1961 in New Zealand

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Viscount Cobham GCMG TD.[2]

• Speaker of the House – Ronald Algie.[3]
• Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake
• Deputy Prime Minister – Jack Marshall.[3]
• Minister of Finance – Harry Lake.[3]
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Keith Holyoake.[3]
• Attorney-General – Ralph Hanan.[3]
• Chief Justice — Sir Harold Barrowclough

• Leader of the Opposition – Walter Nash (Labour)[4]

• Mayor of Auckland – Dove-Myer Robinson
• Mayor of Hamilton – Dennis Rogers
• Mayor of Wellington – Frank Kitts
• Mayor of Christchurch – George Manning
• Mayor of Dunedin – Stuart Sidey

• The Ohakuri hydroelectric power plant starts operation.

• 12 October Ten National MPs voted with the Opposition to remove capital punishment for murder from the Crimes Bill that the Second National Government had introduced, by a vote of 41 to 30.

See: 1961 in music

• Auckland television is extended to seven nights a week, two and a half hours a night. On 4 April, Auckland television went commercial.
• Television transmission began in Christchurch (a year later than Auckland) on 1 June. Wellington followed four weeks later, on 1 July.

See: 1961 in New Zealand television, 1961 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Public broadcasting in New Zealand & Category:Television in New Zealand.

See: Category:1961 film awards, 1961 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1961 films

• Barry Magee wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:18:54.2 on 4 March in Christchurch.

• The 68th National Chess Championship was held in Auckland, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his 6th title).[5]

• New Zealand tours South Africa (spanning December 1961 – February 1962) and drew the 5-Test series 2-2:[6]
  • 8–12 December 1961, Durban: 1st Test. SA won by 30 runs (SA 292 + 149, NZ 245 and 166)
  • 26–29 December 1961, Johannesburg: 2nd Test Drawn (SA 322 + 178/6 decl, NZ 223 + 165/4)
  • 1–4 January 1962, Cape Town: 3rd Test. NZ won by 72 runs (NZ 385 + 212/9 decl., SA 190 + 335)
  • 2–5 February 1962, Johannesburg: 4th test. SA won by innings & 51 runs (NZ 164 + 249, SA 464)
  • 16–20 February 1962, Port Elizabeth: 5th Test: NZ won by 40 runs (NZ 275 + 228, SA 190 + 273)

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Invicta[7]
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Cardigan Bay[8]

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.[9]

• Men's singles champion – J.H. Rabone (Auckland Bowling Club)
• Men's pair champions – N. Posa, M. Vulinovich (skip) (Oratia Bowling Club)
• Men's fours champions – J. Hammersley, L.N. Harris, R.S. Eves, M.J. Squire (skip) (West End Bowling Club, New Plymouth)

• France tour New Zealand, losing all three Test matches:[10]
  • 22 July, Eden Park, Auckland: New Zealand 13 – 6 France
  • 5 August, Athletic Park, Wellington: New Zealand 5 – 3 France
  • 19 August, lancaster Park, Christchurch: New Zealand 32 – 3 France

• An English FA XI tours New Zealand, handing out two heavy defeats to the national men's team.[11]
  • 5 June, Wellington: NZ 0 – 8 English FA XI
  • 10 June, Auckland: NZ 1 – 6 English FA XI
• The Chatham Cup was won by Dunedin team Northern who beat North Shore United 2 – 0 in the final.[12]
• Provincial league champions:[13]
  • Auckland: North Shore United
  • Bay of Plenty: Kawerau Town
  • Buller: Waimangaroa United
  • Canterbury: Technical OB
  • Franklin: Manurewa AFC
  • Hawke's Bay: Napier Rovers
  • Manawatu: Ohakea
  • Marlborough: Spartans
  • Nelson: Rangers
  • Northland: Kamo Swifts
  • Otago: Northern AFC
  • Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
  • South Canterbury: Thistle
  • Southland: Invercargill Thistle
  • Taranaki: Moturoa
  • Waikato: Hamilton Technical OB
  • Wairarapa: YMCA
  • Wanganui: New Settlers
  • Wellington: Northern
  • West Coast: Grey United