Editing Hastings, New Zealand (section)

==History==
===Māori history===
Near the fourteenth century [[Common Era|CE]], [[Māori people|Māori]] arrived in Heretaunga or Hawke's Bay, settling in the river valleys and along the coast where food was plentiful. It is believed that Māori arrived at Heretaunga by canoe, travelling down the coast from the north, landing at [[Wairoa]], Portland Island, the Ahuriri Lagoon at [[Westshore, New Zealand|Westshore]], and at [[Waimārama]]. Their culture flourished, causing gradual deforestation of the land.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wilmshurst|first=Janet|date=1995|title=A 2000 year history of vegetation and landscape change in Hawke's Bay, North Island , New Zealand|url=https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10092/4790/wilmshurst_thesis.pdf|access-date=19 January 2022|website=Canterbury University}}</ref> The forest was replaced by [[bracken]], making this one of the few regions of New Zealand where sheep could be brought in by later European settlers without felling the bush first. In the sixteenth century, Taraia, great-grandson of the great and prolific chief Kahungunu, established the large tribe of [[Ngāti Kahungunu]], which eventually colonised the eastern side of the North Island from Poverty Bay to Wairarapa. They were one of the first Māori tribes to come in contact with European settlers.

===European settlers' history===
[[File:Warren Hastings greyscale.jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Warren Hastings]] in 1767/68]]

The Māori owners leased approximately seventy square kilometres on the [[Heretaunga Plains]] to Thomas Tanner in 1867; Tanner had been trying to purchase the land since 1864. In 1870, twelve people, known as the "12 apostles", formed a syndicate to purchase the land for around [[New Zealand pound|£]]1 10[[shilling|s]] an acre (£371 per km<sup>2</sup>). Many local people firmly believe that Hastings was originally named Hicksville, after Francis Hicks, who bought a {{convert|100|acre|km2|adj=on}} block of land, which now contains the centre of Hastings, from Thomas Tanner. However, this story is apocryphal. The original name of the location which was to become the town centre was Karamu.

In 1870, Colonial Treasurer [[Julius Vogel]] launched the most ambitious development programme in New Zealand’s history. He [[The Vogel Era#A Grand Go-ahead Policy|proposed]] to borrow huge sums from Britain to revitalise and accelerate New Zealand development. One of the leading projects was the building of a national railway linking all main centres. Hawkes Bay development involved building a railway south from Napier and eventually to Palmerston North where it would connect to the proposed main trunk line. The  decision on the route out of Napier was based largely on two reports by Charles Weber, the provincial engineer and surveyor in charge of the railways. Francis Hicks owned land in the central in the Heretaunga Plains and offered to donate land for a railway station. The offer was accepted and in 1873 Francis Hicks subdivided 100 acres into residential and suburban sections. On 7 June 1873, the ''Hawke's Bay Herald'' reported: "The name of the new town is to be Hastings. We hear it now for the first time." Exactly who chose the name has been disputed, although Thomas Tanner claimed that it was him (see ''Hawke's Bay Herald'' report 1 February 1884) and that the choice was inspired by his reading the trial of [[Warren Hastings]]. In any event, the name fitted well with other place names in the district (Napier, Havelock and Clive), which were also named after prominent figures in the history of British India.{{sfn|Boyd|1984|pp=16–21}} In 1874, the first train took the twelve-mile (19&nbsp;km) trip from [[Napier, New Zealand|Napier]] to Hastings, opening up Hastings as an export centre, through Port Ahuriri. 
Another big jump in the local economy occurred when Edward Newbigin opened a brewery in 1881. By the next year, there were 195 freeholders of land in the town of around six hundred people. The town was incorporated as a borough on 20 October 1886.

Hastings first received power in 1912,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/drive-to-provide-electricity/1519903/ |title=Historic HB: Drive to provide electricity |work=[[Hawke's Bay Today]] |date=28 August 2012 |access-date=18 September 2012}}</ref> followed by Napier in 1915.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.napier.govt.nz/index.php?pid=604 |title=Napier Physical Development History |work=Napier City Council |year=2012 |access-date=18 September 2012}}</ref>

In 1918, nearly 300 people died of a flu epidemic that swept Hawke's Bay.

===1931 Earthquake===
{{Main article|1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake}}

On 3 February 1931, at 10:47&nbsp;am, most of Hastings (and nearby Napier) was levelled by an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the [[Richter Scale]]. In Hastings, the ground subsided roughly 1 metre. The collapse of buildings and the ensuing fires killed 258 people, of which 93 were in Hastings. The centre of Hastings was destroyed in the earthquake, and was subsequently rebuilt in the [[Art Deco]] and [[Mission Revival Style architecture|Spanish Mission]] styles, which were both popular at that time. Due to quick thinking by residents and the Local Fire Department, Hastings did not suffer the extent of fire damage that Napier did. Most deaths were attributed to collapsing buildings, namely Roaches' Department Store in [[Heretaunga Street]] where 17 people died.<ref name="govt">{{cite web|url=http://www.napier.govt.nz/index.php?cid=napier/history/hi_gen&mid=308|title=Napier City Council, Napier, Hawke's Bay - Napier City Council|website=www.napier.govt.nz|access-date=1 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402102237/https://www.napier.govt.nz/index.php?cid=napier%2Fhistory%2Fhi_gen&mid=308|archive-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>

The [[Hastings Clock Tower]] was commissioned in 1934 by the Hastings Borough Council as a symbol of triumph over the adversity to celebrate the rebuild of Hastings. The design was by competition, which was won by local architect Sydney Chaplin. In 1995 the Hastings District Council added two memorial plaques to the base of tower in memory of those who died in the earthquake.

===1932 to 1999===
[[File:Hastings CBD Oct 2023.jpg|thumb|left|Looking down Heretaunga St E in the CBD]]
[[File:Hastings NZ looking NW down Lyndon Rd.jpg|thumb|left|Looking down Lyndon Rd]]
[[File:Hastings CBD near HB Today HQ.jpg|thumb|left|Looking down Heretaunga St E in the CBD]]

During [[World War II]], [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] troops were billeted at the Army, Navy and Air Force (ANA) Club, and in private homes. One hundred and fifty members belonging to sixteen different local clubs packed supplies to be sent to Allied soldiers. In 1954, Hastings was the first city in New Zealand to introduce [[fluoridation]] of its water supply.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/0/AB32B58A8D61D9DACC256F47007C32BB |title= Ministry of Health NZ|website=www.moh.govt.nz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123050747/http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/0/AB32B58A8D61D9DACC256F47007C32BB |archive-date=23 November 2007}}</ref> The intention was to compare the effect on tooth decay with that in the unfluoridated city of Napier over a ten-year period. The study was criticised for its methodology and results, and remains controversial.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.bmartin.cc/dissent/documents/Colquhoun99.pdf|title=The Lost Control and Other Mysteries: Further Revelations on New Zealand's Fluoridation Trial |author=John Colquhoun |author2=Bill Wilson | journal = [[Accountability in Research]] | volume = 6 | pages = 373–394 | year = 1999|issue=4 |doi=10.1080/08989629908573936 }}</ref>

On 10 September 1960, the Hastings Blossom Parade (at the time a significant national event) was cancelled at 11&nbsp;am for the first time in its history due to rain. Parade attendees drank in bars for several hours and when, subsequently, an 'impromptu' parade began at 2&nbsp;pm, a riot started as police tried to arrest those intoxicated in public. This was considered a significant event in New Zealand society, with modern youth rebellion culture being labelled antisocial, and was subsequently much publicised with the national election later that year.

Hastings grew rapidly throughout the 1960s and 1970s (Hastings at this time was the fastest growing city in New Zealand), and there was a major issue dealing with encroachment of suburban expansion on highly productive land. [[Flaxmere]] was established as a satellite suburb to absorb rapid growth and was built upon the stony, arid soils of the abandoned course of the [[Ngaruroro River]]. Although the land seemed worthless back then, it has subsequently proved highly valued for grape growing, and now is a prized region of red wine varietals in the world-famous [[Gimblett Gravels]] wine-growing region. Starting with economic decline nationally in the late 1970s, coupled with agricultural [[Fourth Labour Government of New Zealand#Economic|subsidy reforms]] in the early 1980s, Hastings went into recession with more unemployment and low economic growth. It was not until the mid-1990s that the economy of Hastings began to turn around.

During the [[1989 local government reforms]] Hastings City amalgamated with the [[Havelock North]] Borough and [[Hawke's Bay County]] to form the modern Hastings District. The County Council offices in Napier were closed in favour of Hastings, and the new Hastings District Council offices were built on two sites. The Napier City boundary was expanded to include Bay View and Meeanee. However, unlike largely urban Napier (population density 540.0 per km<sup>2</sup>), much of the newly formed Hastings District is rural and sparsely populated (population density 14.0 per km<sup>2</sup>), the Hastings District has approximately {{NZ population data 2018|Hastings district |y|y|y|(|)}} residents.

Because of their proximity to each other and their relatively small populations, Hastings and Napier are often seen as candidates for further amalgamation. This was attempted with the 1999 Amalgamation Referendum, where 75% of Napier residents opposed, and 64% of Hastings residents were in support.

===2000 to today===
At 11.25&nbsp;pm on 25 August 2008, the city was hit by an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geonet.org.nz/quakes/region/newzealand/2958743 |title=Quakes |publisher=[[GeoNet (New Zealand)|GeoNet]] |date=25 August 2008 |access-date=29 January 2016}}</ref> The epicentre was based only 10&nbsp;km south of the city, near Mt Erin, at a depth of 32&nbsp;km. The earthquake caused minor damage to shops, where stock was shaken off shelves. Power outages were also reported. This was the most powerful earthquake to hit the region since the 5.8 Hastings earthquake in October 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geonet.org.nz/quakes/region/newzealand/1803016 |title=Quakes |publisher=[[GeoNet (New Zealand)|GeoNet]] |date=15 October 2001 |access-date=29 January 2016}}</ref>

In 2010, the city, together with [[New Plymouth]] became one of the two walking and cycling "model communities", qualifying for further co-funding by the national government to improve its walking paths and cycleways, and encourage people to use active forms of transport.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bay cycling's 'without equal'|url=http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/local/news/bay-cyclings-without-equal/3929420/|access-date=12 November 2010|work=[[Hawke's Bay Today]] |date=10 November 2010}}</ref>

In August–September 2016, 5,200 people after the local water supply in Havelock North tested positive for the pathogen ''[[Campylobacter]] jejeuni''.<ref name="nzherald1">{{cite web|title=Something in the water - How the Havelock gastro outbreak began|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=11697426|work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] | date=19 August 2016 |access-date=4 February 2019}}</ref><ref name="council1">{{cite web|title=A cautionary tale of untreated groundwater, Campylobacter, and New Zealand's largest drinking water outbreak|url=https://waterandhealth.org/safe-drinking-water/drinking-water/cautionary-tale-untreated-groundwater-campylobacter-zealands-largest-drinking-water-outbreak/|publisher=Water Quality and Health Council|access-date=4 February 2019|archive-date=7 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207015541/https://waterandhealth.org/safe-drinking-water/drinking-water/cautionary-tale-untreated-groundwater-campylobacter-zealands-largest-drinking-water-outbreak/|url-status=dead}}</ref> One death in a nursing home was suspected to be due to the outbreak.<ref name="nzherald1" /><ref name="council1" /> It is suspected that after heavy rain fell on 5–6 August, water contamination from flooding caused the outbreak, although this is the subject of a government Inquiry.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dia.govt.nz/Government-Inquiry-into-Havelock-North-Drinking-Water|title=Government Inquiry into Havelock North Drinking-Water - dia.govt.nz|website=www.dia.govt.nz|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> It is the largest outbreak of waterborne disease ever to occur in New Zealand. All schools in Havelock North closed for two weeks, with the Hastings District Council advising an urgent notice to boil water for at least one minute before consumption. This notice was lifted on September the 3rd, with the outbreak officially under control.

Chlorination of the Havelock North water supply started on Friday the 12th, and 9 water tankers were brought in containing water from the Hastings water supply. One of these trucks again tested positive for E-Coli contamination, prompting the Hastings District Council to chlorinate the water supply of both Hastings and Flaxmere as a precautionary measure.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nz.news.yahoo.com/top-stories/a/32367075/secondary-schools-reopen-in-havelock-north/#page1 |title=Secondary schools reopen in Havelock North - Yahoo New Zealand |website=nz.news.yahoo.com  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919005235/https://nz.news.yahoo.com/top-stories/a/32367075/secondary-schools-reopen-in-havelock-north/ |archive-date=2016-09-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11694777|title=Gastro outbreak: Havelock North illness NZ's largest|first=Victoria|last=White|date=15 August 2016|access-date=1 April 2018|via=www.nzherald.co.nz}}</ref>

In November 2017, Sandra Hazlehurst, formerly Councilor for Hastings-Havelock North Ward, became the first woman Mayor of Hastings.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/hawkes-bay/99267756/hazlehurst-incredibly-proud-to-be-districts-first-female-mayor | title=Hazlehurst 'incredibly proud' to be district's first female Mayor | date=27 November 2017 }}</ref> Hazlehurst was elected as a result of a by-election triggered by the formal resignation of Mayor Lawrence Yule in June.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/92258997/hastings-mayor-lawrence-yule-confirms-departure-as-parliament-beckons | title=Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule confirms departure as Parliament beckons | date=5 May 2017 }}</ref>

===Timeline===

*1867: Māori owners leased 70 sq kilometres of land from the [[Heretaunga Plains]] to Thomas Tanner; it was the site of Karamu Junction.
*1873: The town of Karamu Junction was officially renamed Hastings.
*1874: Hastings (along with Napier) was connected to the [[North Island Main Trunk]] line.
*1886: 20 October. Hastings town was incorporated as a borough.
*1912: Hastings was connected to electricity, followed by Napier in 1915.
*1914: [[Heretaunga Street]] is laid with stone for motor vehicle traffic.
*1918: Nearly 300 people died of a flu epidemic that swept Hawke's Bay.
*1931: 3 February. Hastings was rocked by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, killing 256 people (93 in Hastings).
*1932: 16 September. Hastings was rocked by a 6.9 magnitude earthquake. It was the final large earthquake in the 1931–1932 earthquake events.
*1935: [[Hastings Clock Tower]] erected to celebrate the rebuild of Hastings post 1931 earthquake
*1950: The first Blossom Parade was held in Hastings; it is now a popular annual event.
*1951: 10 February. Hastings was rocked by a 6.1 magnitude earthquake at 3:27&nbsp;pm.
*1954: Hastings was the first city in New Zealand to introduce fluoridation of its water supply.
*1960: 10 September. The Hastings Blossom Parade (at the time a significant national event) was cancelled at 11&nbsp;am for the first time in its history due to rain.
*1989: Hastings City and the Havelock North Borough amalgamated to form the modern-day Hastings District.
*1993: 11 April. A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck 15&nbsp;km south-west of Hastings and was felt as far south as Christchurch.
*2008: 25 August. A 5.9 magnitude earthquake centred 10&nbsp;km south of Hastings caused an estimated $5&nbsp;million in damage.
*2010: The city became a walking and cycling "model community".
*2016: August and September. 5,200 residents fell ill with campylobacteriosis, prompting a district-wide health crisis. It was the largest outbreak of waterborne disease to ever occur in New Zealand.
*2023: 12–18 February. [[Cyclone Gabrielle]] severely impacts Hastings, claiming the lives of 7 people in Hastings District. Multiple rivers burst their banks, destroying 6 bridges and causing an estimated $13 billion NZD in damage.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/cyclone-gabrielle/ | title=Cyclone Gabrielle &#124; Hastings District Council }}</ref>