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The following lists events that happened during 1940 in New Zealand.
Population
- Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,633,600[1]
- Increase since 31 December 1939: -8000 (−0.49%)
- Males per 100 females: 99.1
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
- Head of State – George VI
- Governor-General – The Viscount Galway GCMG DSO OBE PC[2]
Government
The 26th New Zealand Parliament continued with the Labour Party in government.
- Speaker of the House – Bill Barnard (Labour Party)
- Prime Minister – Michael Joseph Savage then Peter Fraser
- Minister of Finance – Walter Nash
- Minister of Foreign Affairs – Michael Joseph Savage then Frank Langstone
- Attorney-General – Rex Mason
- Chief Justice – Sir Michael Myers
Parliamentary opposition
- Leader of the Opposition – Adam Hamilton (National Party) until 26 November, then Sidney Holland (National).[3]
Main centre leaders
- Mayor of Auckland – Ernest Davis
- Mayor of Hamilton – Harold David Caro
- Mayor of Wellington – Thomas Hislop
- Mayor of Christchurch – Robert M. Macfarlane
- Mayor of Dunedin – Andrew Henson Allen
Events
)
The state funeral procession for Michael Joseph Savage, April 1940
- 25 March: John A. Lee is expelled from the governing Labour caucus following his outspoken criticism of dying leader Michael Joseph Savage
- 27 March: New Zealand's first Labour Prime Minister, Michael Joseph Savage dies from cancer in Wellington.
- 19 June: The liner RMS Niagara is sunk by a mine laid by the German auxiliary cruiser Orion off Whangarei. She was carrying British gold destined for America.
- 12 July: Pan American Airways flying boat service from Hawaii to Auckland via Canton Island (not Kingman Reef) commences.
- German surface raiders operated in New Zealand waters in 1940 and 1941, sinking four ships.
Arts and literature
Music
See: 1940 in music
Radio
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film
- Rewi's Last Stand (1940)
- One Hundred Crowded Years
Sport
Chess
- The 49th National Chess Championship was held in Wellington, and was won by J.B. Dunlop of Dunedin (his 6th and last title).[4]
Cricket
Horse racing
Harness racing
- New Zealand Trotting Cup – Marlene[5]
- Auckland Trotting Cup – Ned Worthy[6]
Lawn bowls
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Wellington.[7]
- Men's singles champion – G.A. Deare (Carlton Bowling Club)
- Men's pair champions – L.G. Donaldson, Bill Bremner (skip) (West End Bowling Club, Auckland)
- Men's fours champions – Bill Whittaker, J.W.T. Macklow, Alec Robertson, Frank Livingstone (skip) (Onehunga Bowling Club)
Soccer
- The Chatham Cup is won by Waterside who beat Mosgiel 6–2 in the final.[8]
- Provincial league champions:[9]
Births
- 12 January: Dick Motz, cricketer
- 17 February: James Laurenson, actor
- 23 March: Brian Hastings, cricketer
- 14 April: Robin Tait, discus thrower (d. 1984)
- 7 June: Felicity Riddy, author and academic
- 10 June (in the USA): Augie Auer, meteorologist
- 23 June: Mike Shrimpton, cricketer
- 1 July (in Australia): Judith Binney, historian
- 15 July: Ian Athfield, architect
- 11 August: Glenys Page, cricketer (d. 2012)
- 31 August: Maurice (John) Belgrave, public servant and chief ombudsman
- 3 September: Brian Lochore, rugby player
- 18 September
- Bruce Murray cricketer
- Jon Trimmer, ballet dancer.
- 24 September: Don Brash, Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, politician
- 6 October: Merv Wellington, politician
- 24 October: Martin Campbell, film and TV director
- date unknown
- David Baragwanath, High Court judge.
- Robyn Donald, writer.
- Tessa Duder, writer.
- Joe Hawke, politician.
- Michael Jackson, poet, anthropologist
- Maurice McTigue, politician and diplomat.
Deaths
- 12 January: Taurekareka Henare, politician.
- 27 March: Michael Joseph Savage, Prime Minister.
- 28 May: Florence Young, missionary.
- 6 June: F.O. Edgar "Cobber" Kain, first RAF ace of WWII.
- 17 November: Frank Moore, political activist.
See also
- History of New Zealand
- List of years in New Zealand
- Military history of New Zealand
- Timeline of New Zealand history
- Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica
- Timeline of the New Zealand environment
For world events and topics in 1940 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 1940
References
- ^ "Historical population estimates tables". Statistics New Zealand.
- ^ Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
- ^ "Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition". Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
- ^ List of New Zealand Chess Champions Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "List of NZ Trotting cup winners". Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
- ^ Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz Archived 17 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ McLintock, A.H., ed. (1966). "Bowls, men's outdoor—tournament winners". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com Archived 14 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "New Zealand: List of champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 1999.
External links
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Media related to 1940 in New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons