1953 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during  1953 in New Zealand.

Population

 * Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,074,700.
 * Increase since 31 December 1952: 50,100 (2.47%).
 * Males per 100 females: 101.1.

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

Government
The 30th New Zealand Parliament continued. The National Party was in its second term in office under Sidney Holland.


 * Speaker of the House – Matthew 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 – Sidney Holland
 * Minister of Foreign Affairs – Clifton Webb from 19 September 1951 to 26 November 1954
 * Chief Justice — Sir Humphrey O'Leary (until 16 October), Sir Harold Barrowclough (from 17 November)

Parliamentary opposition

 * Leader of the Opposition –  Walter Nash (Labour).

Main centre leaders

 * Mayor of Auckland – John Luxford from 1953–1956
 * Mayor of Hamilton – Harold David Caro (from 1938 until his defeat in November) then Roderick Braithwaite (until 1959)
 * Mayor of Wellington – Robert Macalister from 1950–1956
 * Mayor of Christchurch – Robert M. Macfarlane from 1938–1941 and again from 1950–1958
 * Mayor of Dunedin – Leonard Morton Wright from 1950–1959

Events

 * 6 January: Godfrey Bowen sets a world sheep shearing record, shearing 456 sheep in nine hours.
 * 10 January: The Social Credit Political League is formed from the earlier Social Credit Association.
 * 29 May – Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reach the summit of Mount Everest, the first known time this has been done. Hillary is knighted the following day.
 * 2 June – Elizabeth II crowned as Queen of New Zealand at Westminster Abbey in London
 * 23 December – The newly crowned Elizabeth II arrives in New Zealand for a royal tour scheduled to last until 30 January 1954. It is estimated that three in four New Zealanders would make an effort to see her during the tour.
 * 24 December – Tangiwai disaster: A railway bridge collapses at Tangiwai in the central North Island, sending a fully loaded passenger train into the Whangaehu River, killing 151 passengers on board. The disaster remains New Zealand's worst rail accident.
 * Police horses are retired from New Zealand.

Arts and literature
See 1953 in art, 1953 in literature, Category:1953 books

Radio
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film
See: Category:1953 film awards, 1953 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1953 films

Athletics

 * Arthur Lydiard wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:41:29.8 in Dunedin.

Chess

 * The 60th National Chess Championship was held in Timaru, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his second title).

Harness racing

 * New Zealand Trotting Cup – Adorian
 * Auckland Trotting Cup – Thelma Globe

Lawn bowls
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.
 * Men's singles champion – R. McMaster (Stanley Bowling Club)
 * Men's pair champions – J.F. Benson, Richard Pilkington (skip) (Balmoral Bowling Club)
 * Men's fours champions – W.G. Thornally, C.B. Shine, N.A. Fletcher, N. Orange (skip) (Balmoral Bowling Club)

Shooting

 * Ballinger Belt – Maurie Gordon (Okawa)

Soccer

 * The Chatham Cup is won by Eastern Suburbs (of Auckland) who beat Northern (of Dunedin) 4–3 in the final.
 * Provincial league champions:
 * Auckland:	Eastern Suburbs AFC
 * Bay of Plenty:	Mangakino Utd
 * Canterbury:	Western
 * Hawke's Bay:	Hastings Wanderers
 * Manawatu:	Palmerston North United
 * Nelson:	Woodbourne
 * Northland:	Otangarei United
 * Otago:	Northern AFC
 * Poverty Bay:	Eastern Union
 * South Canterbury:	Northern Hearts
 * Southland:	Brigadiers, Thistle (shared)
 * Taranaki:	City
 * Waikato:	Huntly Thistle
 * Wairarapa:	Carterton
 * Wanganui:	New Settlers
 * Wellington:	Wellington Marist

Births

 * 3 February: Steve Maharey, politician.
 * 5 February: Deborah Coddington, journalist and politician.
 * 17 February: Steve Millen, motor racing driver.
 * 23 March: Denis Aberhart, cricket player and coach.
 * 25 March: Paul Ballinger, long-distance runner
 * 25 May: John Z. Robinson, artist, printmaker and jewelmaker.
 * 14 June: Janet Mackey, politician.
 * 22 June: Phil Goff, politician.
 * 5 September: Murray Mexted, rugby player and commentator.
 * 7 September: Marc Hunter, musician.
 * 9 September: Edmond ("Sonny") Schmidt, bodybuilder.
 * 12 September: Ramesh Patel, field hockey player.
 * 6 November: Brian McKechnie, rugby player and cricketer.
 * 19 December: Paul McEwan, cricketer.
 * Jonathan Dennis, film historian.
 * Bill Ralston, journalist

Deaths

 * 20 January: Benjamin Robbins MLC; Mayor of Hawera, Tauranga (born 1857)
 * 29 July: Richard Pearse airplane pioneer (born 1877).
 * 16 October: Humphrey O'Leary, 7th Chief Justice of New Zealand.