1971 in New Zealand

← 1970 1969 1968 1971 in New Zealand → 1972 1973 1974
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
See also:	History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history

The following lists events that happened during 1971 in New Zealand.

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,898,500.[1]
• Increase since 31 December 1970: 46,400 (1.63%).[1]
• Males per 100 females: 99.7.[1]

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Sir Arthur Porritt Bt GCMG GCVO CBE.[2]

Government

The 36th Parliament of New Zealand continued, with the second National government in power.

• Speaker of the House – Roy Jack.[3]
• Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake
• Deputy Prime Minister – Jack Marshall.[3]
• Minister of Finance – Robert Muldoon.[3]
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Keith Holyoake.[3]
• Attorney-General – Jack Marshall until 2 February, then Dan Riddiford.[3]
• Chief Justice — Sir Richard Wild

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Norman Kirk (Labour).[4]

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Dove-Myer Robinson
• Mayor of Hamilton – Mike Minogue
• Mayor of Wellington – Frank Kitts
• Mayor of Christchurch – Ron Guthrey then Neville Pickering
• Mayor of Dunedin – Jim Barnes

Events

January

February

March

April

• The Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter starts production.[5]

June

July

August

• 29 August – The nation's first Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant opens in Royal Oak, Auckland, beginning a decade of American fast food chains being established in New Zealand.[6][7]

September

• The Manapouri Power Station, the country's largest hydroelectric facility, is completed. It wouldn't export any electricity until April 1972 when transmission lines to Invercargill were completed.[5]

October

• 25 October – The Christchurch to Dunedin overnight express becomes the last revenue steam locomotive-hauled train service, as the New Zealand Railways completes dieselisation.

November

December

Arts and literature

• Noel Hilliard wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

See 1971 in art, 1971 in literature

Music

New Zealand Music Awards

• Loxene Golden Disc Craig Scott – Smiley
• Loxene Golden Disc Chapta – Say A Prayer

See: 1971 in music

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Pat McMinn OBE.

Radio and television

• In 1971 there was a major breakthrough for international news when the Warkworth Satellite station was opened. [1]
• The Melbourne Cup was the first live international broadcast, in November.
• The radio licence fee was abolished, and the television fee set at NZ$20 per year.
• Feltex Television Awards:
  • Best Programme: Gallery and In View of the Circumstances
  • Best Actor: Bruno Lawrence in Time Out
  • Best Performance as Frontman: Brian Edwards in Post Office Dispute
  • Best Entertainment: Dinah Lee
  • TVPDA Award for Allied Crafts: Waynne Williams

See: 1971 in New Zealand television, 1971 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Category:Television in New Zealand, Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

See: Category:1971 film awards, 1971 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1971 films

Sport

Athletics

• David McKenzie wins his third national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:16.4 on 6 March in Invercargill.

Chess

• The 78th National Chess Championship is held in Nelson, and is won by R.J. Sutton of Auckland (his second title).[8]

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: True Averil[9]
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Garcon Roux[10]

Soccer

• New Zealand National Soccer League won by Eastern Suburbs AFC
• The Chatham Cup is won by Western Suburbs FC of Wellington who beat Wellington City 3–2 in the final.[11]

Births

• 23 January: Adam Parore, cricketer.
• 5 March: Cory Hutchings, surf livesaving and ironman competitor.
• 29 March: Julie Seymour, netball player.
• 11 April: Mark Cooksley, rugby union player.
• 12 April: Greg Russ, field hockey player.
• 28 April: Hamish Carter, triathlete.
• 2 June: Dion Gosling, field hockey player.
• 11 June: Mark Richardson, cricketer
• 18 June: Blair Pocock, cricketer.
• 20 June: Josh Kronfeld, rugby union player.
• 25 June: Paul Gibbons, pole vaulter.
• 9 August: Jon Toogood, musician, songwriter.
• 15 August: Umesh Parag, field hockey player.
• 18 August: Jonathan Winter, swimmer.
• 24 August: Heremaia Ngata, soccer player.
• 27 August: Glen Osborne, rugby union player.
• 15 September: Nathan Astle, cricketer.
• 18 September: Tom Larkin, musician.
• 20 September: Todd Blackadder, rugby union player.
• 8 October: Marc Ellis, rugby union and rugby league player, television personality.
• 20 October: Rachel House, actress and comedian
• 25 October: Martin Leslie, rugby union player.
• 31 October: Phil Tataurangi, golfer.
• 20 November: Dion Nash, cricketer.
• 30 November: Heath Davis, cricketer.
• 13 December: Vaughan Coveny, soccer player.
• 20 December: Simon O'Neill, opera singer.
• 24 December: Geoff Allott, cricketer.

Category:1971 births

Deaths

• 16 January: Harold Abbott, rugby union player.
• 12 March: Robert Laidlaw, businessman.
• 28 March: Miriam Soljak, feminist and activist
• 24 June: Jack Dunning, cricketer.
• 13 July: R. A. K. Mason, poet.
• 19 September: Ted Badcock, cricketer.
• 10 October: John Cawte Beaglehole, historian and biographer.
• 15 December: Air Marshall Roderick Carr
• 22 December: Mary Grigg, politician.

References

1. "Historical population estimates tables". Statistics New Zealand. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017.
2. Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
3. Lambert & Palenski: The New Zealand Almanac, 1982. ISBN 0-908570-55-4
4. "Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition". Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
5. "Manapouri Facts and Figures – Meridian Energy". Retrieved 31 May 2012.^[permanent dead link‍]
6. "KFC celebrates 50 years in New Zealand". RNZ. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
7. "Dining out | NZ History". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
8. List of New Zealand Chess Champions Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
9. "List of NZ Trotting cup winners". Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
10. Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz Archived 17 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
11. Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com Archived 14 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine

See also

• List of years in New Zealand
• Timeline of New Zealand history
• History of New Zealand
• Military history of New Zealand
• Timeline of the New Zealand environment
• Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica