# 1953 in New Zealand

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive
The following lists events that happened during 1953 in New Zealand.

## 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.

## Incumbents
### Regal and viceregal

* Head of State – Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, from 6 February 1952
* Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Norrie GCMG GCVO CB DSO MC, from 1952-1957

### Government

The 30th New Zealand Parliament continued. The National Party was in its second term in office under Sidney Holland.
* Speaker of the House – Matthew Oram from 1950 to 1957
* Prime Minister – Sidney Holland from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.
* Deputy Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.
* Minister of Finance – Sidney Holland
* Minister of Foreign Affairs – Clifton Webb from 19 September 1951 to 26 November 1954
* Chief Justice — Sir Humphrey O'Leary (until 16 October), Sir Harold Barrowclough (from 17 November)

### Parliamentary opposition

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

### Main centre leaders

* Mayor of Auckland – John Luxford from 1953–1956
* Mayor of Hamilton – Harold David Caro (from 1938 until his defeat in November) then Roderick Braithwaite (until 1959)
* Mayor of Wellington – Robert Macalister from 1950–1956
* Mayor of Christchurch – Robert M. Macfarlane from 1938–1941 and again from 1950–1958
* Mayor of Dunedin – Leonard Morton Wright from 1950–1959

## Events

* 6 January: Godfrey Bowen sets a world sheep shearing record, shearing 456 sheep in nine hours.
* 10 January: The Social Credit Political League is formed from the earlier Social Credit Association.
* 29 May – Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reach the summit of Mount Everest, the first known time this has been done. Hillary is knighted the following day.
* 2 June – Elizabeth II crowned as Queen of New Zealand at Westminster Abbey 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 – Tangiwai disaster: A railway bridge collapses at Tangiwai in the central North Island, sending a fully loaded passenger train into the Whangaehu River, killing 151 passengers on board. The disaster remains New Zealand's worst rail accident.
* Police horses are retired from New Zealand.

## Arts and literature

See 1953 in art, 1953 in literature, Category:1953 books

### Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

### Film

See: Category:1953 film awards, 1953 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1953 films

## Sport
### Athletics

* Arthur Lydiard wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:41:29.8 in Dunedin.

### Chess

* The 60th National Chess Championship was held in Timaru, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his second title).

### Horse racing
#### Harness racing

* New Zealand Trotting Cup – Adorian
* Auckland Trotting Cup – Thelma Globe

### Lawn bowls

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.
* Men's singles champion – R. McMaster (Stanley Bowling Club)
* Men's pair champions – J.F. Benson, Richard Pilkington (skip) (Balmoral Bowling Club)
* Men's fours champions – W.G. Thornally, C.B. Shine, N.A. Fletcher, N. Orange (skip) (Balmoral Bowling Club)

### Shooting

* Ballinger Belt – Maurie Gordon (Okawa)

### Soccer

* The Chatham Cup is won by Eastern Suburbs (of Auckland) who beat Northern (of Dunedin) 4–3 in the final.
* Provincial league champions:
** Auckland: Eastern Suburbs AFC
** Bay of Plenty: Mangakino Utd
** Canterbury: Western
** Hawke's Bay: Hastings Wanderers
** Manawatu: Palmerston North United
** Nelson: Woodbourne
** Northland: Otangarei United
** Otago: Northern AFC
** Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
** South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
** Southland: Brigadiers, Thistle (shared)
** Taranaki: City
** Waikato: Huntly Thistle
** Wairarapa: Carterton
** Wanganui: New Settlers
** Wellington: Wellington Marist

## Births

* 3 February: Steve Maharey, politician.
* 5 February: Deborah Coddington, journalist and politician.
* 17 February: Steve Millen, motor racing driver.
* 23 March: Denis Aberhart, cricket player and coach.
* 25 March: Paul Ballinger, long-distance runner
* 25 May: John Z. Robinson, artist, printmaker and jewelmaker.
* 14 June: Janet Mackey, politician.
* 22 June: Phil Goff, politician.
* 5 September: Murray Mexted, rugby player and commentator.
* 7 September: Marc Hunter, musician.
* 9 September: Edmond ("Sonny") Schmidt, bodybuilder.
* 12 September: Ramesh Patel, field hockey player.
* 2 October: Colin Wallace, cricketer
* 6 November: Brian McKechnie, rugby player and cricketer.
* 19 December: Paul McEwan, cricketer.
* Jonathan Dennis, film historian.
* Bill Ralston, journalist

## Deaths

* 20 January: Benjamin Robbins MLC; Mayor of Hawera, Tauranga (born 1857)
* 29 July: Richard Pearse airplane pioneer (born 1877).
* 16 October: Humphrey O'Leary, 7th Chief Justice of New Zealand.