The following lists events that happened during 1961 in New Zealand.

1961
in
New Zealand

Decades:
See also:

Population edit

  • Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,461,300.[1]
  • Increase since 31 December 1960: 57,700 (2.40%).[1]
  • Males per 100 females: 101.2.[1]

Incumbents edit

Regal and viceregal edit

Government edit

Parliamentary opposition edit

Main centre leaders edit

Events edit

January edit

  • The Ohakuri hydroelectric power plant starts operation.

February edit

March edit

April edit

June edit

July edit

August edit

September edit

October edit

November edit

December edit

Arts and literature edit

See 1961 in art, 1961 in literature

Music edit

See: 1961 in music

Radio and television edit

  • Auckland television is extended to seven nights a week, two and a half hours a night. On 4 April, Auckland television went commercial. [1] Archived 15 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  • Television transmission began in Christchurch (a year later than Auckland) on 1 June. Wellington followed four weeks later, on 1 July. [2]

See: 1961 in New Zealand television, 1961 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Public broadcasting in New Zealand & Category:Television in New Zealand.

Film edit

See: Category:1961 film awards, 1961 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1961 films

Sport edit

Athletics edit

Chess edit

  • The 68th National Chess Championship was held in Auckland, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his 6th title).[5]

Cricket edit

  • New Zealand tours South Africa (spanning December 1961 – February 1962) and drew the 5-Test series 2-2:[6]
    • 8–12 December 1961, Durban: 1st Test. SA won by 30 runs (SA 292 + 149, NZ 245 and 166)
    • 26–29 December 1961, Johannesburg: 2nd Test Drawn (SA 322 + 178/6 decl, NZ 223 + 165/4)
    • 1–4 January 1962, Cape Town: 3rd Test. NZ won by 72 runs (NZ 385 + 212/9 decl., SA 190 + 335)
    • 2–5 February 1962, Johannesburg: 4th test. SA won by innings & 51 runs (NZ 164 + 249, SA 464)
    • 16–20 February 1962, Port Elizabeth: 5th Test: NZ won by 40 runs (NZ 275 + 228, SA 190 + 273)

Horse racing edit

Harness racing edit

Lawn bowls edit

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.[9]

  • Men's singles champion – J.H. Rabone (Auckland Bowling Club)
  • Men's pair champions – N. Posa, M. Vulinovich (skip) (Oratia Bowling Club)
  • Men's fours champions – J. Hammersley, L.N. Harris, R.S. Eves, M.J. Squire (skip) (West End Bowling Club, New Plymouth)

Rugby union edit

  • France tour New Zealand, losing all three Test matches:[10]
    • 22 July, Eden Park, Auckland: New Zealand 13 – 6 France
    • 5 August, Athletic Park, Wellington: New Zealand 5 – 3 France
    • 19 August, lancaster Park, Christchurch: New Zealand 32 – 3 France

Soccer edit

  • An English FA XI tours New Zealand, handing out two heavy defeats to the national men's team.[11]
    • 5 June, Wellington: NZ 0 – 8 English FA XI
    • 10 June, Auckland: NZ 1 – 6 English FA XI
  • The Chatham Cup was won by Dunedin team Northern who beat North Shore United 2 – 0 in the final.[12]
  • Provincial league champions:[13]
    • Auckland: North Shore United
    • Bay of Plenty: Kawerau Town
    • Buller: Waimangaroa United
    • Canterbury: Technical OB
    • Franklin: Manurewa AFC
    • Hawke's Bay: Napier Rovers
    • Manawatu: Ohakea
    • Marlborough: Spartans
    • Nelson: Rangers
    • Northland: Kamo Swifts
    • Otago: Northern AFC
    • Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
    • South Canterbury: Thistle
    • Southland: Invercargill Thistle
    • Taranaki: Moturoa
    • Waikato: Hamilton Technical OB
    • Wairarapa: YMCA
    • Wanganui: New Settlers
    • Wellington: Northern
    • West Coast: Grey United

Births edit

Category:1961 births

Deaths edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Historical population estimates tables". Statistics New Zealand. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017.
  2. ^ Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
  3. ^ a b c d e Lambert & Palenski: The New Zealand Almanac, 1982. ISBN 0-908570-55-4
  4. ^ "Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition". Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
  5. ^ List of New Zealand Chess Champions Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Cricinfo Archive
  7. ^ "List of NZ Trotting cup winners". Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
  8. ^ Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz Archived 17 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Pick and Go rugby results database
  11. ^ List of New Zealand national soccer matches
  12. ^ Chatham Cup: nzsoccer.com Archived 14 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ "New Zealand: List of champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 1999.

See also edit