The following lists events that happened during 1955 in New Zealand.
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Population edit
Incumbents edit
Regal and viceregal edit
- Head of State – Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, from 6 February 1952
- Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Norrie GCMG GCVO CB DSO MC, from 1952 to 1957[2]
Government edit
The 31st New Zealand Parliament continued. In power was the National government under Sidney Holland.
- Speaker of the House – Mathew Oram from 1950 to 1957
- Prime Minister – Sidney Holland from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.
- Deputy Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.
- Minister of Finance – Jack Watts from November 1954 until 20 September 1957
- Minister of Foreign Affairs – Tom Macdonald from 26 November 1954 until 12 December 1957
- Chief Justice — Sir Harold Barrowclough
Parliamentary opposition edit
Main centre leaders edit
- Mayor of Auckland – John Luxford from 1953 to 1956
- Mayor of Hamilton – Roderick Braithwaite from 1953 to 1959
- Mayor of Wellington – Robert Macalister from 1950 to 1956
- Mayor of Christchurch – Robert M. Macfarlane from 1938 to 1941 and again from 1950 to 1958
- Mayor of Dunedin – Leonard Morton Wright from 1950 to 1959
Events edit
- A pulp and paper mill opens at Kawerau
- The Rimutaka rail tunnel opened
- The Marriage Act 1955 is passed
Arts and literature edit
See 1955 in art, 1955 in literature
Music edit
See: 1955 in music
Radio edit
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film edit
See: Category:1955 film awards, 1955 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1955 films
Sport edit
Athletics edit
- Arthur Lydiard wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:42:34 in Auckland.
Chess edit
- The 62nd National Chess Championship was held in Auckland, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his 4th successive title).[4]
Horse racing edit
Harness racing edit
- New Zealand Trotting Cup – Our Roger[5]
- Auckland Trotting Cup – Prince Polka[6]
Lawn bowls edit
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Wellington.[7]
- Men's singles champion – J.H. Rabone (Northern Bowling Club)
- Men's pair champions – W.R. Hawkins, M.G. Borich (skip) (Hamilton Bowling Club)
- Men's fours champions – J. Whitehead, E.A. Horan, A. Robinson, I.B. Evans (skip) (Omarunui Bowling Club)
Soccer edit
- The Chatham Cup is won by Western of Christchurch who beat Eastern Suburbs of Auckland 6–2 in the final.[8]
- New Zealand played 3 matches against South China Athletic[9]
- 18 June, Christchurch – 1–1 draw
- 2 July, Wellington – NZ win 7-4
- 9 July, Auckland – NZ lose 3-5
- Provincial league champions:[10]
- Auckland: Mount Albert GSOB
- Bay of Plenty: Mangakino Utd
- Buller: Millerton Thistle
- Canterbury: Western
- Hawke's Bay: Napier Rovers
- Manawatu: Kiwi United
- Nelson: Motueka
- Northland: Otangarei United
- Otago: King Edward Technical College OB
- Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
- South Canterbury: West End
- Southland: Invercargill Thistle
- Taranaki: Old Boys
- Waikato: Huntly Thistle
- Wanganui: Wanganui Athletic
- Wellington: Stop Out
Births edit
- 16 January: Steve Wooddin, soccer player[11]
- 14 February: Margaret Knighton, equestrian eventer[12]
- 31 March: Robert Vance, cricketer
- 2 April: Steve Sumner, soccer player
- 21 April: Tūheitia Paki, Māori King
- 27 May: Graham 'Jock' Edwards, cricketer
- 1 June: Lorraine Moller, long-distance athlete
- 19 June: Mary O'Connor, long-distance runner
- 16 September: Peter Verhoek, cricketer
- 29 September: Mark Graham, rugby league footballer and coach
- 1 November: Anne Audain, middle and long-distance athlete
- 12 November: Roger Sumich, cyclist
- 26 November: Barbara Tilden, field hockey player
- 2 December: Mark Gosche, politician
- 7 December: Te Ururoa Flavell, politician
- David Hamilton, composer
Deaths edit
- 31 January: Bob Semple, trade union leader and politician.
- 7 May: Melville Lyons, politician
- 24 May: Louis Hekenui Bidois, policeman[13]
- 5 June (in England): George Skellerup, industrialist
- 7 September: Henry Braddon, rugby union player.
- 14 December: William Stewart, politician.[14]
- Undated: John Guthrie (at sea) journalist and novelist.
References edit
- ^ a b c "Historical population estimates tables". Statistics New Zealand. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017.
- ^ Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
- ^ "Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition". Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
- ^ List of New Zealand Chess Champions Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ List of NZ Trotting cup winners Archived 22 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz Archived 17 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ McLintock, A.H., ed. (1966). "Bowls, men's outdoor—tournament winners". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com Archived 14 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ All whites record Archived 29 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "New Zealand: List of champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 1999.
- ^ Steve Woodin FIFA profile Archived 10 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Margaret Knighton NZOC profile[permanent dead link]
- ^ Rorke, Jinty. "Louis Hekenui Bidois". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.