1951 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,970,500
• Increase since 31 December 1950: 42,800
• Males per 100 females: 100.9

  Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – George VI
• Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSO

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Mathew Oram
• Prime Minister – Sidney Holland
• Deputy Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake
• Minister of Finance – Sidney Holland
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Frederick Doidge then Clifton Webb
• Chief Justice — Sir Humphrey O'Leary

  Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Vacant until 17 January, then Walter Nash.

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – John Allum
• Mayor of Hamilton – Harold Caro
• Mayor of Wellington – Robert Macalister
• Mayor of Christchurch – Robert Macfarlane
• Mayor of Dunedin – Len Wright

  Events

• The Official Secrets Act is passed.
• 15 February: The start of the "1951 Waterfront dispute" a massive labor strike lasting for 151 days.
• 1 September: Signing of the ANZUS treaty.

  Arts and literature

Music

Radio and television

• Experimental television broadcasts had been allowed from 1951.

Film

Sport

Athletics

• George Bromley wins his fourth national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:48:16 on 3 March in Wellington.

  Chess

• The 58th National Chess Championship was held in Christchurch, and was won by D.I. Lynch of Hastings.

  Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Van Dieman
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Soangetaha

  Lawn bowls

• Men's singles champion – A. Graham
• Men's pair champions – G.G. Littlejohn, A.J. Webster
• Men's fours champions – A.J. Murdoch, H.L. Rule, A. Rivers, Pete Skoglund

  Rugby league

• The 1951 French rugby league tour of Australia and New Zealand is conducted

  Rugby union

• Bledisloe Cup: New Zealand beat Australia in all three tests, winning back the cup.
• Ranfurly Shield: North Auckland defended the shield against Bay of Plenty and Thames Valley before losing it to Waikato. Waikato then defended successfully against Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki and Wanganui.

  Soccer

• The New Zealand national soccer team played 9 matches, 6 of them internationals:
• * 11 August, Wellington: NZ 3 – 1 Victoria
• * 10 September, Auckland: NZ 2 – 0 Auckland
• * 15 September, Suva: NZ 6 – 1 Suva
• * 19 September, Nouméa: NZ 0 – 2 New Caledonia
• * 22 September, Nouméa: NZ 6 – 4 New Caledonia
• * 24 September, Nouméa: NZ 0 – 2 New Caledonia
• * 30 September, Nouméa: NZ 3 – 1 New Caledonia
• * 4 October, Nouméa: NZ 9 – 0 New Hebrides
• * 7 October, Suva: NZ 6 – 4 Fiji
• The Chatham Cup is won by Eastern Suburbs of Auckland who beat Northern of Dunedin 5— 1in the final.
• Provincial league champions:
• * Auckland: Eastern Suburbs AFC
• * Buller: Millerton Thistle
• * Canterbury: Technical OB
• * Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB
• * Manawatu: St Andrews
• * Nelson: Thistle
• * Northland: Kamo Swifts
• * Otago: Northern AFC
• * Poverty Bay: Thistle
• * South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
• * Southland: Brigadiers
• * Taranaki: Old Boys
• * Waikato: Claudelands Rovers, Rotowaro
• * Wanganui: Technical College Old Boys
• * Wellington: Seatoun AFC
• * West Coast: Runanga

  Births

• 8 January: Garry Moore, mayor of Christchurch.
• 24 January Dianne Macaskill, former Chief Archivist of Archives New Zealand
• 21 February: John Parker, cricketer.
• 6 March: Maurice Williamson, politician, cabinet minister
• 29 March: Geoff Howarth, cricketer.
• 22 June: Todd Hunter, musician.
• 3 July: Richard Hadlee, cricketer.
• 21 July: Bernie Fraser, rugby player.
• 14 August: Vern Hanaray, road cyclist.
• 14 September: Karen Plummer, cricketer.
• 20 September: Stephen Boock, cricketer.
• 11 October: Randal Dobbs, marketing entrepreneur.
• 27 October: Rick Barker, politician.
• 16 November: Andy Dalton, rugby player.
• 21 November: Joe Karam, rugby union and rugby league player, lobbyist.
• 8 December: Paul Brydon, road and track cyclist.
• 9 December: Tuariki Delamere, politician.
• 20 December: Paul Swain, politician
• Christopher 'Marty' Johnstone, drug trafficker
• Stephen Tindall, business leader

  Deaths

• 9 January: William "Massa" Johnston, rugby and rugby league player.
• 16 July: Charles Tilleard Natusch, architect
• 4 November: Oscar Natzka, opera singer.
• 1 December: Te Rangi Hīroa, Māori leader