Mercer, New Zealand

Coordinates: 37°16′41″S 175°02′56″E / 37.278°S 175.049°E / -37.278; 175.049
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Mercer
Village
Gun turret from British gunship "The Pioneer" used in Waikato War, 1863–1864
Gun turret from British gunship "The Pioneer" used in Waikato War, 1863–1864
Map
Coordinates: 37°16′41″S 175°02′56″E / 37.278°S 175.049°E / -37.278; 175.049
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWaikato
DistrictWaikato District
WardAwaroa ki Tuakau Ward
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWaikato District Council
 • Regional councilWaikato Regional Council
Area
[1]
 • Territorial4.08 km2 (1.58 sq mi)
Elevation
20 m (70 ft)
Population
 (2018 census)[2]
 • Territorial123
 • Density30/km2 (78/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)

Mercer is a village in the Waikato District Council area of the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is 70 km north of Hamilton and 58 km south of Auckland, on the east bank of the Waikato River, 2 km south of its confluence with the Mangatāwhiri River.

Prior to the creation of the Auckland supercity in 2010, Mercer was in Franklin District, part of the Auckland Region.

History[edit]

The first attack in the invasion of the Waikato took place on 17 July 1863, when about 15 Māori defenders were killed at Koheroa (a kilometre north – see 1:50,000 map). The village was named after Captain Henry Mercer, who was killed at Rangiriri in November 1863.[3][4] The navy river gun-boat Pioneer was wrecked on the Manukau bar in 1866 and one of the gun turrets forms part of the war memorial.[5]

The North Island Main Trunk railway opened to Mercer station on 20 May 1875. A crash in 1940 killed the driver and fireman. Until 1958 many trains stopped for refreshments.[6] The station closed in 1986.

The beached hulls of steamers operated until 1976 by Caesar Roose can be seen on the west bank of the river just south of Mercer.[3] W. Stevenson & Sons Ltd bought the remains of the Roose sand dredging business in the mid 1980s[7] and, after dredging ended in 1997, redeveloped 2.5 ha (6.2 acres) of its yard with a petrol station and a food court.[8]

Bridge[edit]

Mercer Bridge

In 1965 Roose offered $100,000 towards the $343,000 bridge to replace the Mercer ferry. The 480 ft (150 m) long single span concrete [9] Caesar Roose Bridge was opened on 18 November 1972[10] by Roose's daughter, Jeanette Thomas, with the Minister of Works, Percy Allen.[11]

Demographics[edit]

Mercer is in an SA1 statistical area which covers 4.08 km2 (1.58 sq mi).[1] The SA1 area is part of the larger Pōkeno Rural statistical area.[12]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006105—    
2013114+1.18%
2018123+1.53%
Source: [2]

Mercer had a population of 123 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 9 people (7.9%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 18 people (17.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 45 households, comprising 66 males and 57 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.16 males per female. The median age was 41.3 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 24 people (19.5%) aged under 15 years, 21 (17.1%) aged 15 to 29, 66 (53.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 12 (9.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 63.4% European/Pākehā, 41.5% Māori, and 4.9% Pacific peoples. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.2% had no religion, 24.4% were Christian, 4.9% had Māori religious beliefs, and 2.4% were Muslim.

Of those at least 15 years old, 12 (12.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 27 (27.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $29,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 15 people (15.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 51 (51.5%) people were employed full-time, 12 (12.1%) were part-time, and 9 (9.1%) were unemployed.[2]

Education[edit]

Te Paina School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[13][14] with a roll of 66 as of February 2024.[15][16] The school was founded in 1876 as Mercer School,[17] and changed its name to Te Paina in 1921.[18]

Former residents[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7011040.
  3. ^ a b "2. – Waikato places – Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand". Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  4. ^ "ENZB - 1867 - Mercer, A. H. H. The late Captain Henry Mercer, of the Royal Artillery: who was killed... at the Battle of Rangiriri - [Text] p 1-31". www.enzb.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  5. ^ Te Ara Mercer war memorial
  6. ^ "Refreshments – The North Island main trunk line – NZHistory, New Zealand history online". Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  7. ^ "Waikato River Commercial Shipping". New Zealand Ship and Marine Society. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  8. ^ Taylor, Colin (14 October 2004). "Service centre part of a global trend". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  9. ^ Vennell, C. W.; Williams, Susan; Raglan County Council. Raglan County Hills and Sea: a centennial history 1876–1976. Wilson & Horton. p. 184. ISBN 0868640026.
  10. ^ Thomas, Jeanette. "Caesar Roose". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Caesar Roose Spectrum | RNZ". Radio New Zealand. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  12. ^ 2018 Census place summary: Pōkeno Rural
  13. ^ "Official School Website". tepaina.school.nz.
  14. ^ "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  15. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  17. ^ "Mercer School. Centennial, 1876-1976. A souvenir programme and history of the school (record)". Auckland Museum. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Mercer School". Retrieved 20 February 2022.

External links[edit]

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