1939 in New Zealand

Population

* Estimated Population as of 31 December: 1,641,600 http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/24107FC8-E7B5-4CF2-B17C-15E31CCA7D05/0/HistoricalPop.xls]
* Increase since 31/12/1938: 23,300 (1.44%)
* Males per 100 Females: 103.0

Incumbents

Regal and Vice Regal

*Head of State - George VI
*Governor-General - The Viscount Galway GCMG DSO OBE PC [Statistics 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

Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition - Adam Hamilton (National Party). [Cite web|url=http://www.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html|title=Elections NZ - Leaders of the Opposition|accessdate=2008-04-06]

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

* 3 September New Zealand declares war on Germany

* 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]

* December 13: New Zealand warship HMS Achilles fought in the Battle of the River Plate against German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee.
* December 17: The Graf Spee is scuttled off Montevideo harbour.

*"The Poverty Bay Herald" changes its name to "The Gisborne Herald", [cite web|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.PBH&sp=PBH&essay=1|title=Poverty Bay Herald|publisher=National Library of New Zealand|accessdate=2008-09-21] which continues to publish 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: , 1939 in film , List of New Zealand feature films , Cinema of New Zealand,

Appointments and awards

See: New Zealand Order of Merit , Order of New Zealand
*Archbishop of New Zealand
*Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia , see appointments to Diocese

port

* See: 1939 in sports ,

Athletics

* Clarrie Gibbons wins the national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:44:56.2 on March 11, 1939 in Napier.

Cricket

Horse racing

See

Rugby

,
* Ranfurly Shield

Rugby league

New Zealand national rugby league team

occer

* Chatham Cup won by Waterside (Wellington)

Births

* 27 February: Don McKinnon, deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and Commonwealth Secretary-General.
* 10 April (in England): Michael Cox, politician.
* 24 April: Fergie McCormick, rugby union player.
* 16 September: Tony Davies, rugby union player.
* 4 October: Ivan Mauger, motorcycle speedway champion.
* 29 October: Michael Smither, painter.

* Peter Brown, politician.
* Raymond Ching, painter.
* Ken Comber, politician.
* Syd Jackson, political activist.
* Bob Jones, businessman.
* Douglas Myers, businessman.
* (in England): Dylan Taite, music journalist.
* Philip Temple, writer.
* David Walter, mayor of Stratford.
* Hugh Williams, High court judge.

Deaths

* 16 March: George Mitchell, soldier and politician
* 26 April: Edwin John Howard, politician.
* 26 July: Thomas William "Torpedo Billy" Murphy, boxer. [ [http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/Torpedo_Billy_Murphy Torpedo Billy Murphy - Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia ] ]
* 27 July: Malcolm Champion, swimmer.
* 23 August: Robin Hyde, writer.

* David McLaren, politician.
* T. W. Ratana, prophet.

References

ee also

*List of years in New Zealand
*Timeline of New Zealand history
*History of New Zealand
*Military history of New Zealand
*Timeline of environmental history of New Zealand
*Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica

"For world events and topics in 1939 not specifically related to New Zealand see": 1939