VOCALIST Dennis O’Brien See: 1978 in music Performing arts Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to George Tumahai. Radio and television 23 November – the AM broadcast band moves from 10 kHz spacing to 9 kHz spacing. Feltex Television Awards: Best Current Affairs: Dateline Monday Best Information: Fair Go Best Documentary: Birth with R.D. Laing Best Light Entertainment: A Week of It Best Drama: The Governor Best Speciality: Sport on One Best Actor: David McPhail on A Week of It Best Personality: Roger Gascoigne Best Script: He Iwi Ko Tahi Tatou: episode four of The Governor See: 1978 in New Zealand television, 1978 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, :Category:Television in New Zealand, :Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand Film Angel Mine Skin Deep See: :Category:1978 film awards, 1978 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1978 films Sport Athletics Paul Ballinger wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:33 on 11 March in Hastings. Chess The 85th New Zealand Chess Championship is held in Wellington, and is won by Craig Laird of Tauranga. Commonwealth Games Cricket 15 February: After 48 years of trying, New Zealand beats England in a Test match for the first time, winning the Test at the Basin Reserve. Horse racing Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup: Trusty Scot Auckland Trotting Cup: Sole Command. From 1978–86 the race was over 2700m and there was no handicapping. Soccer New Zealand National Soccer League won by Christchurch United The Chatham Cup is won by Manurewa who beat Nelson United 1–0 in the final. Births 2 January: Dan Ward-Smith, rugby union player 5 January: Adi Dick, musician. 21 January (in the United States): Mike Chappell, basketballer. 3 February: Keith Cameron, rugby union player. 26 February: Rico Gear, rugby union player. 8 April: Nathan Mauger, rugby union player. 29 April: Donna Loffhagen, netball and basketball player. 19 May: Willie Walker, rugby union player. 28 May: John Dennison, poet. 1 June: Ben Lummis, singer and winner of New Zealand Idol (season 1). 11 June: Daryl Tuffey, cricketer. 4 July: Bianca Russell, field hockey player. 6 July: Kevin Senio, rugby union player. 12 July: Claire Chitham, actor. 26 July: David Kosoof, field hockey player. 28 July: Jacob Oram, cricketer. 14 August (in South Africa): Greg Rawlinson, rugby union player. 5 September: Chris Hipkins, politician. Chris