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Kopua - Ormondville - Makotuku - Matamau - Norsewood
The following are extracts from these directories...
Wise's New Zealand Index: Every Place in New Zealand, 10th Edition (H. Wise & Co. [NZ] Ltd., Dunedin, NZ, 1948).
The New Zealand Guide: A Comprehensive Gazetteer Geographical Reference and Travel Guide, compiled by E.S. Dollimore F.R.G.S. (H. Wise & Co. [NZ] Ltd., Dunedin, NZ, 1962). A note adds that this book superseded Wise's NZ Index.
1948 - KOPUA: Hawke's Bay. 63 miles south by rail from Napier. Waipawa County. Good scenery and fishing good roads. Post and telephone. Doctor at Takapau. Lime company. Name means "deep dark pool."
1962 - KOPUA: Hawkes Bay Province, Napier Postal District. Post and telephone office. Locality in Waipawa County. Farming. Nine miles by road from Matamau. Situated eastwards of Norsewood. Railway station 63 miles from Napier, 51 miles from Hastings and 137 miles from Wellington. Altitude 974ft. Limeworks. Name means "Dark pool."
1948 - ORMONDVILLE: Hawke's Bay. 66 miles south by rail from Napier: in Dannevirke County. Population, 260. Post, telegraph, and money order office. Farming district with good roads. Doctor at Takapau, 9 miles. Named after late Hon. J.D. Ormond.
1962 - ORMONDVILLE: Hawkes Bay Province. Napier Postal District. Post, telegraph and money order office. Dannevirke County. Licensed hotel. Store. Farming. 27½ miles north-eastwards by road from Woodville, 31½ miles southwards by road from Waipukurau, 6 miles north-eastwards by road from Matamau, 3½ miles south-eastwards by road from South Norsewood. Regular motor services connect to and from Norsewood, 4 miles; Whetakura, 6 miles; and Te Uri, 16 miles. Railway station 66 miles from Napier, 54 miles from Hastings and 134 miles from Wellington. Altitude 986ft. Town named for Hon. J.D. Ormond, M./L.C., a former Superintendent of Hakes Bay Province.
1948 - MAKOTUKU: Hawke's Bay. 68 miles south by rail from Napier. In Dannevirke County. Post, telephone and money order office. One hotel. Trout fishing, and shooting. Good roads. Dairying and brickmaking. Doctor at Norsewood, six miles. Population, 184. Name means "White heron." *
1962 - MAKOTUKU: Hawkes Bay Province. Napier Postal District. Post, telephone and money order office. Dannevirke County. Licensed hotel. Store. Farming. Three miles east by road from Matamau, 27 miles north-eastwards by road from Woodville and 31 miles south-westwards by road from Waipukurau. Railway station 68 miles from Napier, 56 miles from Hastings and 132 miles from Wellington. Altitude, 958ft. Name means "Stream of the white heron." *
* The detailed 1888 version of the origin of the name 'Makotuku' for this actual place, differs from the above. For further information refer to the October-November 1888 'Bush Advocate' articles listed on the Historic Articles link page.
1948 - MATAMAU - Hawkes Bay. Sheep and dairy farming district. 72 miles south-west by rail from Napier. In Dannevirke County. Good shooting and fishing. Dairying. Population, 252. Post and telephone office. Doctor at Dannevirke or Norsewood, 7 miles. Matamau means "stingy." Dairy factory.
1962 - MATAMAU: Hawkes Bay Province. Palmerston North Postal District. Post and telephone office. Dannevirke County. Store. Farming. Dairy Factory. 24 miles north-eastwards by road from Woodville, 28 miles south-westwards by road from Waipukurau, 7 miles by road from Norsewood. Railway station 72 miles from Napier, 60 miles from Hastings and 128 miles from Wellington. Altitude 1,013ft.
1948 - NORSEWOOD - Hawke's Bay. A town district and dairy farming settlement. 73 miles south of Napier; near source of Manawatu River. Population, 169. Rail to Ormondville, thence motor four miles. Good fishing, and pheasant and quail shooting at foot of Ruahine Ranges, close to township. Good roads, but hilly. Two hotel and boarding houses. Dairy factory. Post, telegraph, and money order office. Doctor at Takapau, 10 miles. Scandinavian immigrants were placed here as first settlers in 1872. Dannevirke County.
1962 - NORSEWOOD - Hawkes Bay Province. Napier Postal District. Post, telephone and money order office. Dannevirke County. Licensed hotels. Stores. Farming. Situated a short distance southwards of the upper part of the Manawatu River and on the edge of the Takapau Plain. The Ruahine Range rises nearby west of the settlement. In the seventies this was the northern fringe of the great tract of dense bushland that extended southwards more or less continuously into the Wairarapa and known as the Seventy-Mile-Bush. These vast forests have now disappeared before the axe and the firebrand of the settler. Four miles westwards by road from Ormondville, 30 miles north-eastwards by road from Woodville. Altitude about 115ft. Regular motor service connects to and from Ormondville. There is a beautiful bush reserve of 20 acres at Anzac Park. In Anzac Park are swimming baths and also facilities for camping. Recreation available includes tennis and bowls. As the name implies, this place was settled by Scandinavian immigrants. The newcomers arrived here in 1872. Highest point on Wellington-Napier Road. Altitude 1,275ft.
1962 - NORSEWOOD SOUTH - Hawkes Bay Province. Locality in Dannevirke County. Farming. Dairy Factory. Situated ¼ mile south of Norsewood by road. Settled in 1872 by a few Scandinavians plus others.
