1951 in New Zealand

1951 in New Zealand
The following lists events that happened during 1951 in New Zealand.
The year was dominated by the 1951 New Zealand waterfront dispute.
New Zealand entered a mutual defence pact with the United States and Australia – ANZUS.
Population
A New Zealand census was held in 1951.
Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,970,500.
Increase since 31 December 1950: 42,800 (2.22%).
Males per 100 females: 100.9.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Head of State – George VI
Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSO
Government
The 29th New Zealand Parliament continued. In power was the National government under Sidney Holland. The general election saw the governing National Party re-elected with a twenty-seat margin, a substantial improvement on the twelve-seat margin it previously held.
The New Zealand Legislative Council voted itself out of existence, making New Zealand a unicameral democracy.
Speaker of the House – Mathew Oram
Prime Minister – Sidney Holland
Deputy Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake
Minister of Finance – Sidney Holland
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Frederick Doidge then Clifton Webb
Chief Justice — Sir Humphrey O'Leary
Parliamentary opposition
Leader of the Opposition – Vacant until 17 January, then Walter Nash (Labour).
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – John Allum
Mayor of Hamilton – Harold Caro
Mayor of Wellington – Robert Macalister
Mayor of Christchurch – Robert Macfarlane
Mayor of Dunedin – Len Wright
Events
The Official Secrets Act is passed.
15 February: The start of the 151 day "1951 Waterfront dispute".
1 September: Signing of the ANZUS treaty.
Arts and literature
See 1951 in art, 1951 in literature, :Category:1951 books
Music
See: 1951 in music
Radio and television
Experimental television broadcasts had been allowed from 1951 (as long as they included nothing that could be classed as 'entertainment').
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film
See: :Category:1951 film awards, 1951 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1951 films
Sport
Athletics
George Bromley wins his fourth national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:48:16 on 3 March in Wellington.
Chess
The 58th National Chess Championship was held in Christchurch, and was won by D.I. Lynch of Hastings.
Horse racing
Harness racing
New Zealand Trotting Cup – Van Dieman
Auckland Trotting Cup – Soangetaha
Lawn bowls
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Wellington.
Men's singles champion – A. Graham (Johnsonville Bowling Club)
Men's pair champions – G.G. Littlejohn, A.J. Webster (skip) (Hutt Bowling Club)
Men's fours champions – A.J. Murdoch, H.L. Rule, A. Rivers, Pete Skoglund (skip) (Otahuhu Bowling Club)
Rugby league
The 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand is conducted
Rugby union
Bledisloe Cup: New Zealand beat Australia in all three tests, winning back the cup.
Ranfurly Shield: North Auckland defended the shield against Bay of Plenty (16–12) and Thames Valley (19–6) before losing it to Waikato (3–6). Waikato then defended successfully against Auckland (14–6), Bay of Plenty (32–10), Taranaki (21–12) and Wanganui (14–0).
Shooting
Ballinger Belt – Maurie Gordon (Okawa)
Soccer
The New Zealand national soccer team played 9 matches, 6 of them internationals:
11 August, Wellington: NZ 3 – 1 Victoria (Australia)
10 September, Auckland: NZ 2 – 0 Auckland
15 September, Suva: NZ 6 – 1 Suva
19 September, Nouméa: NZ 0 – 2 New Caledonia
22 September, Nouméa: NZ 6 – 4 New Caledonia
24 September, Nouméa: NZ 0 – 2 New Caledonia
30 September, Nouméa: NZ 3 – 1 New Caledonia
4 October, Nouméa: NZ 9 – 0 New Hebrides
7 October, Suva: NZ 6 – 4 Fiji
The Chatham Cup is won by Eastern Suburbs of Auckland who beat Northern of Dunedin 5— 1in the final.
Provincial league champions:
Auckland: Eastern Suburbs AFC
Buller: Millerton Thistle
Canterbury: Technical OB
Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB
Manawatu: St Andrews
Nelson: Thistle
Northland: Kamo Swifts
Otago: Northern AFC
Poverty Bay: Thistle
South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
Southland: Brigadiers
Taranaki: Old Boys
Waikato: Claudelands Rovers, Rotowaro (shared)
Wanganui: Technical College Old Boys
Wellington: Seatoun AFC
West Coast: Runanga
Births
8 January: Garry Moore, mayor of Christchurch.
24 January Dianne Macaskill, former Chief Archivist of Archives New Zealand
21 February: John Parker, cricketer.
6 March: Maurice Williamson, politician, cabinet minister
29 March: Geoff Howarth, cricketer.
22 June: Todd Hunter, musician.
3 July: Richard Hadlee, cricketer.
21 July: (in Fiji) Bernie Fraser, rugby player.
14 August: Vern Hanaray, road cyclist.
14 September: Karen Plummer, cricketer.
20 September: Stephen Boock, cricketer.
27 October: Rick Barker, politician.
16 November: Andy Dalton, rugby player.
21 November: Joe Karam, rugby union and rugby league player, lobbyist.
8 December: Paul Brydon, road and track cyclist.
9 December: Tuariki Delamere, politician.
20 December: Paul Swain, politician
Geoff Cochrane, poet and novelist (died 2022)
Marty Johnstone, drug trafficker ('Mr Asia')
Stephen Tindall, business leader
Deaths
9 January: William "Massa" Johnston, rugby and rugby league player.
16 July: Charles Tilleard Natusch, architect
4 November: Oscar Natzka, opera singer.
1 December: Te Rangi Hīroa, Māori leader (born 1877)
See also
List of years in New Zealand
Timeline of New Zealand history
History of New Zealand
Military history of New Zealand
Timeline of the New Zealand environment
Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica
References
External links
Years of the 20th century in New Zealand