The following lists events that happened during 1968 in New Zealand. Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,773,000 Increase since 31 December 1967: 28,000 (1.02%) Males per 100 females: 99.8 – This was the first year (other than during a major war) in which the number of females exceeded the number of males. Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Sir Arthur Porritt Bt GCMG GCVO CBE. Government The 35th Parliament of New Zealand continued, with the National government in power. Speaker of the House – Roy Jack. Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake Deputy Prime Minister – Jack Marshall. Minister of Finance – Robert Muldoon. Minister of Foreign Affairs – Keith Holyoake. Attorney-General – Ralph Hanan. Chief Justice — Sir Richard Wild Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition – Norman Kirk (Labour). Leader of the Social Credit Party – Vernon Cracknell Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – Roy McElroy then Dove-Myer Robinson Mayor of Hamilton – Denis Rogers then Mike Minogue Mayor of Wellington – Frank Kitts Mayor of Christchurch – George Manning then Ron Guthrey Mayor of Dunedin – Russell John Calvert then Jim Barnes Events 10 April – Inter-Island ferry foundered off Wellington with the loss of 53 lives. 24 May – 1968 Inangahua earthquake 14 October – NAC commences scheduled Boeing 737-200 operations between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. The Southland Daily News, which had been acquired by its rival The Southland Times in 1967, ceased publication and was replaced by an evening edition of The Times. The paper was first published as Southern News and Foveaux Strait's Herald in 1861. Arts and literature Ruth Dallas wins the Robert Burns Fellowship. See 1968 in art, 1968 in literature, :Category:1968 books Music New Zealand Music Awards Loxene Golden Disc Allison Durbin – I Have Loved Me A Man See: 1968 in music Radio and television Wellington television crews win the World Newsfilm Award for their coverage of the Wahine disaster. See 1968 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:1968 film awards, 1968 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1968 films Sport Athletics Jeff Julian wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:22:40 on 9 March in Whangarei. Association football The Chatham Cup is won by Eastern