Population

• Estimated Population as of 31 December: 2,262,800
• Increase since 31 December 1956: 53,600 (2.43%)
• Males per 100 Females: 101.1

Regal and Vice Regal

• Head of State
  Head of State
  A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
  
   – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General
  Governor-General of New Zealand
  The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
  
   – Lieutenant-General The Lord Norrie
  Charles Norrie, 1st Baron Norrie
  Lieutenant-General Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie, 1st Baron Norrie GCMG, GCVO, CB, DSO, MC & Bar was a British Army general during World War II, following which he served terms as Governor of South Australia and the eighth Governor-General of New Zealand.-Army career:After education at Eton and...
  
  GCMG
  Order of St Michael and St George
  The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
  
   GCVO
  Royal Victorian Order
  The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
  
   CB
  Order of the Bath
  The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
  
   DSO
  Distinguished Service Order
  The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
  
   MC
  Military Cross
  The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
  
  followed by The Viscount Cobham
  Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham
  Charles John Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham, KG, GCMG, GCVO, TD, PC was the ninth Governor-General of New Zealand and an English cricketer.-Early life and family:...
  
  GCMG
  Order of St Michael and St George
  The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
  
   TD
  Territorial Decoration
  The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
  
  .

Government

• Speaker of the House
  Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
  In New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
  
   – Mathew Oram
• Prime Minister
  Prime Minister of New Zealand
  The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
  
   – Sidney Holland
  Sidney Holland
  Sir Sidney George Holland, GCMG, CH was the 25th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.-Early life:...
  
   then Keith Holyoake
  Keith Holyoake
  Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...
  
  then Walter Nash
  Walter Nash
  Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
  
  
• Deputy Prime Minister
  Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
  The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power....
  
   – Keith Holyoake
  Keith Holyoake
  Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...
  
  then Clarence Skinner
  Clarence Skinner (politician)
  Clarence Farrington Skinner, MC, was a Labour politician from New Zealand, former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and a Minister 1943 – 1949 and 1957 – 1960 in the First and Second Labour governments.-Personal information:Skinner was in the New Zealand Army in the Middle East in World War...
  
  
• Minister of Finance
  Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
  The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
  
   – Jack Watts then Arnold Nordmeyer
  Arnold Nordmeyer
  Sir Arnold Henry Nordmeyer, ONZ, KCMG , born Heinrich Arnold Nordmeyer, was a New Zealand politician. He was leader of the Labour Party for three years while it was in Opposition.-Early life:...
  
  
• Minister of Foreign Affairs
  Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)
  The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...
  
   – Thomas Lachlan MacDonald then Walter Nash
  Walter Nash
  Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
  
  

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition
  Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand)
  The Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand is the politician who, at least in theory, commands the support of the non-government bloc of members in the New Zealand Parliament. In the debating chamber the Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister...
  
   – Walter Nash
  Walter Nash
  Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
  
  (Labour
  New Zealand Labour Party
  The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
  
  ) until 12 December, then Keith Holyoake
  Keith Holyoake
  Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...
  
  (National
  New Zealand National Party
  The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
  
  ).

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland
  Mayor of Auckland
  The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...
  
   – Thomas Ashby
  Thomas Ashby (mayor)
  Thomas William Mark Ashby was a New Zealand local body administrator and Mayor of Auckland City from 1956 to 1957. He was Auckland Town Clerk 1944-55, and secretary of the committee for the 1950 British Empire Games at Auckland.In November 1956, he defeated the previous mayor John Luxford...
  
  then Keith Buttle
  Keith Buttle
  Keith Nicolson Buttle was a New Zealand businessman and Mayor of Auckland City from 1957 to 1959. He replaced Thomas Ashby in a by-election in November 1957; Ashby died part-way through his term....
  
  
• Mayor of Hamilton
  Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand
  The Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand is the head of the municipal government of Hamilton, New Zealand, and presides over the Hamilton City Council.In the 2010 Local Government elections, Julie Hardaker was elected as mayor, defeating incumbent Bob Simcock....
  
   – Roderick Alastair MacDonald Braithwaite
• Mayor of Wellington
  Mayor of Wellington
  The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...
  
   – Frank Kitts
  Frank Kitts
  Sir Francis "Frank" Joseph Kitts was the longest-serving Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand, having held the post from 1956 to 1974. He was the Labour Member of Parliament for Wellington Central from 1954 to 1960, when he was defeated by the National candidate Dan Riddiford.Kitts was on the...
  
  
• Mayor of Christchurch
  Mayor of Christchurch
  The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
  
   – Robert M. Macfarlane
• Mayor of Dunedin
  Mayor of Dunedin
  The Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....
  
   – Leonard Morton Wright

Events

• 20 January: Scott Base
  Scott Base
  Scott Base is a research facility located in Antarctica and is operated by New Zealand. It was named after Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Royal Navy, leader of two British expeditions to the Ross Sea area of Antarctica...
  
  , New Zealand's main presence in Antarctica, is established by Sir Edmund Hillary
  Edmund Hillary
  Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
  
  .
• 24 May: the last Empire Day is commemorated.
• September: Former Member of Parliament and New Zealand ambassador to the United States
  United States
  The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
  
   Leslie Munro
  Leslie Munro
  Sir Leslie Knox Munro, KCMG, KCVO was a New Zealand lawyer, journalist, and politician of international standing.-Law and media:...
  
   is appointed President of the United Nations General Assembly
  President of the United Nations General Assembly
  The President of the United Nations General Assembly is a position voted for by representatives in the United Nations General Assembly on a yearly basis.- Election :...
  
   for its twelfth session, lasting until September 1958

Film

Appointments and awards

• Archbishop of New Zealand
  Archbishop of New Zealand
  The Archbishop of New Zealand is the primate, or head, of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. However, since Whakahuihui Vercoe stepped down at the end of his two-year term as archbishop in 2006, the church has decided that three bishops shall share the position and style of...
  
  
• Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
  Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
  The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is a church of the Anglican Communion serving New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands...
  
   , see appointments to Diocese

Athletics

Edwin Rye wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:44:56 in Napier

Napier, New Zealand

Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...

.

Chess

• The 64th National Chess Championship was held in Wellington. The title was shared by A. Feneridis of Wellington and J.R. Phillips of Auckland.

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup
  New Zealand Trotting Cup
  The New Zealand Trotting Cup or New Zealand Cup is a Group One harness race held annually by the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is considered the country's most prestigious harness racing event. the prize was NZ$750,000, the largest prize for a...
  
  : Lookaway
• Auckland Trotting Cup
  Auckland Trotting Cup
  The Auckland Trotting Cup or Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in March in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year. It is notable as it is a Group 1 championship race over...
  
  : Highland Air

Rugby union

• The All Blacks
  All Blacks
  The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
  
   played two Test matches against Australia, retaining the Bledisloe Cup
  Bledisloe Cup
  Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
  
  :
  • 25 May, Sydney Cricket Ground: New Zealand 25 – 11 Australia
  • 1 June, Exhibition Ground, Brisbane: New Zealand 22 – 9 Australia

Soccer

• The national mens team was host to two visiting club sides:
  • 22 June, Wellington: NZ 1 – 1 Eastern Athletic
  • 24 June, Auckland: NZ 2 – 1 Eastern Athletic
  • 27 June, Auckland: NZ 1 – 7 FK Austria
  • 3 August, Wellington: NZ 1 – 7 FK Austria
• The Chatham Cup
  1957 Chatham Cup
  The 1957 Chatham Cup was the 30th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.The competition was run on a regional basis, with regional associations each holding separate qualifying rounds...
  
   is won by Seatoun
  Seatoun (soccer)
  Seatoun AFC is a football club in New Zealand, based in the Wellington suburb of Seatoun. One of the strongest clubs in the country during the 1950s, it won the national knockout Chatham Cup in 1957 and 1958...
  
   who beat Technical Old Boys
  Christchurch Technical
  Christchurch Technical was a soccer club based in Christchurch, New Zealand.It was formed in 1923 as Technical Old Boys. The club changed its name to ChristchurchTechnical in 1968. It was also known temporarily as ChristchurchCity....
  
   3—1 in the final.
• Provincial league champions:
  • Auckland: Eastern Suburbs AFC
    Eastern Suburbs AFC
    Eastern Suburbs is a semi-professional association football club in Kohimarama, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.-Club history:...
    
    
  • Bay of Plenty: Rangers
  • Buller: Millerton Thistle
  • Canterbury: Western
    Western A.F.C.
    Western A.F.C. is a semi-professional association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League.-1913–1920:...
    
    
  • Hawke's Bay: Hastings Wanderers
  • Manawatu: Ohakea
  • Marlborough: Blenheim Rangers
  • Nelson: Athletic
  • Northland: Otangarei United
  • Otago: King Edward Technical College OB
    Dunedin Technical
    Dunedin Technical - known locally as "Tech" - is a semi-professional association football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They compete in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.-Club history:...
    
    
  • Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
    Gisborne City
    Gisborne City FC is a soccer club in Gisborne, New Zealand who play in the eastern league 1st division. Their home ground is Childers Road. They have won the National League, Air New Zealand cup, and the Chatham Cup....
    
    
  • South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
  • Southland: Hotspurs
  • Taranaki: City
  • Waikato: Huntly Thistle
  • Wairarapa: Masterton Athletic
  • Wanganui: New Settlers
  • Wellington: Seatoun AFC

Births

• 3 January: Dave Dobbyn
  Dave Dobbyn
  Dave Dobbyn, ONZM is an award-winning New Zealand musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. In his early career he was a member of the rock group Th' Dudes and was the main creative force in pop band DD Smash...
  
  , singer, songwriter
• 28 February: Ian Smith, cricketer
• 2 March: Stuart Gillespie
  Stuart Gillespie
  Stuart Ross Gillespie is a former New Zealand cricketer who played one Test and 19 One Day Internationals for the New Zealand cricket team....
  
  , cricketer
• 19 April: Wayne Smith
  Wayne Smith (rugby player)
  Wayne Ross Smith is a former rugby union footballer, and currently a rugby union coach. He is currently the backs coach for New Zealand's national rugby union team the All Blacks. He played provincial rugby for Canterbury and became an All Black in 1980. He played first five-eighth, gaining 35...
  
  , rugby player and coach
• 30 April: Tony Rogers
  Tony Rogers
  Tony Rogers is a retired middle distance runner from New Zealand, who represented his native country in the men's 1,500 metres at the 1984 Summer Olympics, finishing in ninth place. He also competed at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, and later became High Performance Manager for Athletics New...
  
  , middle-distance runner
• 30 May: Allison Roe
  Allison Roe
  Allison Pamela Roe, MBE is a former long-distance athlete from New Zealand. In 1981 she won both the Boston and New York Marathons in course record times...
  
  , athlete
• 7 June: Glenn Dods
  Glenn Dods
  Glenn Laurence Dods was a successful New Zealand association football player who represented the New Zealand national football team 22 times from 1976 to the 1982....
  
  , soccer player
• 24 June: Elizabeth Fuller
  Elizabeth Ann Fuller
  Elizabeth Anne Fuller is the illustrator of many New Zealand children's books; including Mrs Wishy Washy, My Brown Bear Barney, Best-Loved Bear. She was born in Hastings, New Zealand, daughter to Geoffrey and Margaret Fuller. Elizabeth went to primary and secondary schools in Hawke's Bay before...
  
  , children's book illustrator
• 26 June: Michael Laws
  Michael Laws
  Michael Laws is a New Zealand politician, broadcaster and writer/columnist. He served two terms as a Member of the New Zealand Parliament, representing the National Party and New Zealand First . He was elected as Mayor of Wanganui in 2004, was re-elected in 2007 but announced his retirement from...
  
  , broadcaster, writer and politician
• 27 July: Barbara Moore
  Barbara Moore (athlete)
  Barbara K. Moore is a retired female athlete from New Zealand, who specialised in long distance running during her career.She competed for New Zealand in the 1990 Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze in the 10,000m race....
  
  , long-distance runner
• 11 August: Ruth Dyson
  Ruth Dyson
  Ruth Suzanne Dyson is a New Zealand politician. She is a member of the Labour Party and has been a Member of Parliament since 1993.-Early years:...
  
  , politician
• 31 August (in Kenya): Luke Hurley
  Luke Hurley
  Luke Hurley is an independent New Zealand guitarist and singer-songwriter, who works mostly outside the confines of the music industry. He was born in Kenya, and later moved with his family to Gore in Southland, New Zealand when aged 12...
  
  , singer/songwriter
• 20 September: Michael Hurst
  Michael Hurst
  Michael Eric Hurst, ONZM is a New Zealand actor, director and writer, mostly on stage and television. He is probably best known internationally for playing Iolaus in the television programs Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and companion series Xena: Warrior Princess...
  
  , actor
• 10 October: Rod Donald
  Rod Donald
  Rodney David "Rod" Donald , was a New Zealand politician who co-led the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, along with Jeanette Fitzsimons.He lived in Christchurch with his partner Nicola Shirlaw, and their three daughters....
  
  , environmentalist and politician
• 29 November: Glenys Quick
  Glenys Quick
  Glenys Quick is a retired female long-distance runner from New Zealand, who won the 1984 edition of Nagoya Marathon, clocking a total time of 2:34:25....
  
  , long-distance runner
• 13 December: Wayne Shelford
  Wayne Shelford
  Wayne Thomas "Buck" Shelford is a New Zealand former rugby union footballer and coach who represented and captained New Zealand in the late 1980s...
  
  , rugby player

• Richard Adams
  Richard Adams
  Richard Adams was a non-conforming English Presbyterian divine, known as author of sermons and other theological writings.-Life:...
  
  , violinist.
• George Bertrand, who became Georgina Beyer
  Georgina Beyer
  Georgina Beyer was the world's first openly transsexual mayor, as well as the world's first openly transsexual Member of Parliament, and from 27 November 1999 until 14 February 2007 was an MP for the Labour Party in New Zealand.-Early life:Georgina Bertrand was born and assigned male at birth, and...
  
  , trans-gender politician.
• Howard Broad
  Howard Broad
  Howard George Broad, CNZM was the thirtieth New Zealand Commissioner of Police, serving from 2006 to 2011. He is a former career police officer, working in uniform and as a detective for eighteen years, before moving into senior roles at the Police National Headquarters in Wellington...
  
  , Commissioner of Police