Waitetuna
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Waitetuna
| pushpin_map_caption =
| website =
| area_code =
| postal_code =
| postal_code_type =
| coordinates ={{coord|37|50|46|S|175|01|50|E|region:NZ|display=inline,title}}
| coor_type =
| utc_offset_DST = +13
| timezone_DST = NZDT
| utc_offset = +12
| timezone = NZST
| population_total = 108
| population_as_of = 2023 census
| population_density_km2 = auto
| area_total_km2 = 22.58
| elevation_m = 40
| settlement_type = Village
| total_type = Territorial
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = New Zealand
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = Waikato region
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Waikato District
| subdivision_type3 = Wards
| subdivision_name3 = {{ubl|Whāingaroa General Ward|Tai Runga Takiwaa Maaori Ward}}
| leader_title = Territorial Authority
| leader_name = Waikato District Council
| leader_title1 = Regional council
| leader_name1 = Waikato Regional Council
| leader_title2 = Mayor of Waikato
| leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|Waikato District Mayor|y}}
| leader_title3 = Taranaki-King Country MP
| leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|Taranaki-King Country MP|y}}
| leader_title4 = Hauraki-Waikato MP
| leader_name4 = {{NZ officeholder data|Hauraki-Waikato MP|y}}
| seat_type = Electorates
| seat = {{ubl|Taranaki-King Country|Hauraki-Waikato (Māori)}}
| motto =
| image_skyline = File:Puketapu and Waitetuna valley.jpg
| image_caption = Puketapu and Waitetuna valley
| image_map = {{infobox mapframe|zoom=9}}
| map_caption =
| official_name =
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2020}}
Waitetuna is a rural community in the Waikato District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located on the valley of the Waitetuna River, upstream from the Raglan Harbour.
History
Pollen analysis in the sediments of the Waitetuna arm of the harbour shows that the original vegetation of the valley was kahikatea on the flats, and a mixed podocarp-hardwood forest on the slopes, with totara, maire, mataī, rimu, rata, beech and tree ferns. Kauri was present, but not abundant.{{Cite web|url=http://wrcgovtnz.cwp.govt.nz/services/publications/technical-reports/tr/tr200536/|title=Whaingaroa (Raglan) Harbour: Sedimentation and the effects of historical catchment landcover changes|website=Waikato Regional Council|language=en-NZ|access-date=2018-06-14}}
Waitetuna is part of the rohe of Ngāti Māhanga.{{Cite web|url=https://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/Documents-Library/Files/Documents/District-Plan/Raglan-Land-Company-Private-Plan-Change-12/Vol-2/Vol-2,-section-15,-Cultural-Impact-Assessment-for-.aspx|title=Ngāti Māhanga Cultural Impact Assessment|last=Kelly|first=Miromiro|website=Waikato District Council|page=5}} Aramiro station covers {{Convert|1985|ha|abbr=on}} of Māori freehold in the upper part of the valley.{{Cite web |title=About – Aramiro Whenua Trust |url=https://aramiro.co.nz/about/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=aramiro.co.nz}}
In September 1864, after the invasion of the Waikato, the government bought the {{Convert|20,840|acre||abbr=on}} Waipā–Waitetuna block, stretching from the summit of Pirongia to Te Uku Landing, for £1,500. A 2018 Waitangi Tribunal report said, "The Waipa–Waitetuna purchase occurred during a Crown military occupation of land in Waikato (including the area covered by the purchase block) that was carried out with the express purpose of breaking down Māori authority, including customary rights to land. Although the evidence is not sufficient to draw firm conclusions, aspects of the purchase resemble the process of compensation for confiscated land".{{Cite web|url=https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_142124627/Te%20Mana%20Whatu%20Ahuru.pdf|title=Te Mana Whatu Ahuru Waitangi Tribunal Report 2018}}
Most of the farms were bought from the government in the 1900s and the bush on them was mostly felled, or burnt.
= Roads =
Three through roads serve Waitetuna.
The main road, SH23, is served by the Hamilton to Raglan bus.{{Cite web|url=http://www.busit.co.nz/regional-services/raglan/|title=Raglan 23|last=Council|website=busit.co.nz|language=en|access-date=2016-02-16}} It was formed as a deviation from Old Mountain Rd between 1907 and 1912.
Waitetuna Valley Road runs south to Te Pahu and Te Awamutu. It follows the old Aramiro Track,C W Vennell & Susan Williams: Raglan County Hills and Sea 1876-1976 which was widened to a {{Convert|6|ft||abbr=on}} track in 1909{{Cite web|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIGUS19090716.2.17|title=Te Pahu. WAIKATO ARGUS|date=16 Aug 1909|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz|access-date=2020-03-20}} and to Fillery Rd about 1990.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mapspast.org.nz/?zoom=14&x=1782114&y=5803112&layerid=NZMS260%201999|title=Sheet: S15|date=1997|website=www.mapspast.org.nz|access-date=2020-03-20}}
Old Mountain Road was originally the main road. It was formed as an extension to the first road, built in 1863 from Raglan via Okete to the Waitetuna River.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DSC18630102.2.11&srpos=1&e|title=Papers Past — Daily Southern Cross — 2 January 1863 — RAGLAN. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) December 27th, 1862.|access-date=2016-03-04|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} The county history said, "For a dozen years or more before the county was formed (1875), 10 miles of roughly formed dirt road, wide enough to carry horse-drawn drays, linked Raglan township with the Waitetuna River. From there the packhorse route (originally known as the Tikihouhou Track) made by the Army during the Waikato War, wound a tortuous way across the ranges, but it was too narrow, and too steep in parts, to carry vehicles."{{Cite book|last=CW Vennell & Susan Williams|title=Raglan County Hills and Sea 1876-1976|publisher=Wilson & Horton for Raglan County Council|year=1976|isbn=0868640026}} It became the through road to Hamilton in 1879.{{Cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=WT18790225.2.16.4&srpos=15&e&zto=1|title=Page 3 Advertisements Column 4|date=1879-02-25|work=Waikato Times|access-date=2016-03-04|pages=3}}
The main road was metalled between 1914 and 1921{{Cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19210427.2.61&srpos=3&e&zto=1|title=Road To Raglan.|date=1921-04-27|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=2016-03-06|pages=7}} and sealing started in 1937,{{Cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19370318.2.25&srpos=2132&e&zto=1|title=Road Improvements|date=1937-03-18|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=2016-03-05|pages=8}} but wasn't completed until 1961.
= Railways =
Waitetuna almost got a railway. In 1923 the Waikato-West Coast railway district was set up under the [http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/hist_act/lra19145gv1914n32231/ 1914 Local Railways Act].{{Cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19230430.2.89&srpos=2948&e=-------100--2901-byDA---0raglan+kawhia+railway-ARTICLE-&zto=1|title=Light Railways.|date=1923-04-30|work=Auckland Star|access-date=2016-03-06|pages=7}} It got a detailed survey done for a 2 ft 6in gauge railway{{Cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19230529.2.154.24&srpos=2952&e&zto=1|title=Light Railway Project|date=1923-05-29|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=2016-03-06|pages=10}} and had a contractor ready to build a line{{Cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19210607.2.91&srpos=2922&e&zto=1|title=Light Railway Lines.|date=1921-06-07|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=2016-03-06|pages=6}} through the Kaniwhaniwha and Waitetuna valleys, joined by an {{Convert|18|ch||abbr=on}} tunnel,{{Cite web|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT19210608.2.69|title=WAIKATO TIMES, LIGHT LINE RAILWAYS. WAIKATO TO WEST COAST.|date=8 June 1921|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz|access-date=2020-03-20}} past Te Uku School and Okete Falls and along the edge of the harbour to Raglan.{{Cite book|last=Vernon|first=R. T.|title=Te Uku|year=1975}} However, it was opposed by local MP Alexander Young,{{Cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19230529.2.154.7&srpos=2951&e&zto=1|title=Widening Horizon.|date=1923-05-29|work=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=2016-03-06|pages=2}} the proposed local rate was defeated in an election in 1923{{Cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19231005.2.11&srpos=6&e&zto=1|title=Hamilton-west Coast Railway.|date=1923-10-05|work=Auckland Star|access-date=2016-03-06|pages=3}} and the Board was wound up in 1928.{{Cite news|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19281109.2.99&srpos=3004&e&zto=1|title=Abandoned Project.|date=1928-11-09|work=Auckland Star|access-date=2016-03-06|pages=8}}
Demographics
Waitetuna School is in meshblock 0861000, which had these census returns -{{Cite web|url=http://archive.stats.govt.nz/StatsMaps/Home/People%20and%20households/2013-census-quickstats-about-a-place-map.aspx|title=2013 Census map – QuickStats about a place|website=archive.stats.govt.nz|access-date=2020-03-15}}{{NZ census meshblock 2018|0861000}}
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Population !Average age !Households !Average income !National average |
| 2001
|72 |40.2 |27 |$22,500 |$18,500 |
| 2006
|81 |40 |27 |$36,300 |$24,100 |
| 2013
|93 |35.5 |36 |$36,300 |$27,900 |
| 2018
|81{{NZ census meshblock 2018|0861000}} | | | |
| 2023
| | | | |
Education
Waitetuna School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,{{cite web |title=Ministry of Education School Profile |url=https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/profile?school=2071 |website=educationcounts.govt.nz |publisher=Ministry of Education}} with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|2071|y}} as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|}}.{{cite web |title=Education Review Office Report |url=http://www.ero.govt.nz/report-view?id=2071 |website=ero.govt.nz |publisher=Education Review Office}} It opened on 3 September 1962.
Until 24 August 1903 Te Uku School was known as Waitetuna. Aramiro School closed in 1964 and its pupils transferred to Waitetuna.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Geographic Location|title=Neighbouring areas|Northwest=Te Ākau|North=Waingaro|Northeast=Glen Massey|West=Te Uku|Centre=Waitetuna|East=Whatawhata|South=Te Uku Wind Farm|Southeast=Te Pahu|Southwest=Te Mata}}