Rahul Sharma (Editor)

1954 in New Zealand

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Decades:
  
1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s

See also:
  
Other events of 1954Timeline of New Zealand history

Population

  • Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,118,400
  • Increase since 31 December 1953: 43,700 (2.11%)
  • Males per 100 females: 101.2

    • 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 expired this year. The National Party was elected to a third term in office under Sidney Holland on 13 November.

    Contents

  • 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 until November, followed by Jack Watts
  • Minister of Foreign Affairs – Clifton Webb from 19 September 1951 to 26 November 1954, followed by Tom Macdonald

    • Parliamentary opposition

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

    • Main centre leaders

  • Mayor of Auckland – John Luxford from 1953–1956
  • Mayor of Hamilton – Roderick Braithwaite from 1953–1959
  • 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

  • 12 January: 50,000 people mass in Wellington as Elizabeth II attends the state opening of Parliament.
  • 30 January: The Royal tour by Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh concludes at Bluff as they depart on the SS Gothic
  • 23 June – Teenagers Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme are arrested for the murder of Parker's mother.
  • 20 September – the Mazengarb Report on Moral Delinquency in Children and Adolescents is presented to Parliament.
  • 8 November – eighteen-year-old golf amateur Bob Charles causes a sensation by beating a top international field to win the New Zealand Golf Open
  • 13 November – the National Party wins re-election at a general election
  • Hastings becomes the first town in New Zealand to fluoridate its water supply.

    • Arts and literature

    See 1954 in art, 1954 in literature, Category:1954 books

    Music

    See: 1954 in music

    Radio

  • January 2 – First radio episode of It's In the Bag, hosted by Selwyn Toogood

    • See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

    Film

  • The Seekers (film)

    • See: Category:1954 film awards, 1954 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1954 films

    Athletics

    20 February: Yvette Williams breaks the world long jump record by jumping 20 feet 7½ inches (6.28 metres) at Gisborne.Edwin Rye wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:35:45 on 6 March in Hamilton, New Zealand.

    Chess

  • The 61st National Chess Championship is held in Wellington, and is won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his third successive title).

    • Harness racing

  • New Zealand Trotting Cup: Johnny Globe
  • Auckland Trotting Cup: Caduceus

    • Rugby union

  • The All Blacks played four Test Matches on a tour of Europe:
  • 9 January, Lansdowne Road, Dublin: New Zealand 14 – 3 Ireland
  • 30 January, Twickenham, London: New Zealand 5 – 0 England
  • 13 February, Murrayfield, Edinburgh New Zealand 3 – 0 Scotland
  • 27 February, Stade Colombes, Paris: New Zealand 0 – 3 France

    • Soccer

  • The national men's team undertook a 10-match tour of Australia, which included 3 internationals. They played one warm-up match prior to the tour.
  • 31 July, Wellington: NZ 6 – 0 Wellington
  • 3 August, Adelaide: NZ 3 – 2 South Australia
  • 7 August, Adelaide: NZ 3 – 1 Australian XI
  • 11 August, Melbourne: NZ 1 – 2 Victoria
  • 14 August, Melbourne: NZ 2 – 1 Australia
  • 18 August, Granville: NZ 0 – 3 Granville
  • 21 August, Sydney: NZ 4 – 1 New South Wales Benge (2), Charlton, Olley
  • 25 August, Brisbane: NZ 2 – 2 Queensland Smith, Steele
  • 28 August, Brisbane: NZ 1 – 4 Australia'
  • 29 August, Newcastle: NZ 1 – 1 Northern Districts Smith
  • 4 September, Sydney: NZ 1 – 4 Australia
  • 5 September, Bulli: NZ 4 – 4 South Coast
  • The Chatham Cup is won by Onehunga who beat Western of Christchurch 1—0 in the final.
  • Provincial league champions:
  • Auckland: North Shore United
  • Bay of Plenty: Mangakino Utd
  • Buller: Millerton Thistle
  • Canterbury: Western
  • Hawke's Bay: Hastings Wanderers
  • Manawatu: Palmerston North United
  • Nelson: Settlers
  • Northland: Otangarei United
  • Otago: Northern
  • Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
  • South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
  • Southland: Brigadiers
  • Taranaki: Old Boys
  • Waikato: Huntly Thistle
  • Wanganui: New Settlers
  • Wellington: Stop Out

    • Births

  • 17 March: Peter Dunne, politician
  • 30 April: Jane Campion, film director.
  • 11 May: Murray Haszard, technology entrepreneur.
  • 15 June: Larry Ross, motorcycle speedway rider.
  • 17 June: Trevor Mallard, politician
  • 5 July: John Wright, cricket player and coach
  • 24 October: Tu Wyllie, politician
  • 18 November: Evan Gray, cricketer
  • 24 December: Graham Sligo, field hockey player

    • Category:1954 births

    Deaths

  • 26 May: Frederick Doidge, former cabinet minister and New Zealand High Commissioner (London)
  • 7 December: George William Smith, athlete, rugby union and league player.
  • John Buckland Wright, engraver.
  • Cyril Brownlie, rugby union player.
  • Charles E. Major, politician.
  • Arthur Stallworthy, politician.

    • Category:1954 deaths

    References

    1954 in New Zealand Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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