Ward, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ward
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Marlborough |
| Ward |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 3.56 km2 (1.37 sq mi) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 90 |
| • Density | 25.3/km2 (65/sq mi) |
Ward is a small town in the Marlborough area of New Zealand. You can find it on State Highway 1. It is about 82 kilometers (51 miles) north of Kaikōura. The Flaxbourne River flows past the town to the north. This river then goes into the Pacific Ocean at Ward Beach, which is to the south-east of Ward. There is a plan right now to change the town's name to Flaxbourne.
Ward's Story: A Look at Its History
The area around Ward was first known as Flaxbourne Station. This large farm was set up around 1847. In 1905, the government decided to divide up most of this big farm. This was part of a plan to share land more widely. That's how the town of Ward was created.
The town was named after Joseph Ward, a friend and political partner of Richard Seddon. Seddon was the Prime Minister at the time. This decision was a bit controversial back then. Another town, Seddon, was named after Richard Seddon at the same time. It is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Ward.
In 1961, Ward had 218 people living there.
Since 2017, there has been a push to rename the town Flaxbourne. The New Zealand Geographic Board, which is in charge of place names, has said that the name Ward was never officially registered.
Who Lives in Ward: Demographics
Statistics New Zealand calls Ward a rural settlement. It covers an area of 3.56 square kilometers (1.37 square miles). As of 2018, about 81 people lived there. This means there were about 23 people per square kilometer. Ward is part of a larger area called Awatere.
At the 2018 New Zealand census, Ward had 81 residents. This was a decrease of 27 people since the 2013 census. There were 36 households in the town. There were more males (45) than females (33). The average age of people in Ward was 51 years old.
- 12 people (14.8%) were under 15 years old.
- 6 people (7.4%) were aged 15 to 29.
- 42 people (51.9%) were aged 30 to 64.
- 21 people (25.9%) were 65 or older.
Most people in Ward were of European background (88.9%). Some people identified as Māori (22.2%). People could choose more than one ethnicity.
About 59.3% of people said they had no religion. About 40.7% were Christian.
For those aged 15 and older:
- 6 people (8.7%) had a university degree or higher.
- 15 people (21.7%) had no formal school qualifications.
- The average income was $29,100.
- 42 people (60.9%) worked full-time.
- 12 people (17.4%) worked part-time.
Learning in Ward: Education
Ward School is a school for students from Year 1 to Year 8. This means it teaches children from about 5 to 13 years old. In 2006, the school celebrated 100 years of teaching in the area.
For high school, students from Ward usually go to Marlborough Boys' College or Marlborough Girls' College. Both of these schools are about 48 kilometers (30 miles) away in Blenheim.
