Weber County, New Zealand

{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox Former Subdivision

| conventional_long_name = Weber County

| common_name = Weber County

| subdivision = County

| nation = New Zealand

| p1 =

| s1 =

| flag_s1 =

| year_start = 1902

| event_end =

| year_end = 1956

| date_end =

| image_coat =

| image_map =

| capital =

| stat_area1 =

| stat_pop1 =

| stat_year1 =

| category =

| today = Tararua District

| footnotes =

}}

File:Weber_County_1931.jpg

Weber County was one of the counties of New Zealand in the North Island in the former Seventy Mile Bush.

It included the hamlet of Weber. Sheep grazing dominated the area.{{Cite web|title=Report of the Special Committee Appointed to Investigate the Deterioration of Crown Lands in the Whangamohona, Ohura, Waitomo, Otorohanga, Kawhia, Raglan, Kaitieke, Waitotara, Waimarino, and other counties. Appendix to the Journals of The House of Representatives, 1925|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/AJHR1925-I.2.2.2.19|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}

Weber County Council was a small county of {{Convert|95|mi2|abbr=on}},{{Cite web|date=31 Mar 1908|title=Division of the County. WAIPAWA MAIL|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIPM19080331.2.15|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} formed in 1902 from Weber Road Board and a part of Patangata County Council.{{Cite web|title=Weber County Council|url=https://archivescentral.org.nz/agents/corporate-body/weber-county-council|access-date=2021-10-17|website=archivescentral.org.nz}} It was bounded to the south by Akitio County, to the north-east by the rest of Patangata County and to the north-west by Dannevirke County{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1931-01-01|title=Weber County map|url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/37102804|access-date=2021-10-17|website=natlib.govt.nz/records/37102804}} (or until 1907 by Waipawa County),{{Cite web|title=Dannevirke County Council|url=https://archivescentral.org.nz/agents/corporate-body/dannevirke-county-council|access-date=2021-10-17|website=archivescentral.org.nz}} with which it merged in 1956, as did Akitio (formed 1898) in 1976.{{Cite web|title=Akitio County Council|url=https://archivescentral.org.nz/agents/corporate-body/akitio-county-council|access-date=2021-10-17|website=archivescentral.org.nz}}

The council was set up by The Weber County Act, 1902.{{Cite web|title=2 EDW VII 1902 No 23 Weber County|url=http://www6.austlii.edu.au/nz/legis/hist_act/wca19022ev1902n23292.pdf}} The Council's first meeting was on 20 February 1903.{{Cite web|date=24 Feb 1903|title=DANNEVIRKE. HAWKE'S BAY HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBH19030224.2.26|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} The county office was at Ti-tree Point,{{Cite web|date=9 Oct 1918|title=DOMINION|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19181009.2.88.4|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}{{Cite web|date=22 Sep 1938|title=SUPPLEMENT TO THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE|url=http://www6.austlii.edu.au/nz/other/nz_gazette/1938/72.pdf}} on Route 52, about {{Convert|10|km|abbr=on}} east of Weber.{{Cite web|title=Ti Tree Point, Manawatu-Wanganui|url=https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz47962/Ti-Tree-Point/|access-date=2021-10-17|website=NZ Topo Map|language=en}}

Weber's population slowly declined. It was 593 in 1906,{{Cite web|date=25 May 1906|title=The Census. WOODVILLE EXAMINER|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WOODEX19060525.2.6|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} 525 in 1911{{Cite web|date=3 May 1911|title=THE WRONG AGE. PAHIATUA HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PAHH19110503.2.17|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} and 340 in 1951.{{Cite web|date=9 May 1951|title=CENSUS RETURNS. PRESS|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19510509.2.135|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} In 1927, there were only 78 ratepayers.{{Cite web|date=6 Apr 1927|title=COUNTY BOUNDARIES. PAHIATUA HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PAHH19270406.2.12|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} The main business of the county remained roading, but, with its small population, it struggled to find money. For example, in 1922 it owned a steam roller, but not a grader.{{Cite web|date=20 Jul 1922|title=COUNTY AMALGAMATION. PAHIATUA HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PAHH19220720.2.6|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} Electricity came to part of the county about 1939.{{Cite web|date=20 May 1939|title=RETICULATION. PAHIATUA HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PAHH19390520.2.29|access-date=2021-10-17|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}