Turangi
Turangi is a small town on the west bank of the Tongariro River 50 km southwest of Taupo on the Central Volcanic Plateau on the North Island of New Zealand. It is located in the Waikato region.
It was built to house the workers and their families during the construction of dams and hydropower plants on the Tongariro River. The city should then be used as a small service center for the forestry area south of Lake Taupo and for tourism.
The Tongariro River flows through the city. The area is known as a good water trout fishing. The town itself is called "The trout fishing capital of the world" ( " The world's capital of trout fishing ").
The most important hapu ( a subset of Iwi Māori ) of the territory Turangi is Ngāti Tūrangitukua.
Geography
The area of Turangi is about 2273 km ². and is on the edge of the Kaimanawa Ranges, 10 km north of the known as Desert Road section of State Highway 1
The streets are lined to Turangi in the fall of colorful leafy leaves.
Tourist activities of the area include hunting, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, rafting and kayaking.
Population and demographics
The city had the Census 1996 3.744, 2001 3.441 2006 3.240 and permanent residents and thus experienced a continuous decline in population numbers. It is to Taupo is the second most populous city in the Taupo District. The population peaked in the 1970s, culminating with around 9000th Since the completion of the work on the dam project in the 1980s, the population declined, however, because of their favorable location for tourism now largely stable.
Economy
Tourism and forestry are the main economic activity, the Department of Corrections with two prisons, the power company Genesis Energy and the Department of Conservation are the main employers added agriculture.
History
The area was inhabited by the Ngāti Tuwharetoa, descendants of the people who came to New Zealand in the canoe Te Arawa. They had numerous settlements here.
In the 1830s the Europeans reached the area .. In the 1880s and 1890s was settled brook trout and rainbow trout in the lake and the rivers of the region.
In the 1920s have opened in Rangipo and Hautu because of the isolation of the area two prison farms.
In 1960, the place about 500 inhabitants.
The hydropower project at Tongariro
In the 1950s, the energy demand increased due to the rapid industrialization of New Zealand in quickly. Therefore we developed a project for the production of hydroelectric power on Tongario River, the Tongariro Power Scheme. Implementation would require a large number of workers who needed accommodation.
Four sites were considered suitable for this: Rotoaira, Rangipo, Turangi Turangi West and East.
Since it was realized the tourism potential of Lake Taupo and the economic benefits for a permanent settlement and accessibility, climate and availability of sufficient land for urban development for Turangi West spoke, the town was there.
The construction work began in late 1964., The government invested until May 1966 $ 16 million. Until then, the population reached 2500, in 1968 it reached 6500 maximum.
A model town with curving streets, dead ends, uniform houses, parking and within walking distance, shopping center was built. The traffic of the main traffic artery was separated from the city itself.
A PR brochure of the Ministry of Works in 1969 described Turangi as a pleasing and attractive town with 5000 inhabitants, which offers a balanced community life. The brochure listed the facilities, shops and services of the city.
After the project was completed at the end of the 1970s, started the Ministry of Works and other government agencies plots for sale in the city.
1989 the Ngāti Tūrangitukua turned before the Waitangi Tribunal ( Wai 84 ) against these sales. The hearings took place in a fast-tracked from April to October 1994. In September 1995, the Tribunal issued its report. Therein numerous violations of the crown be determined against the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. Among other things, it was found that
- The crown Māori land in Turangi West expropriated and cultivated, although Crown land was sufficiently available in Turangi East
- The crown of the Ngāti Tūrangitukua did not sufficiently involved in decisions to build the city
- The crown for the city more land was claimed, as previously promised.
- Has the Crown land is rented temporarily for economic purposes for 10-12 years, but then retained permanently
- Holy sites of Māori ( Wahi tapu ) were destroyed and damaged during construction
- No adequate compensation was paid for the land
- Nature protection has not been sufficiently taken
- The crown paid tribute to Ngati Turangitukua not the proper respect as natives of the country
- The laws, to which the crown at the Conquest called (Public Works Act of 1928, Turangi Township Act of 1964 ) with the fundamental guarantees of Article II of the Treaty of Waitangi are incompatible. This article stipulates that the Māori are allowed to keep their land in general, until they decide themselves to sell it.
The Tribunal found that the Ngāti Tūrangitukua have as a result of breach of contract of the crown lost much of their ancestral land and their social and economic livelihoods had been seriously impaired.
In July 1998, negotiated the Crown and Ngāti Tūrangitukua, to settle the matter and end the permanent tensions. On 26 September 1998 they reached an agreement.
1999 was adopted for this purpose the Ngati Turangitukua Claims Settlement Act 1999. This law is both an apology for the injustice committed to the Māori, on the other hand, it regulates compensatory measures.