The following lists events that happened during 1974 in New Zealand.
Population
- Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,091,900.
- Increase since 31 December 1973: 65,200 (2.20%).
- Males per 100 females: 99.7.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Government
The 37th New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was by a Labour majority of 55 seats to the National Party's 32 seats.
Parliamentary opposition
Main centre leaders
Events
- 24 January â 2 February: Christchurch hosts the 1974 British Commonwealth Games.
- 30 January â 8 February: Royal visit by the Queen for the Commonwealth Games and Waitangi Day accompanied by the Duke, Princess Anne, Mark Phillips and then-Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles III.)
- 6 February â Waitangi Day, then named New Zealand Day, is first celebrated as a nationwide public holiday.
- 1 April â The Accident Compensation Commission is established, providing universal no-fault accidental injury cover to all New Zealanders.
- 9 April â Dunedin experiences a magnitude 4.9 earthquake which causes $3.5 million (2024 terms) in damages.
- August â The Government approved Sunburst as the first ohu, a type of rural intentional community, near Whitianga, Coromandel.
- 31 August â Prime Minister Norman Kirk dies of heart complications, aged 51. He was replaced by Bill Rowling, see New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 1974.
- September â The country's first Pizza Hut restaurant opens in New Lynn, Auckland.
- The voting age is lowered from 20 to 18 years.
Arts and literature
See 1974 in art, 1974 in literature
Music
- BEST NEW ARTIST Bunny Walters
- RECORDING ARTIST / GROUP OF THE YEAR Bull Dogs All-Star Goodtime Band
- BEST NZ RECORDED COMPOSITION John Hanlon â Is It Natural
- PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Mike Harvey â Is It Natural
- ARRANGER OF THE YEAR Mike Harvey â Is It Natural
See: 1974 in music
Performing arts
Radio and television
See: 1974 in New Zealand television, 1974 in television, , List of TVNZ television programming, , Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film
See: , 1974 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand,
Sport
Athletics
British Commonwealth Games
Chess
- The 81st National Chess Championship is held in Christchurch. The title is shared by P.A. Garbett and Ortvin Sarapu, both of Auckland.
Horse racing
Harness racing
Soccer
Births
- 6 January: Dion Waller, rugby player
- 10 January: Jemaine Clement, comedian
- 28 February: Moana Mackey, politician
- 21 March: Rhys Darby, actor and comedian
- 27 April (in Australia): Richard Johnson, soccer player
- 6 May: Sean Pero Cameron, basketball player
- 25 May: James Reid, singer, guitarist and founder of The Feelers
- 2 June: Andy Booth, motor racing driver
- 15 June: Andrew Timlin, field hockey player
- 10 July: Chris Drum, cricketer
- 14 July (in Bulgaria): Pavlina Nola, tennis player
- 26 July: Kees Meeuws, rugby player
- 1 August: Michelle Turner, field hockey player
- 27 August: Michael Mason, cricketer
- 15 September: Emily Drumm, cricketer
- 11 October: Liz Couch, skeleton racer
- 23 October: Beatrice Faumuina, discus thrower
- 5 November: Taine Randell, rugby player
- 13 November: Carl Hoeft, rugby player
- 22 November: Oliver Driver, actor, director, broadcoaster and television presenter
- 2 December: Robbie Hart, cricketer
- 7 December: Jason Spice, rugby and cricket player
- 10 December: Chris Martin, cricketer
- Kate Duignan, novelist
- Tim Selwyn, activist
Deaths
- 12 February: Alice Bush, doctor and medical activist.
- 13 February: Murray Hudson GC, soldier.
- 13 February: Sir Leslie Munro, diplomat and politician.
- 14 February: Charles 'Stewie' Dempster, cricketer.
- 5 August: Robert McKeen, politician â 12th Speaker of the House of Representatives.
- 12 August: James Fletcher, industrialist.
- 30 August: Professor George Jobberns, academic.
- 31 August: Norman Kirk, Prime Minister.
- 7 September: Paddy Kearins, politician.
- 12 September: Hector Bolitho, writer and biographer.
- 26 October: Dan Riddiford, politician.
- 28 October: Charles Elliot Fox, missionary.
- 11 December: Maurice Duggan, writer.
See also
References
External links