1939 in New Zealand

none December 2019 1939 The following lists events that happened during 1939 in New Zealand. Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,641,600.Historical population estimates tables http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx https://web.archive.org/web/20171231000952/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx 31 December 2017 Statistics New Zealand Increase since 31 December 1938: 23,300 (1.44%). Males per 100 females: 103.0. Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of state – George VI Governor-General – The Viscount Galway GCMG DSO OBE PCStatistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52 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 Minister of Finance – Walter Nash Minister of Foreign Affairs – Michael Joseph Savage Attorney-General – Rex Mason Chief Justice – Sir Michael Myers Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition – Adam Hamilton (National Party).http://www.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition 6 April 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081017200326/http://www1.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html 17 October 2008 dead Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – Ernest Davis Mayor of Wellington – Thomas Hislop Mayor of Christchurch – Robert Macfarlane Mayor of Dunedin – Andrew Henson Allen Events 29 January: (Sunday) Opening of St Peter's College, Auckland by Bishop J M Liston. 20 March: William Snodgrass, a New Zealand politician, disappeared from the interisland ferry Arahura while travelling overnight from Wellington to Nelson.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19390322.2.110?end_date=31-12-1939&page=2&query=Snodgrass&start_date=01-01-1939 20 November 2018 Lost Overboard 22 March 1939 The New Zealand Herald – archived at PapersPast – paperspast.co.nz 3 September (backdated to 9.30 pm): New Zealand declares war on Germany at the same time as Britain (though delayed until confirmation by the Admiralty message to the fleet). Hensley Gerald Beyond the Battlefield: New Zealand and its Allies 1939–45 2009 Penguin/Viking Auckland 9780670074044 20 31 October: The Strongman coal mine in Nine Mile Valley near Greymouth is officially opened by Minister of Mines, Paddy Webb.http://www.solidenergy.co.nz/ab-press-details.asp?id=58 Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd : Premium Export Coal : Export Coals of New Zealand : New Zealand Coal Mining 15 May 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070928045446/http://www.solidenergy.co.nz/ab-press-details.asp?id=58 28 September 2007 dead 8 November: New Zealand Centennial Exhibition opened in Kilbirnie, Wellington 13 December: New Zealand warship HMS Achilles fought in the Battle of the River Plate against German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. 17 December: The Graf Spee is scuttled off Montevideo harbour. The Poverty Bay Herald changes its name to The Gisborne Herald,http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.PBH&sp=PBH&essay=1 Poverty Bay Herald National Library of New Zealand 21 September 2008 which continues to publish 2026 today. Arts and literature See 1939 in art, 1939 in literature Music See: 1939 in music Radio See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand Film See: :Category:1939 film awards, 1939 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1939 films Sport Athletics Clarrie Gibbons wins the national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:44:56.2 on 11 March 1939 in Napier. Basketball A second interprovincial championship is held even though there is still no national association.Todd, S. (1976) Sporting Records of New Zealand. Auckland: Moa Publications. 0-908570-00-7 (see 1938 and 1946) Interpovincial Champions: Men – Wellington Chess The 48th National Chess Championship was held in Wanganui, and was won by John Dunlop of Dunedin (his 5th title).List of New Zealand Chess Champions https://web.archive.org/web/20081014052518/http://poisonpawn.co.nz/nzcftitles.htm 14 October 2008 Cricket Horse racing Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup – Lucky Jack (2nd win)http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/nz_trotting_cup.htm List of NZ Trotting cup winners 6 May 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20120222233106/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/nz_trotting_cup.htm 22 February 2012 dead Auckland Trotting Cup – MarleneAuckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz https://web.archive.org/web/20090617211531/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race2.htm 17 June 2009 Lawn bowls The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.McLintock A.H. Alexander Hare McLintock Bowls, men's outdoor—tournament winners An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/bowls-mens-outdoor/page-5 6 June 2018 1966 Ministry for Culture and Heritage Men's singles champion – W.C. Franks (Balmoral Bowling Club) Men's pair champions – J. Anchor, W.J. Robinson (skip) (Hamilton Bowling Club) Men's fours champions – C.F. Robertson, H. Franks, J.F. Benson, W.C. Franks (skip) (Balmoral Bowling Club) Rugby union :Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, :Category:All Blacks Ranfurly Shield Rugby league New Zealand national rugby league team Shooting Ballinger Belt – William Masefield (Blenheim)https://www.nranz.com/nationals/ballinger-belt/ Ballinger Belt National Rifle Association of New Zealand 16 January 2025 Soccer The Chatham Cup is won by Waterside of Wellington who beat Western of Christchurch 4–2 in the final.Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com https://web.archive.org/web/20090314234154/http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/chatham_cup_records.html 14 March 2009 Provincial league champions:https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nzchamp.html New Zealand: List of champions Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation 1999 Auckland: Ponsonby AFC Canterbury: Western Hawke's Bay: Napier Utd Nelson: YMCA Otago: Mosgiel South Canterbury: Old Boys Southland: Mataura Waikato: Rotowaro Wanganui: Wanganui Athletic Wellington: Petone Football Club Births 20 January: Ken Comber, politician. (died 1998) 27 February: Don McKinnon, deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and Commonwealth Secretary-General. 10 April: Margaret Bedggood, legal scholar and chief human rights commissioner. (died 2026) 24 April: Fergie McCormick, rugby union player. (died 2018) 19 June: John Terris, politician, priest and broadcaster. (died 2026) 16 September: Tony Davies, rugby union player. (died 2008) 23 September Hugh Williams, High Court judge. Pauline Stansfield, disability advocate. (died 2022) 25 September: David Walter, mayor of Stratford. (died 2020) 4 October: Ivan Mauger, motorcycle speedway champion. (died 2018) 29 October: Michael Smither, painter. 18 October: Peter Brown, politician. 24 November: Bob Jones, businessman (died 2025) 27 December: Hugo Judd, diplomat and public servant (died 2017) Raymond Ching, painter. Philip Temple, writer. Deaths 16 March: George Mitchell, soldier and politician. 25 March: Annie Cleland Millar, businesswoman.Annie Cleland Millar Maida Barlow 3m52 23 April 2017 26 April: Ted Howard, politician. 26 July: Thomas William "Torpedo Billy" Murphy, boxer.Torpedo Billy Murphy – Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia 17 July: Paddy the Wanderer, a dog in Wellington.17 July 1939 Paddy the Wanderer, a dog well known on the Wellington wharves... http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19390717.2.50.4 15 December 2010 The Evening Post 27 July: Malcolm Champion, swimmer. 23 August: Robin Hyde, writer. 18 September: T. W. Ratana, prophet. 3 November: David McLaren, politician. 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 References External links 1939 in yes Category:Years of the 20th century in New Zealand