Hokitika

Hokitika township in the 1870s

Port of Hokitika in 1867

Memorial for the 1941 shooting, Kowhitirangi

The land where Hokitika stands was purchased in 1860 from Māori when Poutini Ngāi Tahu chiefs signed the Arahura Deed. This was the sale of the whole of the West Coast region, apart from small areas reserved for Māori. It was almost 3 million hectares and sold to the Crown for £300.[2][3][4]

Founded on gold mining in 1864, it was a centre of the West Coast Gold Rush and grew very quickly.[2] By late 1866, it was one of New Zealand's most populous centres. On 16 September 1867, there were 41 vessels alongside the wharf at Hokitika, in some places three and four deep. In 1867, the port of Hokitika ranked first in New Zealand in both the number of vessels entered inwards and in the total value of exports; principally gold.

On 8 March 1868 a mock funeral was held in protest about the conviction and hanging of three Irish Fenians in Manchester – the Manchester Martyrs. The funeral was led by Roman Catholic Father William Larkin and a Celtic Cross was erected in the cemetery. Larkin was later arrested, charged, and convicted of riot and seditious libel.[5]

In 1873 Hokitika became the capital of the short-lived Westland Province which lasted from 1873 until the abolition of provinces in 1876.

In October 1941, three Hokitika police officers (and a policeman stationed in the neighbouring locality of Kaniere), along with a field instructor for the Canterbury education board, were killed when a local farmer, Stanley Graham, went on a shooting rampage and killed seven people, including two armed Home guard personnel.

In the ensuing manhunt, the biggest in New Zealand history, overseen by the Commissioner of Police, Denis Cummings, more than 100 New Zealand Police and several hundred New Zealand Army & Home Guard searched the area for the gunman for 12 days, with orders to shoot him on sight if found still armed. On 20 October, after being spotted by two police constables and a local civilian carrying his rifle and ammunition belts, Graham was fatally wounded by a police constable and died the next day.[6]

The population has declined greatly since that time but the population of the Westland District is now on the rise thanks to "lifestyle inhabitants". Almost 30% of the district's rate-payers live outside of Hokitika.

The Hokitika urban area, as defined by Statistics New Zealand, covers 3.91 km² (1.51 sq mi) and is coterminous with the Hokitika statistical area. The urban area has an estimated population of 2,920 as of June 2020.[1]

Hokitika had a population of 2,892 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 75 people (-2.5%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 186 people (-6.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,305 households. There were 1,374 males and 1,521 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.9 males per female. The median age was 47.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 459 people (15.9%) aged under 15 years, 474 (16.4%) aged 15 to 29, 1,278 (44.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 687 (23.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 86.4% European/Pākehā, 20.1% Māori, 1.7% Pacific peoples, 4.9% Asian, and 1.3% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 11.6%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 47.7% had no religion, 41.3% were Christian, 0.8% were Hindu, 0.4% were Muslim, 0.3% were Buddhist and 1.8% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 330 (13.6%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 654 (26.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $27,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,146 (47.1%) people were employed full-time, 408 (16.8%) were part-time, and 57 (2.3%) were unemployed.[10]

Hokitika's Regent Theatre

The major industries of greenstone (pounamu), gold, coal, and forestry have all dwindled over the last century, but a growing ecotourism industry has grown up and the town is starting to show signs of recovery. It has become a major tourist stop on the West Coast's main highway route, with carving of greenstone an important local industry. It is also gaining a reputation for its annual wild food festival which has been running since 1990.[11]

Seaview Asylum was once the town's biggest employer.[12]

Another important industry is dairying, with Westland Milk Products being based in the town. A co-operative that has been producing dairy products for many years, Westland is increasing its production at about 10% annually, and in recent years has installed plants to produce new products such as different types of proteins, anhydrous milk fat (AMF) and others. The vast majority of its production is exported.

Hokitika has a 3D digital cinema,[13] the Regent Theatre,[14] due to volunteer hours[15] and grants from the Lions foundation, Lottery's commission, Development West Coast through the Major District Initiative[16] and pub charity. The Art Deco theatre is a heritage building and narrowly avoided being demolished, thanks to a last-minute coup in the management committee.[17] Community performances are also held there. Hokitika has a drama group which produce plays. It is also on the circuit for Arts on Tour and well known artists from many countries as well as New Zealand perform at the Old Lodge Theatre.

Hokitika driftwood sign marks the spot for the Driftwood and Sand Festival. The sign is a popular destination with tourists.

Every January, Hokitika beach hosts the Driftwood and Sand Festival. The festival involves members of the public and a sponsored artist constructing sculptures out of beach debris. Driftwood and Sand originated in beach festival run by Hokitika artist Donald Buglass in November 2002, and it has been run as an annual festival since 2003.[18]

The Hokitika Museum is housed in the town's Carnegie library building. The Hokitika Sock Machine Museum in Revell Street has on display a collection of antique sock-knitting machines. Visitors are invited to knit their own socks.[19] Hokitika also has a modern library, thriving community groups and many excellent artists.

The Hokitika Clock Tower at dusk

State Highway 6 passes through the town.

Air New Zealand provides two flights a day to Christchurch. The Hokitika Airport is adjacent to the town, immediately to the north-east in the suburb of Seaview.

The Hokitika Branch line runs to the town from Greymouth, connecting there with the Midland Line to Christchurch.

Shipping

In 1865, after the discovery of gold in the area, the town became the official port of entry of the West Coast. A boom period ensued when Hokitika was second only to Auckland, with reports of over 40 ships in the harbour at one time, with more waiting offshore.

It was a dangerous port, however, with 108 strandings and 32 ships lost from 1865 to 1867. The lack of nearby coal meant that the port declined rapidly along with the gold, though Hokitika remained an official entry port until the 1950s.[25]

De Havilland DH-83 Fox Moth
ZK ADI, Air Travel's first aircraft

Airline

Hokitika's Southside airfield was the base of Air Travel, New Zealand's first airline. Air Travel carried passengers, mail and freight south from Hokitika to the glaciers and remote landing strips beyond Haast and north up to Westport. Its first scheduled flight was in December 1934. Directors were Hokitika residents: Bert Mercer, Paul Renton and Harry Newman.

After the second world war Air Travel was nationalised and became part of NAC.

Hokitika Gorge, with swing bridge in the background. Shows the bright blue water.

A school was described as "recently opened" in Hokitika in 1875, and had nearly 350 students.[26] The Hokitika District High School provided both primary and secondary education for the area for many years. Its name was changed in 1963 to Westland High School, which caters for years 7 to 13 and has a roll of 351.[27]

Hokitika School is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 163.[28]

St Mary's School is a full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 138.[29] It is a state integrated Catholic school[30] and is connected with St Mary's Catholic Church.

All these schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of March 2020.[31]

• Agnes Addison (c.1842–1903), Scottish draper who was one of Hokitika's early businesswomen.
• Margaret Andrews Alcorn (1868–1967) and her sister Mary Alcorn (1866–1928) were interior designers and business owners
• John Urquhart Cropp (1927–2016), Olympic yachtsman
• Edward St John Daniel (1837–1868), Victoria Cross recipient, died and is buried in Hokitika
• Charlie Douglas (1840–1916), explorer and surveyor
• Alice Eyton (1874–1929), journalist, screenwriter, playwright, and novelist in Hollywood
• Stanley Graham (1900–1941), a farmer who killed seven people and was the target of New Zealand's biggest manhunt
• Bess Hudson (1875–1961), early nurse, for Dr Teichelmann
• Al Hunter (born 1950), musician, singer-songwriter
• John Lazar (1840–1916), actor, town clerk, mason
• Sharlotte Lucas (born 1991), road cyclist
• Fayne Robinson (born 1964), Māori carver
• Holly Robinson (born 1994), athlete born in Hokitika
• John Rutherford Ryley (1837–1884), who introduced antiseptic technique to New Zealand, was surgeon at Hokitika Hospital at the time
• Richard Seddon (1845–1906), New Zealand politician and Premier

• Hokitika Customhouse, built 1897, a Category I historic place
• The Hokitika Clock Tower, built 1902/3, the most prominent landmark in Hokitika
• Hokitika Museum, housed in the former Carnegie Library, built 1908
• Seaview Asylum, founded 1872 and once the town's biggest employer
• All Saints' Church, a prominent landmark and early unfaced concrete church
• St Andrew's United Church, built in 1935, a good example of a small Gothic parish church
• Renton Hardware building (also known as the Okitiki building), completed in 1908, a Category 2 historic place
• Government Buildings (also known as Seddon House), completed in 1913, a Category 1 historic place
• St Mary's Catholic Church, a Category 1 historic place

• 
  Hokitika Museum, the former Carnegie Library
• 
  Seddon House, the former Government Buildings.
• 
  The former Bank of New South Wales building
• 
  The former Fire Station building
• 
  Former Hokitika Savings Bank building
• 
  St Mary's Catholic Church
• 
  St. Andrew's United Church
• 
  All Saints' Church

Hokitika has one sister city.

• Deloraine, Australia

The events of The Luminaries, by Eleanor Catton, take place within Hokitika. The book won the Man Booker Prize in 2013.

The novel Hokitika Town, by Charlotte Randall, is set in Hokitika.

The 2004 historical novel The Colour by Rose Tremain is partially set in 1860s' Hokitika.

The 1999 movie Magik and Rose was set in Hokitika.[32]

• Mayor of Hokitika

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Hokitika.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hokitika.

• Hokitika tourism website
• Hokitika Wild Food Festival
• Westland Milk Products
• Westland High School