 207 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.12 males per female. The median age was 31.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 105 people (24.1%) aged under 15 years, 102 (23.4%) aged 15 to 29, 195 (44.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (7.6%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 66.2% European/Pākehā, 54.5% Māori, 2.8% Pacific peoples, 3.4% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 11.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.7% had no religion, 28.3% were Christian, 7.6% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% were Hindu and 2.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 33 (10.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 81 (24.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $28,700, compared with $31,800 nationally. 45 people (13.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 165 (50.0%) people were employed full-time, 54 (16.4%) were part-time, and 21 (6.4%) were unemployed.[14]

Tokanui hill

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Tokanui hill is 165 m (541 ft) high[7] and an extinct arc basalt Alexandra Volcanic Group volcano.[15] It rises about 30 m (98 ft) from the surrounding hills, formed of Puketoka (3.1m year old pumice sandstone, including peat) and Karapiro (younger pumice sandstone of silt, sand and clay) Formations,[16] and about 100 m (330 ft) above the surrounding land and lies about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the village, just to the west of SH3.[7] The hill has been quarried since 1925,[17] as Osterns, Te Kawa or McFalls Quarry. Argillitic greywacke, one of the Manaia Hill group of rocks, of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age, is used for aggregate. There are three sites on the hill, Whiti Te Marama, Tokonui and Pukerimu, which are linked to Ngāti Whakatere and Ngāti Maniapoto.[18][19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7012940.
  3. ^ Scoble, Juliet. "Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 January 2020.
  4. ^ Swarbrick, Nancy (1 July 2015). "Tokanui Hospital". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
  5. ^ Knight, David B; Joseph, Alun E (1999). "1. Social Sciences and Public Policy in Restructuring Societies". Restructuring Societies: Insights from the Social Sciences. Carleton University Press. pp. 11–13. ISBN 0-88629-344-8.
  6. ^ "Tokanui Crossroads Hall » Ōtorohanga District Council". www.otodc.govt.nz. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "Tokanui, Waikato". NZ Topo Map. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  8. ^ "WAIPA POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 17 January 1928. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  9. ^ "NEW HALL. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 21 January 1928. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  10. ^ "MEETING OF THE WHAREPAPA BOARD. WAIPA POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 November 1919. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Tokanui". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Tokanui". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Tokanui (184700). 2018 Census place summary: Tokanui
  15. ^ Edbrooke, S.W. (2005). Geology of the Waikato area. GNS. p. 34.
  16. ^ Kemp, Peter J.J.; Vincent, Kirsty A.; Tayler, Michael J.S. (2015). "Cenozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks of New Zealand". p. 133 – via School of Science, University of Waikato.
  17. ^ "TE KAWA QUARRIES, WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 August 1925. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Ostern Quarries - Assessment of Effects on the Environment to support Resource Consent Applications to Waikato Regional Council and Otorohanga District Council" (PDF). 30 June 2016.
  19. ^ "Assessment of Effects to Groundwater and Surface Water" (PDF). 29 May 2015.