1957 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1957 in New Zealand.

Population

The 31st New Zealand Parliament continued. In power was the [New Zealand New Zealand National Party|National Party|National] government under Sidney Holland and later Keith Holyoake. The general election saw the Labour Party win by a narrow two-seat margin.

20 January: Scott Base, New Zealand's main presence in Antarctica, is established by Sir Edmund Hillary.
24 May: the last Empire Day is commemorated.
September: Former Member of Parliament and New Zealand ambassador to the United States Leslie Munro is appointed President of the United Nations General Assembly for its twelfth session, lasting until September 1958

1 October – Radio station 2ZC launches in Napier on 1280 kHz, supplementing station 2YZ.

The 64th National Chess Championship was held in Wellington. The title was shared by A. Feneridis of Wellington and J.R. Phillips of Auckland.

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.

The All Blacks played two Test matches against Australia, retaining the Bledisloe Cup:
* 25 May, Sydney Cricket Ground: New Zealand 25 – 11 Australia
* 1 June, Exhibition Ground, Brisbane: New Zealand 22 – 9 Australia

The national men's team was host to two visiting club sides:
* 22 June, Wellington: NZ 1 – 1 Eastern Athletic
* 24 June, Auckland: NZ 2 – 1 Eastern Athletic
* 27 June, Auckland: NZ 1 – 7 FK Austria
* 3 August, Wellington: NZ 1 – 7 FK Austria
The Chatham Cup is won by Seatoun who beat Technical Old Boys 3–1 in the final.Provincial league champions:
* Auckland: Eastern Suburbs AFC
* Bay of Plenty: Rangers
* Buller: Millerton Thistle
* Canterbury: Western
* Hawke's Bay: Hastings Wanderers
* Manawatu: Ohakea
* Marlborough: Blenheim Rangers
* Nelson: Athletic
* Northland: Otangarei United
* Otago: King Edward Technical College OB
* Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
* South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
* Southland: Hotspurs
* Taranaki: City
* Waikato: Huntly Thistle
* Wairarapa: Masterton Athletic
* Wanganui: New Settlers
* Wellington: Seatoun AFC

3 January – Dave Dobbyn, singer, songwriter
28 February – Ian Smith, cricketer
2 March – Stu Gillespie, cricketer
19 April – Wayne Smith, rugby player and coach
30 April – Tony Rogers, middle-distance runner
30 May – Allison Roe, athlete
20 June – Chester Borrows, politician
24 June – Elizabeth Fuller, children's book illustrator
26 June – Michael Laws, broadcaster, writer and politician
19 July – Tony Boyle, cricketer
27 July – Barbara Moore, long-distance runner
28 July – David Shearer, humanitarian worker and politician, was Leader of the Opposition
11 August – Ruth Dyson, politician
31 August – Luke Hurley, singer/songwriter
20 September – Michael Hurst, actor
10 October – Rod Donald, environmentalist and politician, co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
29 November – Glenys Quick, long-distance runner
13 December – Buck Shelford, rugby playerRichard Adams, violinist.George Bertrand, who became Georgina Beyer, transgender politician.Howard Broad, Commissioner of Police

2 January: William Aitchison, politician.
19 January: Thomas Brash, dairy industry leader and Presbyterian Church moderator.
21 January: Maurice Brownlie, rugby union player.
18 February: Walter James Bolton, last person executed in New Zealand.
2 April: Catherine Stewart, politician.
3 May: Daisy Osborn, artist.
17 September: Anton Bernhardt Julius Lemmer, music school director and conductor.
26 September: Thomas Ashby, serving mayor of Auckland.