Pahiatua

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Pahiatua is a rural service town in the southeastern North Island of New Zealand, at40°27′12″S 175°50′27″E / -40.4534, 175.8408Coordinates: 40°27′12″S 175°50′27″E / -40.4534, 175.8408. Pahiatua is 60 kilometres north of Masterton and 30 kilometres east of Palmerston North, and is usually regarded as being in Wairarapa, although for local government purposes it is considered part of the Tararua district (which encompasses Eketahuna, Pahiatua, Woodville and Dannevirke).

Pahiatua was formed in 1881 and the first Settler was Mr John Hall. The town has established and grown over the years into a population of over 4,000. In 1944 Polish refugees came to settle in Pahiatua in a refugee camp (formally a prisoner of war camp) 1km out of town during the end of the war years. In 1981 Pahiatua celebrated its Centennial with a weekend full of historical and future events. The New Zealand Polish community celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2004.

In 2006 Pahiatua celebrated is 125 year anniversary. a great parade of 125 floats, vehicles, horses & people lined the streets in the grand parade.

Pahiatua is situated on the Wairarapa Line railway. It was served by the forerunner of the Wairarapa Connection until 29 July 1988, when all passenger services between Masterton and Woodville were cancelled. It is currently served solely by freight trains, which run multiple times daily. The railway station is maintained by local volunteers and is home to a rail preservation group, the Pahiatua Railcar Society. The society owns an operational RM class Standard railcar and is currently restoring the sole extant examples of the 88 seater railcar and the Wairarapa railcar.

[edit] External links

• Pahiatua in the 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
• Pahiatua Children; books on the Polish refugees

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