1956 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,209,200.
• Increase since 31 December 1955: 44,400.
• Males per 100 females: 101.2.

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Norrie GCMG GCVO CB DSO MC.

Government

• Speaker of the House – Mathew Oram
• Prime Minister – Sidney Holland.
• Deputy Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake.
• Minister of Finance – Jack Watts.
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Tom Macdonald.
• Attorney-General – Jack Marshall.
• Chief Justice — Sir '''Harold Barrowclough'''

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Walter Nash.

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – John Luxford, followed by Thomas Ashby
• Mayor of Hamilton – Roderick Braithwaite
• Mayor of Wellington – Robert Macalister, followed by Frank Kitts
• Mayor of Christchurch – Robert M. Macfarlane
• Mayor of Dunedin – Leonard Morton Wright

Events

• 8 March: Opo the friendly Dolphin dies in the Hokianga.
• 13 March – After 26 years playing international cricket the New Zealand wins its first ever test victory against the West Indies at Eden Park.
• New Zealand troops are sent to Malaya.
• Roxburgh Dam is opened.
• Temperzone manufacturing is founded.

Arts and literature

Music

Radio

• 1 October – Radio station 4ZA launches in Invercargill on 820 kHz, supplementing station 4YZ.

Film

Sport

Athletics

• Albert Richards wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:31:46 in Christchurch.

Chess

• The 63rd National Chess Championship was held in Dunedin, and was won by F.A. Foulds of Auckland.

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Thunder
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Unite

Lawn bowls

• Men's singles champion – G.G. Littlejohn
• Men's pair champions – L.J. Hughes, E.H. Ravenwood
• Men's fours champions – P.C.F. Barrat, C.E. Tomlinson, L.J. Buckingham, Robbie Robson

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics

Winter Olympics

• New Zealand did not participate in the 1956 Winter Olympics.

Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by Stop Out who beat Shamrock (soccer) of Christchurch 4–1 in the final.Provincial league champions:
• * Auckland: Onehunga
• * Bay of Plenty: Rangers
• * Buller: Millerton Thistle
• * Canterbury: Western
• * Hawke's Bay: Napier Athletic
• * Manawatu: Kiwi United
• * Marlborough: Blenheim B
• * Nelson: Settlers
• * Northland: Kamo Swifts
• * Otago: Northern AFC
• * Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
• * South Canterbury: West End
• * Southland: Brigadiers
• * Taranaki: Moturoa
• * Waikato: Huntly Thistle
• * Wairarapa: No competition
• * Wanganui: Technical College Old Boys
• * Wellington: Stop Out

Births

• 3 January: Judith Tizard, politician
• 6 January: Stephen Cox, cyclist
• 16 January: Mark Burton, politician
• 4 February: Gerry Brownlee, politician
• 16 February: Vincent Ward, film director
• 1 March: Mark Todd, equestrian eventer
• 3 March: John F. Reid, cricketer
• 13 April: Peter 'Possum' Bourne, rally driver
• 17 April: Jaynie Parkhouse, freestyle swimmer
• 26 April: Tinks Pottinger, equestrian eventer
• 8 May: Richard Wilson, soccer player
• 10 May: Chris Kuggeleijn, cricket player and coach
• 23 May: Mark Shaw, rugby union footballer and selector
• 18 August: Andrew Bennie, equestrian eventer
• 29 September: Jenny Morris, singer
• 8 November: Richard Curtis, screenwriter
• 23 November: Bruce Edgar, cricketer
• 12 December: Barry Pickering, soccer player
• 16 December: Rodney Hide, politicianChris Finlayson, politicianJames Belich, historianChristopher Marshall, composerDouglas Wright, dancer and choreographer

Deaths

• 17 April: Sir Alexander Young, politician.
• 22 May: John Christopher Rolleston, politician.
• 29 May: Charlie Seeling, rugby footballer.
• 17 June: Charles Boswell, politician.
• 19 June: Bernard Martin, politician.
• 12 September: George Gillett, rugby player.
• 21 November: Jim Thorn, labour leader and politician.