Kumara, New Zealand

Kumara is a small town today in the West Coast in the west of the South Island of New Zealand. It lies about 30 km south of Greymouth on State Highway 73 between Kumara Junction and dill Mans Town. Kumara is located south of Taramakau Rivers. The place had the Census 2006 318 inhabitants compared to 324 in 2001. However, the place had in its history already significantly more residents, for example, in October 1877 he had 4220 inhabitants.

The surrounding area is now dominated by agriculture and forestry. From the rain of gold mining in the area, the spoil heaps are still preserved.

The town's name was not known in New Zealand behalf of the Māori " Kumara " for the sweet potato, but from " Kuhimara " or " Kohe mara ", the name of the original inhabitants of the flower of the New Zealand domestic, climbing Brombeerpflanze Bush Lawyer or tātarāmoa, according to other sources of another plant, Convolvulvus Arvenis.

The annual multi-discipline race " Coast to Coast " starts in Kumara.

History

In the vicinity of the place of gold was mined in the second half of the 19th century, especially from 1864., At the mouth of the Greenstone River in the Taramakau River A road link between the West Coast and Canterbury was already 1866. Kumaras birth and ascent to one of the major gold mining centers of New Zealand following the discovery of gold at about three kilometers west location Dill Mans Town in 1876. Goods railway line from Greymouth after Paroa was extended the following year after Kumara. In October 1877, the site had already 4220 inhabitants. In the same year Kumara was given the status of a Borough. A hospital was built in 1881 and was operated until the 20th century. 1882 a volunteer fire brigade was founded.

In 1926 the discovery of gold fell sharply and the mining was stopped at the end of the 1930s. A last attempt of an industrial degradation took place in 1956 when a gold digger transported from another mining area here, and operation for a short time, but this project was soon discontinued because the yield was too low.

Kumara was hometown of the famous New Zealand politician Richard Seddon, who was elected mayor in 1877. and 13 years later, Prime Minister of New Zealand was.

The town once had 80 hotels, a mining school and a daily newspaper. In June 2009, the last pub, the Empire Hotel by the Liquor Licensing Authority serving the license was revoked. The gas station closed in 2010 and is also the last shop because of the small population before closing. The last hope for a renewed economic growth is in tourism, since it is hoped one of the new New Zealand Cycle Trail bike trails through the city could lead to a revival.

Education

The Kumara School is a primary school and had 30 students in January 2011.