411 REFERENCE · Wikipedia
1959 in New Zealand
Reference material by Wikipedia contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
none
February 2020
1959
The following lists events that happened during 1959 in New Zealand.
Population
Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,359,700.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 1958: 43,700 (1.89%).
Males per 100 females: 101.0.
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
The 32nd New Zealand Parliament continued. In power was the Labour government led by Walter Nash.
Speaker of the House – Robert MacfarlaneLambert & Palenski: The New Zealand Almanac, 1982. 0-908570-55-4
Prime Minister – Walter Nash
Deputy Prime Minister – Jerry Skinner.
Minister of Finance – Arnold Nordmeyer.
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Walter Nash.
Attorney-General – Rex Mason.
Chief Justice — Sir Harold Barrowclough
Parliamentary opposition
Leader of the Opposition – Keith Holyoake (National).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 – Keith Buttle then Dove-Myer Robinson
Mayor of Hamilton – Roderick Braithwaite then Denis Rogers
Mayor of Wellington – Frank Kitts
Mayor of Christchurch – George Manning
Mayor of Dunedin – Leonard Morton Wright then Stuart Sidey
Events
30 May –The Auckland Harbour Bridge is opened.Peter Hinze, New Zealand (Hunter Publishing, Inc, 1998), p34
1 June – During exploratory oil drilling at Kapuni in South Taranaki, drillers appear to strike natural gas.Early petroleum exploration, 1865–1960 Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand https://teara.govt.nz/en/oil-and-gas/page-4 2025-08-10 teara.govt.nz en2 June 1959 Drill At Kapuni Said To Have Struck Gas https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19590602.2.75 The Press 10
24 November – The coastal trader MV Holmglen sinks near Timaru with the loss of 15 lives.http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/714100 Diver lost off South Canterbury coast 11 November 2008 The Timaru Herald 30 September 2009
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: :Category:1959 film awards, 1959 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1959 films
Sport
Athletics
Ray Puckett wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:27:28.2 on 7 March in Palmerston North.
Chess
The 66th National Chess Championship was held in Hamilton. The title was shared between F.A. Foulds and B.C. Menzies, both of Auckland.List of New Zealand Chess Champions https://web.archive.org/web/20081014052518/http://www.poisonpawn.co.nz/nzcftitles.htm 14 October 2008
Horse racing
Harness racing
New Zealand Trotting Cup – False Step (2nd win)http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/nz_trotting_cup.htm List of NZ Trotting cup winners 5 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 – Scottish CommandAuckland 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 Wellington.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 – W.R. Fleming Sr (Tuakau Bowling Club)
Men's pair champions – G. Bradley, H.J. Thompson (skip) (Whitiora Bowling Club)
Men's fours champions – T. Sunde, C. Hill, A. Sunde, M.A. Marinovich (skip) (Oratia Bowling Club)
Rugby union
The British Lions team toured New Zealand, losing the Test series 3–1. They also lost two of their 21 provincial games, to Canterbury and Otago.Pick and Go rugby results database
18 July, Carisbrook, Dunedin: New Zealand 18 – 17 British Isles
15 August, Athletic Park, Wellington: New Zealand 11 – 8 British Isles
29 August, Lancaster Park, Christchurch: New Zealand 22 – 8 British Isles
19 September, Eden Park, Auckland: New Zealand 6 – 9 British Isles
Soccer
The national men's team played one match against a visiting Costa Rican club side:List of New Zealand national soccer matches
6 June, Auckland: NZ 3 – 2 Deportivo Saprissa
The Chatham Cup was won by Dunedin team Northern who beat North Shore United 3–2 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: Kahukura
Buller: Denniston Hotspurs
Canterbury: Western
Hawke's Bay: Napier Athletic
Manawatu: Kiwi United
Marlborough: Woodbourne
Nelson: Rangers
Northland: Otangarei United
Otago: Northern
Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
South Canterbury: West End
Southland: Rovers
Taranaki: Moturoa
Waikato: Hamilton Technical OB
Wairarapa: Douglas Villa
Wanganui: New Settlers
Wellington: Northern
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.
17 June: Vivienne Gapes, skier.
20 August: David Howard, poet.
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.
Bianca van Rangelrooy , artist.
Harry Sinclair , actor, filmmaker and musician.
Deaths
23 February: Gordon Wilson, Government architect.
8 April: Sir Bill Jordan, politician and diplomat.
8 June: George Dash, politician
7 November: Archie Fisher, painter.Blackley Roger 4F15 Fisher, Archibald Joseph Charles 1896–1959 5 April 2011
8 November: Walter William Massey, MP and politician
6 December (in Scotland): Edward Hunter a.k.a. Billy Banjo, trade unionist, politician and writer.
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
References
External links
1959 in yes
Category:Years of the 20th century in New Zealand