The following lists events that happened during 1949 in New Zealand.
Most New Zealanders became New Zealand citizens in addition to being British subjects, as the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948 came into effect.
The National government of Sydney Holland was elected in the 1949 New Zealand general election.
Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,892,100. Increase since 31 December 1948: 38,200 (2.06%). Males per 100 females: 100.7.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal Head of State – George VI Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSOStatistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
Government The 28th New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was the Labour until after the November general election, which saw it replaced by National Party.
Iriaka Rātana (Labour) is the first Māori woman elected to Parliament.
Speaker of the House – Robert McKeen Prime Minister – Peter Fraser then Sidney Holland Deputy Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake (from 13 December) Minister of Finance – Walter Nash then Sidney Holland Minister of Foreign Affairs – Peter Fraser then Frederick Doidge Attorney-General – Rex Mason then Clifton Webb Chief Justice – Sir Humphrey O'Leary
Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition – Sidney Holland (National Party) until 13 December, then Peter Fraser (Labour).
Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – John Allum Mayor of Hamilton – Harold David Caro Mayor of Wellington – Will Appleton Mayor of Christchurch – Ernest Andrews Mayor of Dunedin – Donald Cameron
Events 1 January: the status of New Zealand Citizen comes into existence.Te Ara 9 March: Referendums on gambling (passed) and extending hotel hours (failed). 3 August: Referendum on military training (passed) 29 November: Elections to the four Māori electorates 30 November: General election won by National Party under Sidney Holland
Arts and literature
See 1949 in art, 1949 in literature, :Category:1949 books
Music
See: 1949 in music
Radio
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
18 January – Radio station 3XC (later 3ZC) luanches in Timaru on 1160 kHz. 27 April – Radio station 1YZ launches in Rotorua on 800 kHz. 2 July – Radio station 1XH (later 1ZH) launches in Hamilton on 1310 kHz. 27 August – Radio station 1XN (later 1ZN) launches in Whangarei on 970 kHz. 22 October – Radio station 2XA (later 2ZW) launches in Whanganui on 1200 kHz.
Film
See: :Category:1949 film awards, 1949 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1949 films
Sport
Archery National champions Open Men – W. Burton (Gisborne) Open Women – D. Johnstone (Dunedin)
Athletics George Bromley wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:40:05.6 in Christchurch.
Basketball Interpovincial Champions: Men – Wellington Interpovincial Champions: Women – Palmerston North
Chess The 56th National Chess Championship was held in Wanganui, and was won by A.E. Nield of Auckland.List of New Zealand Chess Champions
Cricket
Horse racing
Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup – Loyal Nurse Auckland Trotting Cup – Captain Sandy (2nd win)Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
Thoroughbred racing The New Zealand horse Foxzami, ridden by W. Fellows, wins the 1949 Melbourne Cup
Lawn bowls The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland. Men's singles champion – S. Gooch (Kahutia Bowling Club) Men's pair champions – Frank Livingstone, J.H. Mingins (skip) (Onehunga Bowling Club) Men's fours champions – A.J. Murdoch, H.L. Rule, A. Rivers, Pete Skoglund (skip) (Otahuhu Bowling Club)
Rugby :Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, :Category:All Blacks
3 September: The All Blacks lose two tests on the same day Ranfurly Shield
Rugby league New Zealand national rugby league team
Soccer The Chatham Cup is won by Petone who beat Northern 1–0 in the final.Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com Provincial league champions: Auckland: Eden Canterbury: Technical OB Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB Nelson: Otago: Northern South Canterbury: Northern Hearts Southland: Brigadiers Taranaki: City Waikato: Rotowaro Wanganui: Wanganui Athletic Wellington: Seatoun
Births 22 January: Cilla McQueen, poet 24 January: Bill Bush, rugby player 28 January: Mike Moore, Prime Minister and Director-General of the World Trade Organization (d. 2020) 15 February: Ashraf Choudhary, politician 19 February: Brenda Matthews, sprinter 28 April: Steve Gilpin, musician (d. 1992) 8 June: Sherryl Jordan, writer (d. 2023) 6 July: Grant McAuley, rower 12 July: Dame Karen Poutasi, government official (d. 2026) 20 September: Alan McIntyre, field hockey player 10 October: Lance Cairns, cricketer 2 November: Bruce Biddle, road cyclist 29 November (in England): Dave Bright, soccer player 5 December: Ray Comfort, Christian minister Laurence Aberhart, photographer Laurence Clark, cartoonist John Hanlon, musician Donna Awatere Huata, politician Nigel Brown, painter Ian Ewen-Street, politician
Deaths 25 May: George William von Zedlitz, professor of languages 20 August: Annie Lee Rees, writer. 7 October: Matiu Ratana, politician and Ratana church leader 29 October: Patrick Harvey, rugby union player 20 December: Jane Mander, novelist 28 December: Jack Lovelock, athlete
See also :Category:1949 births :Category:1949 deaths History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Military history of New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica Timeline of the New Zealand environment
References