Rimutaka (New Zealand electorate) Rimutaka (New Zealand electorate) Rimutaka is an electorate returning one member to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current representative is Chris Hipkins, a member of the Labour Party who has represented the seat since 2008. Centred on Upper Hutt City, the western boundary of the Rimutaka electorate is defined by the Hutt River from Avalon and Naenae in the south, through Stokes Valley, Trentham and Upper Hutt, to Te Marua, Kaitoke, and Cloustonville in the north. Boundary changes in 2014 saw Rimutaka gain Naenae from the Hutt South electorate, while losing Belmont and Kelson to Hutt South. Population
Otira Tunnel tunnel in the world and the longest in the British Empire. The Midland Railway Company investigated options to a long tunnel; but a line over the pass with gradients of 1 in 50 on both sides was not practical. Other options for a line over the pass were a cable-hauled system or a line of 1 in 15 gradient using either the Fell system or a rack railway using the Abt system (or even a S-shaped tunnel under Mount Rolleston). However the government did not favour the Fell system as used on the Rimutaka Incline which was expensive to operate.