1955 in New Zealand

← 1954 1953 1952 1955 in New Zealand → 1956 1957 1958
Decades:	1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s
See also:	Other events of 1955 Timeline of New Zealand history

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,164,800^[1]
• Increase since 31 December 1954: 46,400 (2.19%)
• Males per 100 females: 101.2

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• 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 1952-1957^[2]

Government

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

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Walter Nash (Labour).^[3]

Main centre leaders

• 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

• A pulp and paper mill opens at Kawerau
• The Rimutaka rail tunnel opened
• The Marriage Act 1955 is passed

Arts and literature

See 1955 in art, 1955 in literature, Category:1955 books

Music

See: 1955 in music

Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

See: Category:1955 film awards, 1955 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1955 films

Sport

Athletics

Arthur Lydiard wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:42:34 in Auckland.

Chess

• The 62nd National Chess Championship was held in Auckland, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his 4th successive title).^[4]

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Our Roger^[5]
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Prince Polka^[6]

Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by Western of Christchurch who beat Eastern Suburbs of Auckland 6—2 in the final.^[7]
• New Zealand played 3 matches against South China Athletic^[8]
  • 18 June, Christchurch – 1-1 draw
  • 2 July, Wellington – NZ win 7-4
  • 9 July, Auckland – NZ lose 3-5
• Provincial league champions:^[9]
  • 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

• 16 January: Steve Wooddin, soccer player^[10]
• 14 February: Margaret Knighton, equestrian eventer^[11]
• 31 March: Robert Vance, cricketer
• 2 April: Steve Sumner, soccer player
• 21 April: Tuheitia Paki, Māori King
• 27 May: Graham 'Jock' Edwards, cricketer
• 1 June: Lorraine Moller, long-distance athlete
• 19 June: Mary O'Connor, long-distance runner
• 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

• 31 January: Bob Semple, trade union leader and politician.
• 7 September: Henry Braddon, rugby union player.
• William Stewart, politician.^[12]
• John Guthrie (at sea) journalist and novelist.

Category:1955 deaths

References

1. Statistics New Zealand:Historical Population Estimates
2. Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
3. "Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition". Retrieved 6 April 2008.
4. List of New Zealand Chess Champions
5. List of NZ Trotting cup winners
6. Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
7. Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com
8. All whites record
9. "New Zealand: List of champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 1999.
10. Steve Woodin FIFA profile
11. Margaret Knighton NZOC profile
12. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.

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