Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,262,800Increase since 31 December 1956: 53,600 (2.43%)Males per 100 females: 101.1Regal and viceregal
Head of State – Elizabeth IIGovernor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Norrie GCMG GCVO CB DSO MC followed by The Viscount Cobham GCMG TD.The 31st New Zealand Parliament continued. In power was the National government under Sidney Holland and later Keith Holyoake. The general election saw the Labour Party win by a narrow two-seat margin.
Speaker of the House – Mathew OramPrime Minister – Sidney Holland then Keith Holyoake then Walter NashDeputy Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake then Clarence SkinnerMinister of Finance – Jack Watts then Arnold NordmeyerMinister of Foreign Affairs – Tom Macdonald then Walter NashLeader of the Opposition – Walter Nash (Labour) until 12 December, then Keith Holyoake (National).Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – Thomas Ashby, then Keith ButtleMayor of Hamilton – Roderick BraithwaiteMayor of Wellington – Frank KittsMayor of Christchurch – Robert M. MacfarlaneMayor of Dunedin – Leonard Morton Wright20 January: Scott Base, New Zealand's main presence in Antarctica, is established by Sir Edmund Hillary.24 May: the last Empire Day is commemorated.September: Former Member of Parliament and New Zealand ambassador to the United States Leslie Munro is appointed President of the United Nations General Assembly for its twelfth session, lasting until September 1958Arts and literature
See 1957 in art, 1957 in literature, Category:1957 books
See: 1957 in music
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
See: Category:1957 film awards, 1957 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1957 films
Edwin Rye wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:44:56 in
Napier.
The 64th National Chess Championship was held in Wellington. The title was shared by A. Feneridis of Wellington and J.R. Phillips of Auckland.New Zealand Trotting Cup: LookawayAuckland Trotting Cup: Highland AirThe All Blacks played two Test matches against Australia, retaining the Bledisloe Cup:25 May, Sydney Cricket Ground: New Zealand 25 – 11 Australia1 June, Exhibition Ground, Brisbane: New Zealand 22 – 9 AustraliaThe national men's team was host to two visiting club sides:22 June, Wellington: NZ 1 – 1 Eastern Athletic24 June, Auckland: NZ 2 – 1 Eastern Athletic27 June, Auckland: NZ 1 – 7 FK Austria3 August, Wellington: NZ 1 – 7 FK AustriaThe Chatham Cup is won by Seatoun who beat Technical Old Boys 3—1 in the final.Provincial league champions:Auckland: Eastern Suburbs AFCBay of Plenty: RangersBuller: Millerton ThistleCanterbury: WesternHawke's Bay: Hastings WanderersManawatu: OhakeaMarlborough: Blenheim RangersNelson: AthleticNorthland: Otangarei UnitedOtago: King Edward Technical College OBPoverty Bay: Eastern UnionSouth Canterbury: Northern HeartsSouthland: HotspursTaranaki: CityWaikato: Huntly ThistleWairarapa: Masterton AthleticWanganui: New SettlersWellington: Seatoun AFC3 January – Dave Dobbyn, singer, songwriter28 February – Ian Smith, cricketer2 March – Stuart Gillespie, cricketer19 April – Wayne Smith, rugby player and coach30 April – Tony Rogers, middle-distance runner30 May – Allison Roe, athlete7 June – Glenn Dods, soccer player24 June – Elizabeth Fuller, children's book illustrator26 June – Michael Laws, broadcaster, writer and politician27 July – Barbara Moore, long-distance runner28 July – David Shearer, humanitarian worker and politician, Leader of the Opposition (2011–present11 August – Ruth Dyson, politician31 August (in Kenya) – Luke Hurley, singer/songwriter20 September – Michael Hurst, actor10 October – Rod Donald, environmentalist and politician, co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand (1995–2005) (died 2005)29 November – Glenys Quick, long-distance runner13 December – Wayne Shelford, rugby playerRichard Adams, violinist.George Bertrand, who became Georgina Beyer, trans-gender politician.Howard Broad, Commissioner of PoliceCategory:1957 births
19 January: Thomas Brash, dairy industry leader and Presbyterian Church moderator.21 January: Maurice Brownlie, rugby union player.18 February: Walter James Bolton, last person executed in New Zealand.2 April: Catherine Stewart, politician.26 September: Thomas Ashby, serving mayor of AucklandCategory:1957 deaths