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1961 in New Zealand
Reference material by Wikipedia contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
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February 2020
1961
The following lists events that happened during 1961 in New Zealand.
Population
Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,461,300.Historical population estimates tables http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx https://web.archive.org/web/20171231000952/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx 31 December 2017 Statistics New Zealand
Increase since 31 December 1960: 57,700 (2.40%).
Males per 100 females: 101.2.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Head of State – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – The Viscount Cobham GCMG TD.Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
Government
Speaker of the House – Ronald Algie.Lambert & Palenski: The New Zealand Almanac, 1982. 0-908570-55-4
Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake
Deputy Prime Minister – Jack Marshall.
Minister of Finance – Harry Lake.
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Keith Holyoake.
Attorney-General – Ralph Hanan.
Chief Justice — Sir Harold Barrowclough
Parliamentary opposition
Leader of the Opposition – Walter Nash (Labour)http://www.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition 6 April 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081017200326/http://www1.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html 17 October 2008 dead dmy-all
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – Dove-Myer Robinson
Mayor of Hamilton – Denis Rogers
Mayor of Wellington – Frank Kitts
Mayor of Christchurch – George Manning
Mayor of Dunedin – Stuart Sidey
Events
January
The Ohakuri hydroelectric power plant starts operation.
February
March
April
23 April – Emergency number 111 is introduced in Wellington.24 April 1961 EMERGENCY SERVICE HAS FALSE CALLS https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19610424.2.68?end_date=31-12-1961&items_per_page=10&query=111+emergency&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1961 The Press 10
June
1 June – Television begin transmission in Christchurch
July
1 July – Television begin transmission in Wellington.
August
September
October
12 October – Ten National MPs voted with the Opposition to remove capital punishment for murder from the Crimes Bill that the Second National Government had introduced, by a vote of 41 to 30.
November
December
Arts and literature
John Caselburg wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
See 1961 in art, 1961 in literature
Music
See: 1961 in music
Radio and television
Auckland television is extended to seven nights a week, two and a half hours a night. On 4 April, Auckland television went commercial. https://web.archive.org/web/20160115011249/http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz/pdf/tvnz_timeline.pdf 15 January 2016
Television transmission began in Christchurch (a year later than Auckland) on 1 June. Wellington followed four weeks later, on 1 July.
2 December – Radio station 1YW launches in Hamilton on 1140 kHz.24 November 1961 New Installations https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19611124.2.10 New Zealand Listener 8
5 December – Radio station 3YW launches in Westport on 1460 kHz.
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
See: :Category:1961 film awards, 1961 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1961 films
Sport
Athletics
Barry Magee wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:18:54.2 on 4 March in Christchurch.
Chess
The 68th National Chess Championship was held in Auckland, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his 6th title).List of New Zealand Chess Champions https://web.archive.org/web/20081014052518/http://www.poisonpawn.co.nz/nzcftitles.htm 14 October 2008
Cricket
New Zealand tours South Africa (spanning December 1961 – February 1962) and drew the 5-Test series 2-2:Cricinfo Archive
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
Harness racing
New Zealand Trotting Cup – Invictahttp://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/nz_trotting_cup.htm List of NZ Trotting cup winners 6 May 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20120222233106/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/nz_trotting_cup.htm 22 February 2012 dead dmy-all
Auckland Trotting Cup – Cardigan BayAuckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz https://web.archive.org/web/20090617211531/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race2.htm 17 June 2009
Lawn bowls
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.McLintock A.H. Alexander Hare McLintock Bowls, men's outdoor—tournament winners An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/bowls-mens-outdoor/page-5 6 June 2018 1966 Ministry for Culture and Heritage
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
France tour New Zealand, losing all three Test matches:Pick and Go rugby results database
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
An English FA XI tours New Zealand, handing out two heavy defeats to the national men's team.List of New Zealand national soccer matches
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.Chatham Cup: nzsoccer.com https://web.archive.org/web/20090314234154/http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/chatham_cup_records.html 14 March 2009
Provincial league champions:https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nzchamp.html New Zealand: List of champions Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation 1999
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
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
9 May: Michael Mayell, entrepreneur and founder of Cookie Time.
10 May: Blyth Tait, equestrian.
26 June: David White, cricketer.
9 August: John Key, politician, 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand (2008–2016)
12 August: Mark Priest, cricketer.
5 October: David Kirk, rugby player and business executive.
5 October: Derek Stirling, cricketer.
10 October: Gary Hurring, swimmer.
31 October: Peter Jackson, filmmaker.
15 November: Hugh McGahan, rugby league footballer.
28 November: Bruce Derlin, tennis player.
9 December: Ian Wright, rower.
30 December: Bill English, politician, 39th Prime Minister of New Zealand (2016–2017)
Michael Hight, painter.
Willie Jackson, politician and broadcaster.
Grant Lingard, artist.
Anthony McCarten, playwright and novelist.
:Category:1961 births
Deaths
25 June: Jack Lamason, cricketer.
19 July: Mary Dreaver, politician.
5 August: Sidney Holland, 25th Prime Minister of New Zealand.
8 November: Frederick Vincent Ellis, artist.
14 December: William Duncan, rugby union player.
References
See also
List of years in New Zealand
Timeline of New Zealand history
History of New Zealand
Military history of New Zealand
Timeline of the New Zealand environment
Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica
1961
Category:1960s in New Zealand
Category:Years of the 20th century in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand