1954 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during  1954 in New Zealand.

Population

 * Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,118,400.
 * Increase since 31 December 1953: 43,700 (2.11%).
 * Males per 100 females: 101.2.

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 to 1957

Government
The 30th New Zealand Parliament expired this year. The National Party was elected to a third term in office under Sidney Holland on 13 November.


 * 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 until November, followed by Jack Watts
 * Minister of Foreign Affairs – Clifton Webb from 19 September 1951 to 26 November 1954, followed by Tom Macdonald
 * Chief Justice — Sir Harold Barrowclough

Parliamentary opposition

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

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

 * 12 January: 50,000 people mass in Wellington as Elizabeth II attends the state opening of Parliament.
 * 30 January: The Royal tour by Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh concludes at Bluff as they depart on the SS Gothic
 * 23 June – Teenagers Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme are arrested for the murder of Parker's mother.
 * 20 September – the Mazengarb Report on Moral Delinquency in Children and Adolescents is presented to Parliament.
 * 8 November – eighteen-year-old golf amateur Bob Charles causes a sensation by beating a top international field to win the New Zealand Golf Open
 * 13 November – the National Party wins re-election at a general election
 * Hastings becomes the first town in New Zealand to fluoridate its water supply.

Arts and literature
See 1954 in art, 1954 in literature

Music
See: 1954 in music

Radio

 * 2 January – First radio episode of It's in the Bag, hosted by Selwyn Toogood

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

 * The Seekers

See: Category:1954 film awards, 1954 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1954 films

Athletics

 * 20 February: Yvette Williams breaks the world long jump record by jumping 20 ft at Gisborne.
 * Edwin Rye wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:35:45 on 6 March in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Chess

 * The 61st National Chess Championship is held in Wellington, and is won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his third successive title).

Harness racing

 * New Zealand Trotting Cup – Johnny Globe
 * Auckland Trotting Cup – Caduceus

Lawn bowls
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Christchurch.
 * Men's singles champion – Robin Andrew (Onehunga Bowling Club)
 * Men's pair champions – N.A. McNabb, C.L. Spearman (skip) (Christchurch RSA Bowling Club)
 * Men's fours champions – J. Rothwell, H.L. Rule, W. O'Neill, Pete Skoglund (skip) (Otahuhu Bowling Club)

Rugby union

 * The All Blacks played four Test Matches on a tour of Europe:
 * 9 January, Lansdowne Road, Dublin: New Zealand 14 – 3 Ireland
 * 30 January, Twickenham, London: New Zealand 5 – 0 England
 * 13 February, Murrayfield, Edinburgh	New Zealand 3 – 0 Scotland
 * 27 February, Stade Colombes, Paris:	New Zealand 0 – 3 France

Soccer

 * The national men's team undertook a 10-match tour of Australia, which included 3 internationals. They played one warm-up match prior to the tour.
 * 31 July, Wellington: NZ 6 – 0 Wellington
 * 3 August, Adelaide: NZ 3 – 2	South Australia
 * 7 August, Adelaide: NZ 3 – 1	Australian XI
 * 11 August, Melbourne: NZ 1 – 2 Victoria
 * 14 August, Melbourne: NZ 2 – 1	Australia
 * 18 August, Granville: NZ 0 – 3 Granville
 * 21 August, Sydney: NZ 4 – 1	New South Wales	Benge (2), Charlton, Olley
 * 25 August, Brisbane: NZ 2 – 2 Queensland	Smith, Steele
 * 28 August, Brisbane: NZ 1 – 4 Australia'
 * 29 August, Newcastle: NZ 1 – 1 Northern Districts	Smith
 * 4 September, Sydney: NZ 1 – 4 Australia
 * 5 September, Bulli: NZ 4 – 4	South Coast
 * The Chatham Cup is won by Onehunga who beat Western of Christchurch 1–0 in the final.
 * Provincial league champions:
 * Auckland:	North Shore United
 * Bay of Plenty:	Mangakino Utd
 * Buller:	Millerton Thistle
 * Canterbury:	Western
 * Hawke's Bay:	Hastings Wanderers
 * Manawatu:	Palmerston North United
 * Nelson:	Settlers
 * Northland:	Otangarei United
 * Otago:	Northern
 * Poverty Bay:	Eastern Union
 * South Canterbury:	Northern Hearts
 * Southland:	Brigadiers
 * Taranaki:	Old Boys
 * Waikato:	Huntly Thistle
 * Wanganui:	New Settlers
 * Wellington:	Stop Out

Births
Category:1954 births
 * 17 February: Brian Houston, New Zealand-born Australian pastor.
 * 17 March: Peter Dunne, politician
 * 30 April: Jane Campion, film director.
 * 11 May: Murray Haszard, technology entrepreneur.
 * 20 May: Julie Brougham, Olympic equestrian (died 2021)
 * 15 June: Larry Ross, motorcycle speedway rider.
 * 17 June: Trevor Mallard, politician
 * 5 July: John Wright, cricket player and coach
 * 24 October: Tu Wyllie, politician
 * 18 November: Evan Gray, cricketer
 * 24 December: Graham Sligo, field hockey player

Deaths

 * 7 May: Cyril Brownlie, rugby union player.
 * 26 May: Frederick Doidge, former cabinet minister and New Zealand High Commissioner (London)
 * 1 June: Charles E. Major, politician.
 * 5 June: Alexander Stuart, politician
 * 1 August: Arthur Stallworthy, politician.
 * 7 December: George William Smith, athlete, rugby union and league player.
 * John Buckland Wright, engraver.