1954 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,118,400
• Increase since 31 December 1953: 43,700
• Males per 100 females: 101.2

  Incumbents

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

• 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.

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – John Luxford from 1953–1956
• Mayor of Hamilton – Roderick Braithwaite from 1953–1959
• 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

• 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

Music

Radio

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

Film

• The Seekers

Sport

Athletics

British Empire and Commonwealth Games

Chess

• The 61st National Chess Championship is held in Wellington, and is won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland.

  Horse racing

Harness racing

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

  Lawn bowls

• Men's singles champion – Robin Andrew
• Men's pair champions – N.A. McNabb, C.L. Spearman
• Men's fours champions – J. Rothwell, H.L. Rule, W. O'Neill, Pete Skoglund

  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, 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

• 17 March: Peter Dunne, politician
• 30 April: Jane Campion, film director.
• 11 May: Murray Haszard, technology entrepreneur.
• 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
• 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.