# 1952 in New Zealand

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive
The following lists events that happened during 1952 in New Zealand.
The population of New Zealand reaches 2 million.

## Population

* Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,024,600.
* Increase since 31 December 1951: 54,100 (2.75%).
* Males per 100 females: 101.1.

## Incumbents
### Regal and viceregal

* Head of State – George VI followed by Elizabeth II
* Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC, CGMG, KCB, Three Bars, KStJ followed by Lieutenant-General The Lord Norrie GCMG GCVO CB DSO MC

### Government

The 30th New Zealand Parliament continued. In power was the National government under Sidney Holland.
* Speaker of the House – Mathew Oram
* Prime Minister – Sidney Holland
* Deputy Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake
* Minister of Finance – Sidney Holland
* Minister of Foreign Affairs – Clifton Webb
* Chief Justice — Sir Humphrey O'Leary

### Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition – Walter Nash (Labour).

### Main centre leaders

* Mayor of Auckland – John Allum
* Mayor of Hamilton – Harold David Caro
* Mayor of Wellington – Robert Macalister
* Mayor of Christchurch – Robert Macfarlane
* Mayor of Dunedin – Leonard Morton Wright

## Events
### February

* 6 February – George VI dies and is succeeded by Elizabeth II as Queen of New Zealand

### December
## Arts and literature

See 1952 in art, 1952 in literature, Category:1952 books

### Music

See: 1952 in music

### Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

### Film

* Broken Barrier
See: Category:1952 film awards, 1952 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1952 films

## Sport
### Athletics

* Jack Clarke wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:38:42 on 1 March in Wanganui.

### Chess

* The 59th National Chess Championship was held in Napier, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Christchurch (his first title).

### Cricket

Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team

### Horse racing
#### Harness racing

* New Zealand Trotting Cup – Mobile Globe
* Auckland Trotting Cup – Soangetaha (2nd win)

### Lawn bowls

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Dunedin.
* Men's singles champion – Frank Livingstone (Onehunga Bowling Club)
* Men's pair champions – R.K. Aitchison, E. Ravenwood (skip) (North-East Valley Bowling Club)
* Men's fours champions – N.M. Johnston, W.J. Ashton, M.J. Squire, K.S. Ewing (skip) (Stratford Bowling Club)

### Olympic Games
#### Summer Olympics

| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |

#### Winter Olympics

| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* New Zealand sends a team to the Winter Olympics for the first time.

### Soccer

* The Chatham Cup was shared by the finalists North Shore United and Western (Christchurch) after the extra time score (1–1) and all criteria for deciding a winner at that time were equal.
* The national men's soccer team toured to the Pacific, playing 10 matches, 5 of which were internationals:
** 31 August, Suva: NZ 1 – 0 Suva
** 3 September, Suva: NZ 8 – 3 Southern Districts
** 7 September, Suva: NZ 2 – 0 Fiji
** 9 September, Lautoka: NZ 0 – 0 Lautoka
** 11 September, Lautoka: NZ 5 – 0 Northern Districts
** 14 September, Lautoka: NZ 9 – 0 Fiji
** 16 September, Suva: NZ 5 – 2 Fiji
** 21 September, Papeete: NZ 2 – 2 Tahiti
** 25 September, Fautaua: NZ 7 – 1 Chinese Selection
** 28 September, Papeete NZ 5 – 3 Tahiti
* Provincial league champions:
** Auckland: Eastern Suburbs AFC
** Canterbury: Technical OB
** Hawke's Bay: West End
** Manawatu: Palmerston North United
** Nelson: Settlers
** Northland: Otangarei United
** Otago: Northern AFC
** Poverty Bay: Thistle
** South Canterbury: Thistle
** Southland: Brigadiers
** Taranaki: Overseas
** Waikato: Pukemiro Junction
** Wairarapa: Masterton B
** Wanganui: Technical College Old Boys
** Wellington: Petone

## Births

* 12 January: John Walker, athlete.
* 4 February: Jenny Shipley Prime Minister.
* 14 February: Les Wilson, field hockey goalkeeper.
* Vincent Burke, NZ television producer.
* 19 March: Warren Lees, cricket player and coach.
* 22 March: Rod Millen, motor rally driver.
* 7 April: Alan Niven, songwriter, record producer, manager.
* 21 June: Jeremy Coney, cricket captain.
* 25 June: Tim Finn, singer, songwriter and musician.
* 20 July: Ian Ferguson, kayaker.
* 8 August: Sandra Lee-Vercoe, politician and diplomat.
* 2 September: Chris Knox, singer-songwriter.
* 8 September: Graham Mourie, rugby player.
* 14 September: Neil McLeod, field hockey player.
* 3 October: Gary Troup, cricketer.
* 20 October: Michael Houstoun, concert pianist.
* 31 December: Vaughan Jones, mathematician.
* John Badcock, painter.
* Sue Bradford, politician.
* Stevan Eldred-Grigg, writer and historian.
* (in England): David Fletcher, cartoonist.
* Tame Iti, activist.
* Linda Jones (jockey), thoroughbred horse racing jockey
* Sukhi Turner, Mayor of Dunedin.
* Marilyn Waring, feminist academic and politician.

## Deaths

* 29 April: Adam Hamilton, politician.
* 1 May: Hon. Thomas Otto Bishop MLC, politician.
* 6 May: Sir Oswald Birley, painter (in England).
* 5 August:John Robertson, politician.
* 13 August: Frederick de Jersey Clere, architect.
* 20 August: Lionel Terry, convicted murderer, white supremacist.
* 24 August: Alexander Harris, politician
* 17 September Carl Axel Björk, whaler, goldminer and character.
* 12 October: Te Puea Herangi, Māori leader.
* 17 November: Ben Roberts, New Zealand Labour MP
* 22 November: Ted Morgan, New Zealand boxer.
* 27 November: Bill Parry, politician.