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 census was held in 1951.

* Estimated Population as of 31 December: 1,970,500 http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/24107FC8-E7B5-4CF2-B17C-15E31CCA7D05/0/HistoricalPop.xls]
* Increase since 31/12/1950: 42,800 (2.22%)
* Males per 100 Females: 100.9

Incumbents

Regal and Vice Regal

*Head of State - George VI
*Governor-General - Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSO [Statistics New Zealand: "New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990". ISSN 0078-0170 page 52]

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. [ [http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/HstBldgs/History/Resources/3/6/e/36e40376aa2842e6bcce0a4557ebf2bc.htm New Zealand Parliament - Parliament timeline ] ]

*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 Thomas Clifton Webb

Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition - Vacant until 17 January, then Walter Nash (Labour). [Cite web|url=http://www.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html|title=Elections NZ - Leaders of the Opposition|accessdate=2008-04-06]

Main centre leaders

*Mayor of Auckland - John Allum
*Mayor of Hamilton - Harold David Caro
*Mayor of Wellington - Robert Macalister
*Mayor of Christchurch - Robert M. Macfarlane
*Mayor of Dunedin - Leonard Morton Wright

Events

*The Official Secrets Act is passed.

* 15 February: The start of the "1951 Waterfront dispute" a massive labor strike lasting for 151 days.

* 1 September: Signing of the ANZUS treaty.

Arts and literature

See 1951 in art, 1951 in literature,

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'). [http://corporate.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_detail/0,2406,111544-247-252,00.html]

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

See: , 1951 in film , List of New Zealand feature films , Cinema of New Zealand,

Appointments and awards

See: New Zealand Order of Merit , Order of New Zealand
*Archbishop of New Zealand
*Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia , see appointments to Diocese

port

* See: 1951 in sports , ,

Athletics

* George Bromley wins his fourth national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:48:16 on March 3 in Wellington.
*Rugby: , , National Provincial Championship , , Bledisloe Cup, Ranfurly Shield
*Cricket: Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team , Chappell-Hadlee Trophy , Cricket World Cup
*Golf: New Zealand Open , Check in overseas tournaments.
*Horse racing: See , list winners.
*Rugby league , New Zealand national rugby league team ,
*Netball: Silver Ferns ,
*Soccer: New Zealand Football Championship , New Zealand National Soccer League , New Zealand national soccer team , Chatham Cup ,

Births

* 21 February: John Parker, cricketer.
* 29 March: Geoff Howarth, cricketer.
* 8 January: Garry Moore, mayor of Christchurch.
* 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.

* Christopher 'Marty' Johnstone, drug trafficker ('Mr Asia')
* Paul Swain, politician
* Stephen Tindall, business leader
* Maurice Williamson, politician

Deaths

* 9 January: William "Massa" Johnston, rugby and rugby league player.
* 4 November: Oscar Natzka, opera singer.
* 1 December: Te Rangi Hiroa (Peter Buck), Māori leader (b. 1877)

* Charles Tilleard Natusch, architect

References

ee also

*List of years in New Zealand
*Timeline of New Zealand history
*History of New Zealand
*Military history of New Zealand
*Timeline of environmental history of New Zealand
*Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica

"For world events and topics in 1951 not specifically related to New Zealand see": 1951