Tokomaru

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tokomaru
Population:	? (2001)
Territorial Authority
Horowhenua District

Tokomaru is a small town in Horowhenua, in the southwestern North Island of New Zealand. It is located 18 kilometres southwest of Palmerston North, and a similar distance northeast of Shannon.

Tokomaru is best known for its Steam Engine Museum, a collection of antique steam engine machinery, much of it still operational. Highlights include a 1904 Fowler traction engine and an 1897 Aveling & Porter portable engine.

Facilities in Tokomaru include a school that serves both the Primary and Intermediate Level schooling for the area. Also the town has a locally run combined dairy/post office. This combination is due to the closure of the dedicated post office building in the main township of Tokomaru.

On the outskirts of Tokomaru is two factories. One, Stevensons Construction, is still operational and employs a large number of Tokomaru residents. The other is an abandoned Animal Pet Food Factory, which is now a run down shell of a building.

The Mayor of Tokomaru is Matthew "Kobo" Sanderson.

NB: Tokomaru should not be confused with Tokomaru Bay, a township near Gisborne in the northeastern North Island, or Tokomaru (canoe) from Maori tradition.