1953 in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Population
- Estimated Population as of 31 December: 2,074,700
- Increase since 31 December 1952: 50,100 (2.47%)
- Males per 100 Females: 101.1
Regal and Vice Regal
- Head of StateHead of StateA head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
– Elizabeth II, Queen of New ZealandMonarchy in New ZealandThe monarchy of New Zealand also referred to as The Crown in Right of New Zealand, Her Majesty in Right of New Zealand, or The Queen in Right of New Zealand is the constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of the Realm of New Zealand,...
, from 6 February 1952 - Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of New ZealandThe Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
– Lieutenant-General The Lord NorrieCharles Norrie, 1st Baron NorrieLieutenant-General Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie, 1st Baron Norrie GCMG, GCVO, CB, DSO, MC & Bar was a British Army general during World War II, following which he served terms as Governor of South Australia and the eighth Governor-General of New Zealand.-Army career:After education at Eton and...
GCMGOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
GCVORoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
CBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
MCMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, from 1952-1957
Government
The 30th New Zealand Parliament continued. The National PartyNew Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
was in its second term in office under Sidney Holland
Sidney Holland
Sir Sidney George Holland, GCMG, CH was the 25th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.-Early life:...
.
- Speaker of the HouseSpeaker of the New Zealand House of RepresentativesIn New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
– Mathew Oram from 1950 to 1957 - Prime MinisterPrime Minister of New ZealandThe Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
– Sidney HollandSidney HollandSir Sidney George Holland, GCMG, CH was the 25th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.-Early life:...
from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957. - Deputy Prime MinisterDeputy Prime Minister of New ZealandThe Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power....
– Keith HolyoakeKeith HolyoakeSir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...
from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957. - Minister of FinanceMinister of Finance (New Zealand)The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
– Sidney HollandSidney HollandSir Sidney George Holland, GCMG, CH was the 25th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.-Early life:... - Minister of Foreign AffairsMinister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...
– Thomas Clifton WebbThomas Clifton WebbSir Thomas Clifton Webb KCMG was a New Zealand politician and diplomat. He was born in Te Kopuru in the Kaipara District, studied at Auckland University College, and practised law in Dargaville. He was in the army from 1917-1919, then returned to his practice in Dargaville and was a borough...
from 19 September 1951 to 26 November 1954
Parliamentary opposition
- Leader of the OppositionLeader of the Opposition (New Zealand)The Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand is the politician who, at least in theory, commands the support of the non-government bloc of members in the New Zealand Parliament. In the debating chamber the Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister...
– Walter NashWalter NashSir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
(LabourNew Zealand Labour PartyThe New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
).
Main centre leaders
- Mayor of AucklandMayor of AucklandThe Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...
– John LuxfordJohn LuxfordJohn Hector Luxford was a New Zealand lawyer and Mayor of Auckland City from 1953 to 1956.Born in Palmerston North, he qualified as a solicitor in 1913 and a barrister in 1919. He practised in Te Awamutu, Hamilton and Auckland. He was Chief Judge in Samoa 1929-35 and a magistrate in Auckland 1941-51...
from 1953–1956 - Mayor of HamiltonMayor of Hamilton, New ZealandThe Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand is the head of the municipal government of Hamilton, New Zealand, and presides over the Hamilton City Council.In the 2010 Local Government elections, Julie Hardaker was elected as mayor, defeating incumbent Bob Simcock....
– Harold David Caro (from 1938 until his defeat in November) then Roderick Alastair MacDonald Braithwaite (until 1959) - Mayor of WellingtonMayor of WellingtonThe Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...
– Robert MacalisterRobert MacalisterRobert Lachlan Macalister was the Mayor of Wellington from 1950 to 1956, and had been the Acting Mayor for five months in 1948 during the absence overseas of William Appleton....
from 1950–1956 - Mayor of ChristchurchMayor of ChristchurchThe Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
– Robert M. Macfarlane from 1938–1941 and again from 1950–1958 - Mayor of DunedinMayor of DunedinThe Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....
– Leonard Morton Wright from 1950–1959
Events
- 6 January: Godfrey BowenGodfrey BowenGodfrey Bowen was a New Zealand Farmer and world acclaimed sheep shearer. With his brother Ivan, he developed the Bowen Technique which involved the shearer using his spare hand to stretch the sheep's skin, which improved the quality of the shorn fleece...
sets a world sheep shearingSheep shearingSheep shearing, shearing or clipping is the process by which the woollen fleece of a sheep is cut off. The person who removes the sheep's wool is called a shearer. Typically each adult sheep is shorn once each year...
record, shearing 456 sheep in nine hours. - 10 January: The Social Credit Political LeagueSocial Credit Party (New Zealand)The New Zealand Social Credit Party was a political party which served as the country's "third party" from the 1950s through into the 1980s. The party held a number of seats in the New Zealand Parliament, although never more than two at a time...
is formed from the earlier Social Credit Association. - 29 May – Edmund HillaryEdmund HillarySir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
and Tenzing NorgayTenzing NorgayPadma Bhushan, Supradipta-Manyabara-Nepal-Tara Tenzing Norgay, GM born Namgyal Wangdi and often referred to as Sherpa Tenzing, was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer...
reach the summit of Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
, the first known time this has been done. Hillary is knighted the following day. - 2 June – Elizabeth II crowned at Westminster AbbeyWestminster AbbeyThe Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in London - 23 December – The newly crowned Elizabeth II arrives in New Zealand for a royal tour scheduled to last until 30 January 1954. It is estimated that three in four New Zealanders would make an effort to see her during the tour.
- 24 December – a major rail disaster occurs at Tangiwai in the central North Island when a steam locomotive plunges into the Whangaehu RiverWhangaehu RiverThe Whangaehu River is a large river in central North Island of New Zealand. Its headwaters are the crater lake of Mount Ruapehu on the central plateau, and it flows into the Tasman Sea eight kilometres southeast of Wanganui.-Length:...
, killing 151 passengers on board.
Music
1953Composer Chris Cree Brown born.
October
Composer Eric Biddington born.
16 October
Birth of Philip Norman, composer, conductor, author.
Film
See: :Category:1953 film awards, 1953 in film1953 in film
The year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand
Cinema of New Zealand
New Zealand cinema, can refer to films made by New Zealand-based production companies in New Zealand. However, it may also refer to films made about New Zealand by filmmakers from other countries...
, :Category:1953 films
Appointments and awards
See: New Zealand Order of MeritNew Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, Order of New Zealand
Order of New Zealand
The Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in New Zealand's honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity"...
- Archbishop of New ZealandArchbishop of New ZealandThe Archbishop of New Zealand is the primate, or head, of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. However, since Whakahuihui Vercoe stepped down at the end of his two-year term as archbishop in 2006, the church has decided that three bishops shall share the position and style of...
- Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and PolynesiaAnglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and PolynesiaThe Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is a church of the Anglican Communion serving New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands...
, see appointments to Diocese
Athletics
- Arthur LydiardArthur LydiardArthur Leslie Lydiard, ONZ, OBE, was a New Zealand runner and athletics coach. He has been lauded as one of the outstanding athletics coaches of all time and is credited with popularizing the sport of running and making it commonplace across the sporting world...
wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:41:29.8 in DunedinDunedinDunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
.
Chess
- The 60th National Chess Championship was held in Timaru, and was won by Ortvin SarapuOrtvin SarapuOrtvin Sarapu MBE , sometimes known as "Mr Chess", was a New Zealand chess International Master who won or co-won the New Zealand Chess Championship 20 times between 1952 and 1990.-Early life:Born Ortvin Sarapuu in Estonia, he won the Estonian Junior Championship in 1940, then defected to Finland...
of Auckland (his second title).
Harness racing
- New Zealand Trotting CupNew Zealand Trotting CupThe New Zealand Trotting Cup or New Zealand Cup is a Group One harness race held annually by the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is considered the country's most prestigious harness racing event. the prize was NZ$750,000, the largest prize for a...
: Adorian - Auckland Trotting CupAuckland Trotting CupThe Auckland Trotting Cup or Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in March in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year. It is notable as it is a Group 1 championship race over...
: Thelma Globe
Soccer
- The Chatham Cup1953 Chatham CupThe 1953 Chatham Cup was the 26th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.The competition was run on a regional basis, with regional associations each holding separate qualifying rounds....
is won by Eastern SuburbsEastern Suburbs AFCEastern Suburbs is a semi-professional association football club in Kohimarama, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.-Club history:...
of (Auckland) who beat NorthernNorthern (soccer)Northern AFC is a semi-professional association football club in North East Valley, Dunedin, New Zealand. They are currently competing in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.The club is based at The Gardens Ground, North East Valley, Dunedin....
of (Dunedin) 4-3 in the final. - Provincial league champions:
- Auckland: Eastern Suburbs AFCEastern Suburbs AFCEastern Suburbs is a semi-professional association football club in Kohimarama, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.-Club history:...
- Bay of Plenty: Mangakino Utd
- Canterbury: WesternWestern A.F.C.Western A.F.C. is a semi-professional association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League.-1913–1920:...
- Hawke's Bay: Hastings Wanderers
- Manawatu: Palmerston North United
- Nelson: Woodbourne
- Northland: Otangarei United
- Otago: Northern AFC
- Poverty Bay: Eastern UnionGisborne CityGisborne City FC is a soccer club in Gisborne, New Zealand who play in the eastern league 1st division. Their home ground is Childers Road. They have won the National League, Air New Zealand cup, and the Chatham Cup....
- South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
- Southland: Brigadiers, Thistle (shared)
- Taranaki: City
- Waikato: Huntly Thistle
- Wairarapa: Carterton
- Wanganui: New Settlers
- Wellington: Wellington MaristWellington MaristWellington Marist AFC is an association football club in Wellington, New Zealand. The team is based at Kilbirnie Park in Kilbirnie.They won the Chatham Cup in 1932 and 1946, and were runners-up in 1945.-External links:***...
- Auckland: Eastern Suburbs AFC
Births
- 3 February: Steve MahareySteve MahareySteven "Steve" Maharey CNZM is a former Member of Parliament for Palmerston North in New Zealand, as a member of the Labour Party...
, politician. - 5 February: Deborah CoddingtonDeborah CoddingtonDeborah Coddington is a New Zealand journalist and former ACT New Zealand politician.- Pre-political career :Coddington, born in Waipukurau, worked from 1973 to 1984 as a magazine journalist, but in 1985 moved to Russell, a town in the Bay of Islands, where she owned and operated a café and...
, journalist and politician. - 17 February: Steve MillenSteve MillenSteve Millen was a New Zealand IMSA racecar driver. In the 1970s and 1980s, Millen raced in hillclimbing and Formula Ford before doing stadium off-road racing in the United States in the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group . He then began sports car racing, winning numerous championships in IMSA...
, motor racing driver. - 23 March: Denis AberhartDenis AberhartDenis Charles Aberhart is a former New Zealand first class cricketer who played for Canterbury and Central Districts between 1976/77 and 1983/84. He later became coach of Canterbury during the 1990s before being appointed coach of New Zealand in 2001, replacing David Trist...
, cricket player and coach. - 25 March: Paul BallingerPaul BallingerPaul Ballinger is a retired long-distance runner from New Zealand, who won the 1982 edition of the Fukuoka Marathon, clocking 2:10:15 on 5 December 1982 setting the current national record. A year later he finished in 27th place at the inaugural 1983 World Championships...
, long-distance runner - 25 May: John Z. RobinsonJohn Z. Robinsonthumb|right|180px|John Z. Robinson, photographed in 2008.John Z. Robinson is a New Zealand artist and jeweller. He has lived in Dunedin, New Zealand since 1978....
, artist, printmaker and jewelmaker. - 14 June: Janet MackeyJanet MackeyJanet Elsdon Mackey, JP is a New Zealand politician. She is a member of the Labour Party.-Parliamentary career:...
, politician. - 22 June: Phil GoffPhil GoffPhilip Bruce Goff is the current Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. During the Fifth Labour Government, he served in a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Defence of New Zealand, Minister of Corrections, Minister of Foreign Affairs and...
, politician. - 5 September: Murray MextedMurray MextedMurray Graham Mexted is a New Zealand rugby union player who played 34 tests for the All Blacks from 1979 to 1983. He also played 38 non-test game including 7 as captain. During his time with the All Blacks, he wore the Number eight jersey and was considered an excellent ball winner and an...
, rugby player and commentator. - 7 September: Marc HunterMarc HunterMarc Alexander Hunter was a New Zealand rock and pop singer best known as the lead vocalist with Dragon, a band formed by his older brother Todd in Auckland in 1973....
, musician. - 9 September: Edmond ("Sonny") SchmidtSonny SchmidtSonny Schmidt was a New Zealand-born professional bodybuilder.-Biography:He was born Edmond Alten Schmidt on 9 September 1953. He grew up in Western Samoa. He later lived in Melbourne, Australia and occasionally travelled to the United States for competitions.He placed in many events between 1989...
, bodybuilder. - 12 September: Ramesh PatelRamesh PatelRamesh Unka Patel is a former field hockey player from New Zealand, who was a member of the national team that won the golden medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal....
, field hockey player. - 6 November: Brian McKechnieBrian McKechnie (cricketer)-External links:*...
, rugby player and cricketer. - 19 December: Paul McEwanPaul McEwanPaul Ernest McEwan is a former Canterbury and New Zealand cricketer who played in 4 Tests and 17 ODIs from 1980 to 1985....
, cricketer.
- Jonathan Dennis, film historian.
- Bill RalstonBill RalstonBill Ralston is a New Zealand journalist, broadcaster, and media personality, active in television, radio and print. He has worked as a political correspondent, fronted the television arts show Backch@t, and was the head of news and current affairs at TVNZ from 2003 to 2007...
, journalist
Deaths
- 29 July: Richard PearseRichard PearseRichard William Pearse , son of Cornish immigrants from St Columb near Newquay, a New Zealand farmer and inventor who performed pioneering experiments in aviation....
airplane pioneer (b. 1877). - 16 October: Humphrey O'LearyHumphrey O'LearySir Humphrey Francis O'Leary, KCMG, KC was the seventh Chief Justice of New Zealand, from 1946 to 1953.Born in Blenheim in 1886, his father was a blacksmith who had migrated to Masterton...
, 7th Chief Justice of New Zealand.
See also
- List of years in New Zealand
- Timeline of New Zealand historyTimeline of New Zealand historyThis is a timeline of the history of New Zealand and only includes events deemed to be of principal importance - for more detailed information click the year heading or refer to List of years in New Zealand.- Prehistory :...
- History of New ZealandHistory of New ZealandThe history of New Zealand dates back at least 700 years to when it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture centred on kinship links and land. The first European explorer to discover New Zealand was Abel Janszoon Tasman on 13 December 1642...
- Military history of New ZealandMilitary history of New ZealandThe military history of New Zealand is an aspect of the history of New Zealand that spans several hundred years. When first settled by Māori almost a millennium ago, there was much land and resources, but war began to break out as the country's carrying capacity was approached...
- Timeline of environmental history of New ZealandTimeline of environmental history of New ZealandThis is a timeline of environmental history of New Zealand. These events relate to the more notable events affecting the natural environment of New Zealand as a result of human activity.-Pre 1800s:...
- Timeline of New Zealand's links with AntarcticaTimeline of New Zealand's links with AntarcticaThis is a timeline of the history of New Zealand's involvement with Antarctica.-Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries:1773*17 January Captain James Cook and the crews of his expedition's ships, Resolution and Adventure, become the first explorers to cross the Antarctic Circle1770s – 1830s*Sealers and...
For world events and topics in 1953 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 1953