Editing Granity (section)

{{Short description|Town on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                    = Granity
|image_skyline           = Granity Memorial (1) (6966287306).jpg
|image_caption           = Granity War Memorial
|area_total_km2          = 2.36
|area_footnotes          = <ref name="Area"/>
|population_footnotes    = {{NZ population data 2018||||y}}
|population_as_of        = {{NZ population data 2018|||y}}
|population_total        = {{NZ population data 2018|Granity|y}}
|population_density_km2  = auto
|subdivision_type        = Country
|subdivision_name        = New Zealand
|subdivision_type1       = Region
|subdivision_name1       = [[West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast]]
|subdivision_type2       = District
|subdivision_name2       = [[Buller District]]
|subdivision_type3       = Ward
|subdivision_name3       = Seddon
|seat_type               = Electorates
|seat                    = {{ubl|[[West Coast-Tasman]]|[[Te Tai Tonga]]}}
|leader_title            = Territorial authority
|leader_name             = [[Buller District Council]]
|leader_title1           = Regional council
|leader_name1            = [[West Coast Regional Council]]
|leader_title2           = [[Mayor of Buller]]
|leader_name2            = {{NZ officeholder data|Buller District Mayor|y}}
|leader_title3           = {{nowrap|[[West Coast-Tasman|West Coast-Tasman MP]]}}
|leader_name3            = {{NZ officeholder data|West Coast-Tasman MP|y}}
|leader_title4           = [[Te Tai Tonga|Te Tai Tonga MP]]
|leader_name4            = {{NZ officeholder data|Te Tai Tonga MP|y}}
|image_map               = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|41|37|47|S|171|51|13|E}}|zoom=9}}
|coordinates             = {{coord|41|37|47|S|171|51|13|E|region:NZ_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|official_name           = 
}}
'''Granity''' is a small town on the [[West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast]] of New Zealand's [[South Island]], {{convert|28|km|mi|0}} north-east of [[Westport, New Zealand|Westport]] on [[State Highway 67 (New Zealand)|State Highway 67]]. [[Karamea]] is {{convert|68|km|mi|0}} further north.<ref>{{cite book|title=Reed New Zealand Atlas|year=2004|isbn=0-7900-0952-8|editor=Peter Dowling |publisher=Reed Books|at=map 62}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand|year=2005|isbn=1-877333-20-4|author=Roger Smith, GeographX|publisher=Robbie Burton|at=map 134}}</ref>

The town is on a narrow strip of land between the [[Tasman Sea]] to the west and steep, mountains to the immediate east. Long known as a [[coal]]-[[mining]] town, the population declined as the industry waned. The population was {{NZ population data 2018|Granity|y}} in {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||.}} Several neighbouring towns, such as [[Denniston, New Zealand|Denniston]], have become virtually [[ghost town]]s. In 1911 Granity's population was 589,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 Apr 1911 |title=Report on the results of a census of the Dominion of New Zealand |url=https://ia802704.us.archive.org/33/items/reportonresultso00newz/reportonresultso00newz.pdf}}</ref> 641 in 1921<ref>{{Cite web |title=1921 Census - Part 01 - Population |url=https://statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p20045coll21/id/15 |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org |language=en}}</ref> and 547 in 1956.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1956 Census - Part 01 - Increase and Location of Population |url=https://statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p20045coll21/id/78/rec/19 |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org |language=en}}</ref> Granity had a railway station on the [[Stillwater–Ngākawau Line|Westport-Ngākawau Line]] from 28 Feb 1892 until 16 May 1982, though closed to passengers from 14 October 1946.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scoble |first=Juliet |date=Apr 2010 |title=Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand 1863 to 2010 |url=https://railheritage.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Dates_and_names.pdf |website=Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand}}</ref> In 1902 it had a staff of 5.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Granity |url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d2-d30.html |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=nzetc.victoria.ac.nz}}</ref>

The name "Granity" was given to the town by gold prospectors, in reference to the large quantity of [[granite]] in the area.<ref>{{cite book | first=A. W. | last=Reed | title=The Reed Dictionary of New Zealand Place Names | publisher=Reed Books | location=Auckland | year=2002 | isbn=0-7900-0761-4}}</ref>