1961 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,461,300
• Increase since 31 December 1960: 57,700
• Males per 100 females: 101.2

  Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Viscount Cobham GCMG TD.

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Ronald Algie.
• Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake
• Deputy Prime Minister – Jack Marshall.
• Minister of Finance – Harry Lake.
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Keith Holyoake.
• Attorney-General – Ralph Hanan.
• Chief Justice — Sir Harold Barrowclough

  Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Walter Nash

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Dove-Myer Robinson
• Mayor of Hamilton – Dennis Rogers
• Mayor of Wellington – Frank Kitts
• Mayor of Christchurch – George Manning
• Mayor of Dunedin – Stuart Sidey

  Events

January

• The Ohakuri hydroelectric power plant starts operation.

  February

March

April

June

July

August

September

October

• 12 October Ten National MPs voted with the Opposition to remove capital punishment for murder from the Crimes Bill that the Second National Government had introduced, by a vote of 41 to 30.

  November

December

Arts and literature

• John Caselburg wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

Music

Radio and television

• Auckland television is extended to seven nights a week, two and a half hours a night. On 4 April, Auckland television went commercial.
• Television transmission began in Christchurch on 1 June. Wellington followed four weeks later, on 1 July.

Film

Sport

Athletics

• Barry Magee wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:18:54.2 on 4 March in Christchurch.

  Chess

• The 68th National Chess Championship was held in Auckland, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland.

  Cricket

• New Zealand tours South Africa and drew the 5-Test series 2-2:
• * 8–12 December 1961, Durban: 1st Test. SA won by 30 runs
• * 26–29 December 1961, Johannesburg: 2nd Test Drawn
• * 1–4 January 1962, Cape Town: 3rd Test. NZ won by 72 runs
• * 2–5 February 1962, Johannesburg: 4th test. SA won by innings & 51 runs
• * 16–20 February 1962, Port Elizabeth: 5th Test: NZ won by 40 runs

  Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Invicta
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Cardigan Bay

  Lawn bowls

• Men's singles champion – J.H. Rabone
• Men's pair champions – N. Posa, M. Vulinovich
• Men's fours champions – J. Hammersley, L.N. Harris, R.S. Eves, M.J. Squire

  Rugby union

• France tour New Zealand, losing all three Test matches:
• * 22 July, Eden Park, Auckland: New Zealand 13 – 6 France
• * 5 August, Athletic Park, Wellington: New Zealand 5 – 3 France
• * 19 August, lancaster Park, Christchurch: New Zealand 32 – 3 France

  Soccer

• An English FA XI tours New Zealand, handing out two heavy defeats to the national men's team.
• * 5 June, Wellington: NZ 0 – 8 English FA XI
• * 10 June, Auckland: NZ 1 – 6 English FA XI
• The Chatham Cup was won by Dunedin team Northern who beat North Shore United 2 – 0 in the final.
• Provincial league champions:
• * Auckland: North Shore United
• * Bay of Plenty: Kawerau Town
• * Buller: Waimangaroa United
• * Canterbury: Technical OB
• * Franklin: Manurewa AFC
• * Hawke's Bay: Napier Rovers
• * Manawatu: Ohakea
• * Marlborough: Spartans
• * Nelson: Rangers
• * Northland: Kamo Swifts
• * Otago: Northern AFC
• * Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
• * South Canterbury: Thistle
• * Southland: Invercargill Thistle
• * Taranaki: Moturoa
• * Waikato: Hamilton Technical OB
• * Wairarapa: YMCA
• * Wanganui: New Settlers
• * Wellington: Northern
• * West Coast: Grey United

  Births

• 10 May: Blyth Tait, equestrian.
• 26 June: David White, cricketer.
• 9 August: John Key, politician, 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand
• 12 August: Mark Priest, cricketer.
• 5 October: David Kirk, rugby player and business executive.
• 5 October: Derek Stirling, cricketer.
• 10 October: Gary Hurring, swimmer.
• 31 October: Peter Jackson, filmmaker.
• 15 November: Hugh McGahan, rugby league footballer.
• 28 November: Bruce Derlin, tennis player.
• 9 December: Ian Wright, rower.
• 30 December: Bill English, politician, 39th Prime Minister of New Zealand
• Michael Hight, painter.
• Willie Jackson, politician and broadcaster.
• Grant Lingard, artist.
• Anthony McCarten, playwright and novelist.

Deaths

• 25 June: Jack Lamason, cricketer.
• 19 July: Mary Dreaver, politician.
• 5 August: Sidney Holland, 25th Prime Minister of New Zealand.
• 8 November: Frederick Vincent Ellis, artist.
• 14 December: William Duncan, rugby union player.