More Info →An industrial review of Horowhenua 1972 Page 3

Description

Named after William Hort Levin, director of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. Levin was one of the last places in the area to be opened to European settlers.

In 1887 land was sold to the crown to become Levin Village Settlement.

In 1889 the first settlers arrived in Levin, and the first store in Levin was opened in 1890.

By 1906 the population in Levin had reach 1300.

In 1939 Austin Levy built a factory and started manufacturing uniforms.

1946 the Antcliff family founded the Levin Knitting Mills.

In 1950 the Mayor of Levin convened an Industries Promotion Committee to actively promote Levin as a great place to set up business.

In 1952 the committee published ( Your Future's In Levin ) a discription of the towns attractions and development , but the committee lost momentum and was not revived again until 1957 as a sub committee of the Levin Borough Council.

In 1958 the committee hosted an industrial fair and made a promotional film called 'A Place Called Levin'. They also actively sort out companies from outside the area and helped them on there way to relocating to Levin.

By 1963 there were 140 factories registered in Levin.

In 1969 The Levin-Otaki-Waikanae News Did a 32 page spread intitled 'An Industrial Review Of Horowhenua' show casing companies in Levin and other towns in the Horowhenua.

By 2010 the population of Levin is around 19,600 with 20% of its inhaditants listed as over the age of 65 a considerably higher percentage than the natoinal average, and the town is now listed as a service centre for the surrounding rural area and light manufacturing centre.

A lot of factories in levin have fallen on hard times, and with it being cheaper to have goods manufactured overseas many companies have moved production to China leaving many out of work or having to travel long distances to find work.

Page 3 is of this spread highlights what Levin has to offer and invites people to come and see for themselves what Levin is really like.

Identification

Date

1972