1949 in New Zealand

1949 in New Zealand
The following lists events that happened during 1949 in New Zealand.
Most New Zealanders became New Zealand citizens in addition to being British subjects, as the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948 came into effect.
The National government of Sydney Holland was elected in the 1949 New Zealand general election.
Population
Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,892,100.
Increase since 31 December 1948: 38,200 (2.06%).
Males per 100 females: 100.7.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Head of State – George VI
Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSO
Government
The 28th New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was the Labour until after the November general election, which saw it replaced by National Party.
Iriaka Rātana (Labour) is the first Māori woman elected to Parliament.
Speaker of the House – Robert McKeen
Prime Minister – Peter Fraser then Sidney Holland
Deputy Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake (from 13 December)
Minister of Finance – Walter Nash then Sidney Holland
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Peter Fraser then Frederick Doidge
Attorney-General – Rex Mason then Clifton Webb
Chief Justice – Sir Humphrey O'Leary
Parliamentary opposition
Leader of the Opposition – Sidney Holland (National Party) until 13 December, then Peter Fraser (Labour).
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – John Allum
Mayor of Hamilton – Harold David Caro
Mayor of Wellington – Will Appleton
Mayor of Christchurch – Ernest Andrews
Mayor of Dunedin – Donald Cameron
Events
1 January: the status of New Zealand Citizen comes into existence.
9 March: Referendums on gambling (passed) and extending hotel hours (failed).
3 August: Referendum on military training (passed)
29 November: Elections to the four Māori electorates
30 November: General election won by National Party under Sidney Holland
Arts and literature
See 1949 in art, 1949 in literature, :Category:1949 books
Music
See: 1949 in music
Radio
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film
See: :Category:1949 film awards, 1949 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1949 films
Sport
Archery
National Champions
Open Men – W. Burton (Gisborne)
Open Women – D. Johnstone (Dunedin)
Athletics
George Bromley wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:40:05.6 in Christchurch.
Basketball
Interpovincial Champions: Men – Wellington
Interpovincial Champions: Women – Palmerston North
Chess
The 56th National Chess Championship was held in Wanganui, and was won by A.E. Nield of Auckland.
Cricket
Horse racing
Harness racing
New Zealand Trotting Cup – Loyal Nurse
Auckland Trotting Cup – Captain Sandy (2nd win)
Thoroughbred racing
The New Zealand horse Foxzami, ridden by W. Fellows, wins the 1949 Melbourne Cup
Lawn bowls
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.
Men's singles champion – S. Gooch (Kahutia Bowling Club)
Men's pair champions – Frank Livingstone, J.H. Mingins (skip) (Onehunga Bowling Club)
Men's fours champions – A.J. Murdoch, H.L. Rule, A. Rivers, Pete Skoglund (skip) (Otahuhu Bowling Club)
Rugby
:Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, :Category:All Blacks
3 September: The All Blacks lose two tests on the same day
Ranfurly Shield
Rugby league
New Zealand national rugby league team
Soccer
The Chatham Cup is won by Petone who beat Northern 1–0 in the final.
Provincial league champions:
Auckland: Eden
Canterbury: Technical OB
Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB
Nelson:
Otago: Northern
South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
Southland: Brigadiers
Taranaki: City
Waikato: Rotowaro
Wanganui: Wanganui Athletic
Wellington: Seatoun
Births
22 January: Cilla McQueen, poet
24 January: Bill Bush, rugby player
28 January: Mike Moore, Prime Minister and Director-General of the World Trade Organization (d. 2020)
15 February: Ashraf Choudhary, politician
19 February: Brenda Matthews, sprinter
28 April: Steve Gilpin, musician (d. 1992)
6 July: Grant McAuley, rower
20 September: Alan McIntyre, field hockey player
10 October: Lance Cairns, cricketer
2 November: Bruce Biddle, road cyclist
29 November (in England): Dave Bright, soccer player
Laurence Aberhart, photographer
Laurence Clark, cartoonist
John Hanlon, musician
Donna Awatere Huata, politician
Nigel Brown, painter
Ian Ewen-Street, politician
Deaths
25 May: George William von Zedlitz, professor of languages
20 August: Annie Lee Rees, writer.
7 October: Matiu Ratana, politician and Ratana church leader
29 October: Patrick Harvey, rugby union player
20 December: Jane Mander, novelist
28 December: Jack Lovelock''', athlete
See also
:Category:1949 births
:Category:1949 deaths
History of New Zealand
List of years in New Zealand
Military history of New Zealand
Timeline of New Zealand history
Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica
Timeline of the New Zealand environment
References
Years of the 20th century in New Zealand