1956 in New Zealand

Population

* Estimated Population as of 31 December: 2,209,200 http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/24107FC8-E7B5-4CF2-B17C-15E31CCA7D05/0/HistoricalPop.xls]
* Increase since 31/12/1955: 44,400 (2.05%)
* Males per 100 Females: 101.2

Incumbents

Regal and Vice Regal

*Head of State - Queen Elizabeth II
*Governor-General - Lieutenant-General The Lord Norrie GCMG GCVO CB DSO MC. [Statistics New Zealand: "New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990". ISSN 0078-0170 page 52]

Government

The 31st New Zealand Parliament continued. In power was the National government under Sidney Holland.

*Speaker of the House - Mathew Oram Lambert & Palenski: "The New Zealand Almanac", 1982. ISBN 0908570554]
*Prime Minister - Sidney Holland.
*Deputy Prime Minister - Keith Holyoake.
*Minister of Finance - Jack Watts.
*Minister of Foreign Affairs - Thomas MacDonald.
*Attorney-General - Jack Marshall.

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.followed by Thomas Ashby from 1956-57
*Mayor of Hamilton - Roderick Alastair MacDonald Braithwaite
*Mayor of Wellington - Robert Macalister, followed by Frank Kitts.
*Mayor of Christchurch - Robert M. Macfarlane.
*Mayor of Dunedin - Leonard Morton Wright.

Events

* March 8: Opo the friendly Dolphin dies in the Hokianga.
* March 13 - After 26 years playing international cricket the New Zealand wins its first ever test victory against the West Indies at Eden Park.

* New Zealand troops are sent to Malaya
* the Roxburgh Dam is opened

Arts and literature

See 1956 in art, 1956 in literature,

Music

See: 1956 in music

Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

See: , 1956 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: 1956 in sports , , Summer Olympic Games
*Athletics:Albert Richards wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:31:46 in Christchurch.
*Rugby: , , Bledisloe Cup , Ranfurly Shield
*Cricket: Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team
*Golf: New Zealand Open , Check in overseas tourniments.
*Horse racing: See , list winners.
*Rugby league New Zealand national rugby league team
*Soccer: New Zealand National Soccer League , New Zealand national soccer team , Chatham Cup

Births

* 3 January: Judith Tizard, politician.
* January 6: Stephen Cox, cyclist.
* 16 January: Mark Burton, politician.
* 1 March: Mark Todd, equestrian eventer.
* 3 March: John F. Reid, cricketer.
* 13 April: Peter 'Possum' Bourne, rally driver.
* 26 April: Tinks Pottinger, equestrian eventer.
* 8 May: Richard Wilson, soccer player.
* 10 May: Chris Kuggeleijn, cricket player and coach.
* 23 May: Mark Shaw, rugby union footballer and selector. [ [http://stats.allblacks.com/Profile.asp?ABID=783 Mark Shaw, allblacks.com] ]
* 18 August: Andrew Bennie, equestrian eventer.
* 8 November: Richard Curtis, screenwriter.
* 23 November: Bruce Edgar, cricketer.
* 12 December: Barry Pickering, soccer player.
* 16 December: Rodney Hide, politician.

* James Belich, historian.
* Gerry Brownlee, politician.
* (in Paris, France) Christopher Marshall, composer.
* Jenny Morris, singer.
* Vincent Ward, film director.
* Douglas Wright, dancer and choreographer.

Deaths

* George Gillett, rugby player.
* Bernard Martin, politician.
* James Thorn, labour leader and politician. [ [http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/T/ThornJames/ThornJames/en Te Ara] ]
* James Alexander Young, politician.

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 1956 not specifically related to New Zealand see": 1956