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Counties of New Zealand

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County
CategoryCounty
LocationNew Zealand
Created
  • 1 November 1876
Abolished
  • 1 November 1989

A system of counties of New Zealand was instituted after the country dissolved its provinces in 1876, and these counties were similar to other countries' systems, lasting with little change (except mergers and other localised boundary adjustments) until 1989, when they were reorganised into district and city councils within a system of larger regions.

History

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The Counties Bill of 1876 was initiated to merge 314 road boards into 39 counties. However, as a result of lobbying, the number of counties had grown to 63 by the time the bill was enacted.[1] Counties were required to adopt the third schedule of the act and establish a permanent council, those that did not went into abeyance.[2]: 101 

The Counties Act 1949 allowed for counties to establish county towns.[2] A county town could be established in an urban area with a population of at least 200 residents or 60 dwellings at a density of 1 person per acre or 1 dwelling per 3 acres. County town committees could then be formed and these could serve in an advisory role to the county council.[3]

Counties had chairmen, not mayors as boroughs and cities had; many legislative provisions (such as burial and land subdivision control) were different for the counties.[citation needed] By 1966, there were 112 counties.[4]

During the second half of the 20th century, many counties received overflow population from nearby cities. The result was often a merger of the two into a "district" (e.g., Rotorua) or a change of name to "district" (e.g., Waimairi) or "city" (e.g., Manukau).[citation needed]

The Local Government Act 1974 began the process of bringing urban, mixed, and rural councils into the same legislative framework. Substantial reorganisations under that Act resulted in the 1989 local government reforms, which covered the country in (non-overlapping) cities and districts and abolished all the counties except for the Chatham Islands County, which survived under that name for a further six years but then became a "territory" under the Chatham Islands Council.[citation needed]

List of counties

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Further information: List of former territorial authorities in New Zealand § Counties

North Island map

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North Island counties in 1937
  1. Mangonui
  2. Whangaroa
  3. Bay of Islands
  4. Hokianga
  5. Hobson
  6. Whangarei
  7. Otamatea
  8. Rodney
  9. Waitemata
  10. Eden
  11. Auckland
  12. Coromandel
  13. Manukau
  14. Thames
  15. Franklin
  16. Hauraki Plains
  17. Raglan
  18. Waikato
  19. Ohinemuri
  20. Piako
  21. Tauranga
  22. Matakaoa
  23. Waipa
  24. Opotoki
  25. Matamata
  26. Waiapu
  27. Rotorua
  28. Kawhia
  29. Otorohanga
  30. Whakatane
  31. Waikohu
  32. Uawa
  33. Waitomo (Awakino merged into it in 1922)
  34. Ohura
  35. Taumarunui
  36. Taupo
  37. Cook
  38. Wairoa
  39. Taranaki
  40. Clifton
  41. Whangamomona
  42. Inglewood
  43. Kaitieke
  44. Egmont
  45. Stratford
  46. Waimarino
  47. Hawkes Bay
  48. Eltham
  49. Waimate West
  50. Hawera
  51. Patea
  52. Wanganui
  53. Waitotara
  54. Kiwitea
  55. Waipawa
  56. Patangata
  57. Rangitikei
  58. Pohangina
  59. Waipukurau
  60. Oroua
  61. Dannevirke
  62. Manawatu
  63. Woodville
  64. Kairanga
  65. Weber
  66. Pahiatua
  67. Horowhenua
  68. Eketahuna
  69. Akitio
  70. Mauriceville
  71. Castlepoint
  72. Masterton
  73. Hutt
  74. Makara
  75. Wellington
  76. Featherston
  77. Wairarapa South
South Island counties in 1937

South Island map

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  1. Collingwood
  2. Takaka
  3. Waimea
  4. Marlborough
  5. Buller
  6. Awatere
  7. Murchison
  8. Inangahua
  9. Amuri
  10. Kaikoura
  11. Grey
  12. Cheviot
  13. Waipara
  14. Westland
  15. Selwyn
  16. Tawera
  17. Oxford
  18. Ashley
  19. Kowai
  20. Eyre
  21. Rangiora
  22. Malvern
  23. Paparua
  24. Waimairi
  25. Christchurch
  26. Halswell
  27. Heathcote
  28. Mt Herbert
  29. Ashburton
  30. Ellesmere
  31. Springs
  32. Wairewa
  33. Akaroa
  34. Mackenzie
  35. Geraldine
  36. Levels
  37. Lake
  38. Vincent
  39. Waitaki
  40. Waimate
  41. Maniototo
  42. Waihemo
  43. Fiord
  44. Wallace
  45. Southland
  46. Tuapeka
  47. Taieri, later part of Silverpeaks
  48. Waikouaiti, later part of Silverpeaks
  49. Peninsula, later part of City of Dunedin
  50. Clutha
  51. Bruce
  52. Stewart Is
Map of North Island Counties in 1981
North Island counties in 1981
Map of South Island Counties in 1981
South Island counties in 1981

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Counties of New Zealand.
  1. ^ "Abolition of the Provinces". An Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 1966. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
  2. ^ a b Bloomfield, Gerald Taylor (1973). The Evolution of Local Government Areas in Metropolitan Auckland, 1840-1971. Auckland: Auckland University Press. p. 78. ISBN 0-19-647714-X.
  3. ^ A. H. McLintock, ed. (1966). "Government — Local Government". Major Types of Local Authorities in New Zealand. Te Ara New Zealand Encyclopaedia.
  4. ^ NZART, counties map
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