Pahiatua

Pahiatua is a rural service town in the southeastern North Island of New Zealand. Pahiatua is 60 kilometres north of Masterton and 20 kilometres east of Palmerston North, and is usually regarded as being in the Wairarapa, although for local government purposes it is considered part of the Tararua district (which encompasses Eketahuna, Pahiatua, Woodville and Dannevirke).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Founded to take advantage of the Napier-Wellington railway, the bypass of the township by said railway meant the township had to grow in other ways. The surrounding area of dairy and sheep farming supports the small community of 2,600.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sir Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister and later Governor General of New Zealand, was born in Pahiatua.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

North Island: The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island....

Masterton: Masterton is the largest town (and local government district) in the Wairarapa region in the southeastern North Island of New Zealand. It is 85 kilometres north-east of Wellington and 70 kilometres south of Palmerston North, and stands on the Ruamahanga River....

Wairarapa: The Wairarapa is a district or subregion of New Zealand occupying the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of Wellington and south-west of Hawke Bay. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest....