The following lists events that happened during 1959 in New Zealand.
Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,359,700. 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. 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).
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. 24 November – The coastal trader MV Holmglen sinks near Timaru with the loss of 15 lives.
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
Horse racing
Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup – False Step (2nd win) Auckland Trotting Cup – Scottish CommandAuckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
Lawn bowls The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Wellington. 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 Provincial league champions: 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. 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