Pahiatua

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Abstract is: Pahiatua is a rural service town in the south-eastern North Island of New Zealand with a population of 2,810. It is between Masterton and Woodville on State Highway 2 and along the Wairarapa Line railway, 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Masterton and 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of Palmerston North. It is usually regarded as being in the Northern Wairarapa. For local government purposes, since 1989 it has been in the Tararua District, which encompasses Eketahuna, Pahiatua, Woodvillle, Dannevirke, Norsewood and the far east of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Unusual for a town of its size, Pahiatua has retained several amenities that were lost to similar towns around New Zealand in the 1980s and 1990s, including banking, postal services and a cinema, the Regent Theatre. Originally built by Kerridge Theatres NZ in 1940, the 600 seat Regent closed in 1977 and was purchased by the Pahiatua Repertory Society who converted it into a 230 seat cinema in the upstairs area and a 220 seat live theatre facility in the downstairs area. At that time the name was changed to Upstairs Downstairs Theatre. In 2001 an extensive restoration of the facade and foyer took place and the building's name reverted to the original name, the Regent. In 2015 the cinema converted from 35mm projection to fully compliant DCI digital projection. Still owned by the Pahiatua Repertory Society, today it operates as two separate entities: The Pahiatua Upstairs Cinema Society (a registered charity) and the Pahiatua Repertory Society Incorporated (also a registered charity). In 2021 Westpac Bank closed its Pahiatua branch leaving the town with no full banking facilities. However Kiwi bank operates a banking agency at the NZ Post Shop at 91 Main Street Pahiatua. The town is also served by a public swimming pool, an extensive sports complex, a supermarket, a Kohanga Reo, two kindergartens, an Early Childhood Centre. two primary schools, a secondary school, a volunteer fire brigade, and a public library. The town was named by its founder, William Wilson McCardle. Pahiatua was already the name of the wider Pahiatua Block. When translated from Māori, Pahiatua can mean "god's resting place". The explanation accompanying this translation is that a chief fleeing from his enemies was led by his war god to this hill to seek refuge.

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