Kirwee
Kirwee is a town located west of Christchurch in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It was named after Karwi in India by retired British Army colonel De Renzie Brett.[1]
Kirwee | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Kirwee | |
| Coordinates: 43°30′S 172°13′E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Canterbury |
| Territorial authority | Selwyn District |
| Population (2013) | |
| • Total | 3,498 |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (New Zealand Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (New Zealand Daylight Time) |
| Postcode | 7571 |
| Area code(s) | 03 |
State Highway 73 and the Midland Line railway both pass through the town. In the early 1870s, Kirwee was intended to be the junction of two branch lines, one to Whitecliffs and the other to Sheffield and Springfield. The line from Kirwee to Darfield, intended to be the first portion of the Whitecliffs Branch, was built first and the decision was taken to establish the junction of the two branches in Darfield instead. The section of line from Kirwee to Darfield, as well as the branch to Sheffield and Springfield are now part of the Midland Line.
Demographics
Kirwee and its surrounding rural area had a population of 3,486 at the 2013 New Zealand census, an increase of 645 people since the 2006 census. There were 1,761 males and 1,728 females. Figures have been rounded and do not add up to totals.[2] 94.6% were European/Pākehā, 4.6% were Māori, 0.6% were Pacific peoples and 1.2% were Asian.[3]
The actual township population is much smaller and is considered a minor town compared to nearby Darfield, which has a lot more services.