HAWERA

town, Taranaki local government region, western North Island, New Zealand. The original settlement, situated on the east Waimate Plain, 2 miles (3 km) from the coast of South Taranaki Bight, on the Tasman Sea, grew around a blockhouse built in 1870 for protection from hostile Maoris. The settlement became a borough in 1882, and in the late 1970s the borough was amalgamated with the surrounding county to form a district. The name, a Maori word meaning burnt place, refers to a tale of intertribal warfare. Hawera has fat-lamb freezing works and dairy, confectionery, soap, furniture, stock-foods, engineering, clothing, coal-gas, farm-equipment, and motor-body plants. It is on the WellingtonNew Plymouth highway and rail line. Pop. (1992 est.) 11,050.