The following lists events that happened during 1966 in New Zealand. Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,711,300 Increase since 31 December 1965: 47,500 (1.78%) Males per 100 females: 100.7 Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson GCMG GCVO DSO OBE. Government The 34th Parliament of New Zealand concluded and a general election was held on 26 November. The National Party was returned with a majority of eight seats, having lost one seat to the Social Credit Party who entered parliament for the first time. Speaker of the House – Ronald Algie. Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake Deputy Prime Minister – Jack Marshall. Minister of Finance – Harry Lake. Minister of Foreign Affairs – Keith Holyoake. Attorney-General – Ralph Hanan. Chief Justice — Sir Harold Barrowclough (until 17 January), Sir Richard Wild (starting 17 January) Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition – Norman Kirk (Labour). Leader of Social Credit Party – Vernon Cracknell (after 26 November general election) Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – Roy McElroy Mayor of Hamilton – Denis Rogers Mayor of Wellington – Frank Kitts Mayor of Christchurch – George Manning Mayor of Dunedin – Russell John Calvert Events 1 January – New Zealand Australia Free Trade Agreement comes into force. 4 July – An Air New Zealand Douglas DC-8 on a training flight crashes on takeoff from Auckland Airport, killing two of the five crew members. 19–20 October – President of the United States of America Lyndon B. Johnson visits New Zealand, becoming the first serving US President to visit the country (see Visit). November – The Grey River Argus ceases publication. The newspaper had been founded in 1865. New Zealand appoints an ambassador to Italy and establishes an embassy in Rome. Arts and literature James K. Baxter wins the Robert Burns Fellowship. See 1966 in art, 1966 in literature, :Category:1966 books Music New Zealand Music Awards Loxene Golden Disc Maria Dallas – Tumbling Down See: 1966 in music Radio and television Broadcast relay station at Hikurangi, Horokaka, Parahaki Hill and Mount Egmont are commissioned, extending television coverage to central Northland and Taranaki. The program Country Calendar first appears on television. The C'mon music program, hosted by Peter Sinclair, begins. First broadcast of Radio Hauraki from a boat called the TIRI in the Hauraki Gulf outside of New Zealand waters in an attempt to break