Counties of New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids County |
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| Category | County |
| Location | New Zealand |
| Created | 1 November 1876 |
| Abolished | 1989 |
New Zealand used to have a system of counties. These were like local government areas, similar to counties in other countries. They were set up after New Zealand stopped using its provinces in 1876. The county system stayed mostly the same until 1989. Then, they were changed and became part of new district and city councils. These new councils fit into larger regions.
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A Look Back: How Counties Began
Counties were first created in 1876. The idea was to combine many smaller "road boards" into larger counties. At first, the plan was to have 39 counties. But after a lot of discussion and changes, 63 counties were created when the law was passed.
Counties had leaders called chairmen. This was different from boroughs and cities, which had mayors. Counties also had different rules for things like burials and how land could be divided up. By 1966, New Zealand had 112 counties!
Why Counties Changed
Over time, many cities grew bigger. People started moving from cities into the nearby county areas. This often led to counties and cities joining together. Sometimes they formed a new "district," like Rotorua. Other times, a county might just change its name to "district" (like Waimairi) or even "city" (like Manukau).
A big change happened with the Local Government Act 1974. This law started to make the rules for all local councils more similar. This led to major changes in 1989. All the old counties were replaced by new cities and districts. These new areas covered the whole country without any gaps.
There was one special exception: the Chatham Islands County. It kept its name for six more years. After that, it became a "territory" under the "Chatham Islands Council."
Even though counties don't exist anymore, you might still hear the term "Counties-Manukau." This name refers to parts of South Auckland and the Franklin District. It's used by different groups, like sports clubs and health services.
Maps of New Zealand's Former Counties
Here are some maps that show where the counties were located in New Zealand.
North Island Counties
South Island Counties
