Levin, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Levin Taitoko |
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| Population: | 19,044 (2001) |
| Territorial Authority | |
| Horowhenua District | |
Levin is a town in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand, the largest town in the Horowhenua district. It is on State Highway 1 and the North Island Main Trunk railway, 90km north of Wellington, 50km south of Palmerston North, and two kilometres to the east of Lake Horowhenua. The town was named after a director of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. The name is a variation of the Jewish clan Levi. The town's Maori name is Taitoko.
Levin is a service centre for the surrounding rural area, plus a centre of light manufacturing. According to the 2001 census, the resident population was 19,044, a decrease of 1.4% from 1996. Over 20% of inhabitants were listed as over the age of 65, a considerably higher percentage than the national average. The town celebrated its centenary in 2006.
[edit] Famous sons and daughters
- Paul Beresford (British politician)
- Joy Cowley (novelist)
- Rebecca Gibney (actress)
- Doug Kidd (politician)
- George Silk (photographer)
- Carlos Spencer (sportsman)
- Jez Brown (radio/television)
- Michele A'Court (comedian)
- Bronwyn Hayward (disabled rights activist and film maker)
- Matthew Saunoa (New Zealand Idol winner 2006)
- Dean Kent (Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimmer)
Shibboleth: Unlike the usual pronunciation of the surname, stress is placed on the second syllable of the word. The name thus rhymes with the word "begin".
 The Overlander passenger train stops: (North Island Main Trunk Railway) |
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| Auckland (Britomart) | Middlemore | Papakura | Pukekohe | Hamilton | Otorohanga | Te Kuiti | Taumarunui | National Park | Ohakune | Marton | Feilding | Palmerston North | Levin | Paraparaumu | Porirua | Wellington (Railway Station) | |
