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Marton
Town
Marton Junction railway yard and station 1909
Coordinates: 40°04′09″S 175°22′42″E / 40.06917°S 175.37833°E / -40.06917; 175.37833
Country	New Zealand
Region	Manawatū-Whanganui
District	Rangitikei District
Wards	Central General Ward Tiikeitia ki Tai (Coastal) Māori Ward
Named for	Marton, England
Electorates	Rangitīkei Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Rangitikei District Council
• Regional council	Horizons Regional Council
Area
• Total	10.99 km (4.24 sq mi)
Elevation	152 m (499 ft)
Population
• Total	5,740
• Density	520/km (1,400/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4710
Area code	06

Marton (Māori: Tutaenui) is a town in the Rangitikei district of the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is situated 35 kilometres southeast of Whanganui and 40 kilometres northwest of Palmerston North.

Ngāti Apa are tangata whenua for the Marton area.

The town of Marton is the largest in the Rangitikei district, and began life as a private township in 1866, when shop and housing sections were sold at auction by local landowners.

The town had 5,740 residents as of June 2024.

Marton has always been a service town for the fertile farming lands of the lower Rangitikei Rivers flood plains. Butter, wool, and flour have been among its agricultural products. The arrival of the railway in 1878 led to rapid growth in the area, which soon added industries such as engineering, sawmilling, and textile production to its economy.

History

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For three years the small village was known as Tutaenui, named after the stream running through its centre. In 1869 local citizens changed the name to Marton to honour the birthplace of Captain James Cook in Middlesbrough, marking his landing in New Zealand exactly 100 years earlier. It is not known if this change of name was influenced by the mistranslation of 'tutae' (meaning 'dung') and 'nui' (meaning 'large'). (Actual translation: 'tu' -stand, 'tae' -arrive, 'nui' big; i.e., a 'big gathering').

From the start Marton was an ideal supply centre for district farmers, who first began arriving in the early 1850s. From butter and wool they moved on to growing wheat in 1863, and big crops led to three flourmills being launched in the area in 1864.

After the town itself opened up in 1866, general stores, two hotels and several blacksmiths soon started. Marton became a home base for the horse industry, with saddlers, wheelwrights, livery stables and coachbuilders competing for business, while Clydesdale and Suffolk Punch sires toured the district to build up the population of plough horses needed as new farms sprang into being.

The opening of the railway line joining Wanganui to Palmerston North in 1878, now part of the North Island Main Trunk railway (towards Palmerston North and Auckland) and the Marton - New Plymouth Line (towards Wanganui), turned Marton Railway Station into a thriving railway junction, and it held that position for the next 100 years. The move of the railway station in 1898 was followed by a large development of 'Marton Extension', to the south east, from 1907.

Timber from Rangitikei forests served the town's two timbermills, the first from 1889 onwards.

Industry developed quietly at first in Marton, starting with flourmilling, brickmaking and wool presses. By the late 1950s there was an incredible array of industries and factories in action. They turned out products as diverse as men's shirts, tractor safety cabs, soft drinks, vegetable salads, readymix concrete, field tiles, dog biscuits, knitwear, dried peas, electronic petrol pumps, vegetable digging machinery.

9 km from Marton was the large Lake Alice Hospital for psychiatric patients, which opened in 1950 and closed in 1999. It included a maximum security unit, and housed hundreds of patients during its 49 years of operation.

Newspapers

Marton’s first newspaper, the Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, was started in 1875, with Alexander McMinn as editor. From 1891 to 1896 there was also the Mercury, published by Francis Arkwright. From 1903 to 1905 the Rangitikei Advocate was associated with the Farmers’ Advocate, a weekly published in Marton that was the official voice of the newly formed New Zealand Farmers’ Union. The Rangitikei Advocate closed on 1 February 1941. The weekly Rangitikei News ran from 1948 to 1955. It was replaced by the Rangitikei Mail. Feilding-Rangitīkei Herald now serves the area.

Geography

Climate

Marton's climate is temperate and has few extremes compared to many parts of New Zealand. Summers are warm with average temperatures in the low 20s. The most settled weather occurs in summer and early autumn. Winters are mild and annual rainfall is moderate. Annual hours of bright sunshine can average over 2,000.

Demographics

Marton covers 10.99 km (4.24 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 5,740 as of June 2024, with a population density of 522 people per km.

Before the 2023 census, Marton had a larger boundary, covering 13.59 km (5.25 sq mi). Using that boundary, Marton had a population of 5,268 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 474 people (9.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 336 people (6.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,037 households, comprising 2,571 males and 2,697 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female, with 1,047 people (19.9%) aged under 15 years, 864 (16.4%) aged 15 to 29, 2,112 (40.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,245 (23.6%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 75.9% European/Pākehā, 23.7% Māori, 9.9% Pacific peoples, 2.6% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 16.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 42.5% had no religion, 42.2% were Christian, 3.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.3% were Muslim, 0.2% were Buddhist and 1.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 411 (9.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,212 (28.7%) people had no formal qualifications. 285 people (6.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,641 (38.9%) people were employed full-time, 609 (14.4%) were part-time, and 183 (4.3%) were unemployed.

Rural surrounds

Marton Rural covers 194.35 km (75.04 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,120 as of June 2024, with a population density of 5.8 people per km.

Before the 2023 census, Marton Rural had a larger boundary, covering 192.56 km (74.35 sq mi). Using that boundary, Marton Rural had a population of 987 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 24 people (2.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 63 people (6.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 381 households, comprising 507 males and 480 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.06 males per female. The median age was 45.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 192 people (19.5%) aged under 15 years, 120 (12.2%) aged 15 to 29, 483 (48.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 189 (19.1%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 94.2% European/Pākehā, 8.8% Māori, 2.7% Pacific peoples, 0.6% Asian, and 0.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 9.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 45.6% had no religion, 43.2% were Christian, 1.5% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were Hindu and 0.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 126 (15.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 147 (18.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $34,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 132 people (16.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 435 (54.7%) people were employed full-time, 147 (18.5%) were part-time, and 18 (2.3%) were unemployed.

Government and politics

Local government

The current Mayor of the Rangitikei District is Andy Watson.

National government

Marton is located in the general electorate of Rangitīkei and in the Māori electorate of Te Tai Hauāuru. Rangitīkei is a safe National Party seat since the 1938 election with the exception of 1978–1984 when it was held by Bruce Beetham of the Social Credit Party. Since 2023 it is held by Suze Redmayne.

Te Tai Hauāuru is a more volatile seat, having been held by three different parties since 1996, i.e. New Zealand First, the Māori Party and the Labour Party. Since 2023 it is held by Debbie Ngarewa-Packer of Te Pāti Māori.

Culture

Sports

Marton has four sports clubs: Marton Cricket Club, Marton Rugby and Sports Club, Marton Bears Rugby League Club and Marton United AFC.

Transport

State Highway 1 passes 4 km (2 mi) east of Marton, whie State Highway 3 passes 7 km (4 mi) to the south.

The nearest airports to the town are Whanganui Airport, located 37 km west, and Palmerston North Airport, located 44 km southeast. Both airports are domestic only.

Marton is on the North Island Main Trunk Line; and on the Marton-New Plymouth Line which leaves the NIMT at Marton. However although the Overlander on the NIMT used to stop at Marton railway station, the replacement Northern Explorer introduced in 2012 has fewer stops and does not stop at Marton.

Education

Marton has four co-educational state primary schools for Year 1 to 8 students: Marton School, with a roll of 218; Marton Junction School, with a roll of 98; James Cook School, with a roll of 169; and South Makirikiri School, with a roll of 124.

There are also two other primary schools. St Matthew's School is a state-integrated Catholic primary school, with a roll of 50. Huntley School is a private Anglican boarding school, with a roll of 166.

Rangitikei College is a co-educational state primary school, with a roll of 312.

Nga Tawa Diocesan School is a state-integrated girls' boarding school for Year 9 to 13 students, with a roll of 196.

Until 2016 there was a third secondary school, Turakina Māori Girls' College.

Notable people

• Francis Arkwright, politician
• Bruce Beetham, Social Credit politician
• Iris Crooke, nurse, Florence Nightingale Medal, Volunteer
• Israel Dagg, All Black
• Sir Michael Fowler, architect, Mayor of Wellington
• James Laurenson, actor
• Kaleb Ngatoa, motor racing driver
• Launcelot Eric Richdale, ornithologist
• Norman Shelton, National MP

Further reading

• Melody, Paul (1981) . They called it Marton: The Life and Times of Marton, 1866–1979. Palmerston North: G.P.H. Print.

See also

• List of schools in Manawatū-Whanganui
• Mayor of Rangitikei
• 2013 Rangitikei local elections

References

1. ^ "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
2. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
3. Ngata dictionary — Learning Media Archived 28 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine
4. Melody 1981, pp. 1–4.
5. "MARTON EXTENSION. MANAWATU TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 December 1907. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
6. "Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
7. "Marton – Neighbourly". www.neighbourly.co.nz. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
8. "Weather & Climate". Rangitikei District Council. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
9. "Marton Ross St., New Zealand". Climate-charts.com. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
10. "Climate: Marton". Climate-data.org. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
11. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Marton North (226700) and Marton South (226900).
12. 2018 Census place summary: Marton North
13. 2018 Census place summary: Marton South
14. "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
15. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Marton Rural (226600). 2018 Census place summary: Marton Rural
16. Wallis, Anna (14 October 2013). "Watson wins Rangitikei chain". Wanganui Chronicle – nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
17. "Find my Electorate". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
18. "Election 2023: Suze Redmayne will be first female MP for Rangitīkei". Whanganui Chronicle. 15 October 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
19. "Te Tai Hauāuru Electorate Profile". New Zealand Parliament. 30 September 2012. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
20. "Ngarewa-Packer, Debbie". New Zealand Parliament. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
21. Walters, Laura (8 December 2011). "Marton back on the pitch". Manawatu Standard – Stuff. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
22. Dennis, Jared (19 August 2006). "Marton cricket explores its options". Wanganui Chronicle – nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
23. "Marton School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
24. "Marton School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
25. "Marton Junction School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
26. "Marton Junction School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
27. "James Cook School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
28. "James Cook School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
29. "South Makirikiri School Official School Website". southmak.school.nz.
30. "South Makirikiri School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
31. "South Makirikiri School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
32. "St Matthew's School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
33. "St Matthew's School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
34. "Huntley School Official School Website". huntley.school.nz.
35. "Huntley School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
36. "Huntley School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
37. "Rangitikei College Official School Website". rangitikeicollege.school.nz.
38. "Rangitikei College Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
39. "Rangitikei College Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
40. "Nga Tawa School Official School Website". ngatawa.school.nz.
41. "Nga Tawa School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
42. "Nga Tawa School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
43. Wilkie, Kelsey (26 November 2015). "Turakina Maori Girls' College closed due to multiple failures, minister says". Stuff. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
44. Wilkie, Kelsey (25 November 2015). "Turakina Maori Girls' College 'devastated' over school closure". Stuff. Retrieved 1 February 2016.

External links

• Rangitikei District
• Populated places in Manawatū-Whanganui