1953 in New Zealand

Population

* Estimated Population as of 31 December: 2,074,700 http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/24107FC8-E7B5-4CF2-B17C-15E31CCA7D05/0/HistoricalPop.xls]
* Increase since 31/12/1952: 50,100 (2.47%)
* Males per 100 Females: 101.1

Incumbents

Regal and Vice Regal

*Head of State - Queen 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 [Statistics New Zealand: "New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990". ISSN 0078-0170 page 52]

Government

The 30th New Zealand Parliament continued. The National Party was in its second term in office under Sidney Holland.

*Speaker of the House - Mathew Oram from 1950 to 1957
*Prime Minister - Sidney Holland from December 13, 1949 to September 20, 1957.
*Deputy Prime Minister - Keith Holyoake from December 13, 1949 to September 20, 1957.
*Minister of Finance - Sidney Holland
*Minister of Foreign Affairs - Thomas Clifton Webb from September 19, 1951 to November 26, 1954

Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition - 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 Luxford from 1953-1956
*Mayor of Hamilton - Harold David Caro (from 1938 until his defeat in November) then Roderick Alastair MacDonald Braithwaite (until 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

* 6 January: Godfrey Bowen sets a world sheep shearing record, shearing 456 sheep in nine hours. [ [http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/timeline&new_date=06/01 Today in History | NZHistory ] ]
* 10 January: The Social Credit Political League is formed from the earlier Social Credit Association. ["Crusade: Social Credit’s drive for power" by Spiro Zavos (1981, INL Print, Lower Hutt) ISBN 0-86464-025-0 ]
*May 29 - Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reach the summit of Mount Everest, the first known time this has been done. Hillary is knighted the following day.
* June 2 - Queen Elizabeth II crowned at Westminster Abbey in London
* December 23 - The newly crowned Queen Elizabeth arrives in New Zealand for a royal tour scheduled to last until January 30, 1954. It is estimated that three in four New Zealanders would make an effort to see her during the tour. [http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/society/royal-visit-of-1953-54/the-royal-visit-1953-54]
* December 24 - a major rail disaster occurs at Tangiwai in the central North Island when a steam locomotive plunges into the Whangaehu River, killing 151 passengers on board.

Arts and literature

See 1953 in art, 1953 in literature,

Music

See: 1953 in music

Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

See: , 1953 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

Athletics

* Arthur Lydiard wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:41:29.8 in Dunedin.
* See: 1953 in sports , , Summer Olympic Games (See and Winter Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games (Check name).
*Rugby: , Super 14, Rugby Union World Cup, National Provincial Championship , , Bledisloe Cup , Tri Nations Series , Ranfurly Shield
*Cricket: Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team , Chappell-Hadlee Trophy , Cricket World Cup
*Gold: New Zealand Open , Check in overseas tourniments.
*Horse racing: See , list winners.
*Rugby league New Zealand Warriors , Bartercard Cup , New Zealand national rugby league team , Rugby League World Cup
*Netball: Silver Ferns , National Bank Cup , Netball World Championships
*Soccer: New Zealand champions (soccer) , New Zealand Football Championship , New Zealand National Soccer League , New Zealand national soccer team , Chatham Cup ,
*Basketball: Tall Blacks , New Zealand Breakers
*Other Sports

Births

* 3 February: Steve Maharey, politician.
* 5 February: Deborah Coddington, journalist and politician.
* 17 February: Steve Millen, motor racing driver.
* 23 March: Denis Aberhart, cricket player and coach.
* March 25: Paul Ballinger, long-distance runner
* 25 May: John Z. Robinson, artist, printmaker and jewelmaker.
* 14 June: Janet Mackey, politician.
* 22 June: Phil Goff, politician.
* 5 September: Murray Mexted, rugby player and commentator.
* 7 September: Marc Hunter, musician.
* 9 September: Edmond ("Sonny") Schmidt, bodybuilder.
* 12 September: Ramesh Patel, field hockey player.
* 6 November: Brian McKechnie, rugby player and cricketer.
* 19 December: Paul McEwan, cricketer.

* Jonathan Dennis, film historian.

Deaths

* 29 July: Richard Pearse airplane pioneer (b. 1877).
* 16 October: Humphrey O'Leary, 7th Chief Justice of New Zealand.

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 1953 not specifically related to New Zealand see": 1953