1959 in New Zealand

Population

* Estimated Population as of 31 December: 2,359,700 http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/24107FC8-E7B5-4CF2-B17C-15E31CCA7D05/0/HistoricalPop.xls]
* Increase since 31/12/1958: 43,700 (1.89%)
* Males per 100 Females: 101.0

Incumbents

Regal and Vice Regal

*Head of State - Queen Elizabeth II
*Governor-General - The Viscount Cobham GCMG TD. [Statistics New Zealand: "New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990". ISSN 0078-0170 page 52]

Government

The 32nd New Zealand Parliament continued. In power was the Labour government lead by Walter Nash.

*Speaker of the House - Robert Macfarlane Lambert & Palenski: "The New Zealand Almanac", 1982. ISBN 0908570554]
*Prime Minister - Walter Nash
*Deputy Prime Minister - Clarence Skinner.
*Minister of Finance - Arnold Nordmeyer.
*Minister of Foreign Affairs - Walter Nash.
* Attorney-General - Rex Mason.

Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition - Keith Holyoake (National). [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 - Keith Buttle then Dove-Myer Robinson
*Mayor of Hamilton - Roderick Alastair MacDonald Braithwaite then Dennis Rogers
*Mayor of Wellington - Frank Kitts
*Mayor of Christchurch - George Manning
*Mayor of Dunedin - Leonard Morton Wright then Thomas Kay Stuart Sidey

Events

January

* 2 January: description

February

March

April

June

July

August

eptember

October

November

December

Arts and literature

*Ian Cross wins the first Robert Burns Fellowship.

See 1959 in art, 1959 in literature,

Music

See: 1959 in music

Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

See: , 1959 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: 1959 in sports , , Summer Olympic Games (See and Winter Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games (Check name).

*Athletics:Raymond Puckett wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:27:28.2 on March 7 in Palmerston North.
*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 tournaments.
*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

* 13 April: Justin Boyle , cricketer.
* 8 May: Ingrid Jagersma, cricketer.
* 9 May: Andrew Jones , cricketer.
* 16 May: Greg Johnston, rower.
* 26 May: Brett Austin , breaststroke swimmer.
* 28 May: Eric Verdonk, rower.
* 4 September: Robbie Deans , rugby player and coach.
* 14 September: Brendon Bracewell , cricketer.
* 27 September: Mark Inglis , mountaineer.
* 3 November: Vaughan Brown , cricketer.
* 12 December: George Keys, rower.

* Jules Mikus , convicted murderer.
* Bianca van Rangelrooy , artist.
* Harry Sinclair , actor, filmmaker and musician.

Deaths

* 8 April: Sir William Joseph Jordan, politician and diplomat.
* 6 December (in Scotland): Edward Hunter a.k.a. "Billy Banjo", trade unionist, politician and writer.

* Archie Fisher, painter.

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 1959 not specifically related to New Zealand see": 1959