The following lists events that happened during 1939 in New Zealand.
Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,641,600. 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).
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. 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). 31 October: The Strongman coal mine in Nine Mile Valley near Greymouth is officially opened by Minister of Mines, Paddy Webb. 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, which continues to publish .
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. (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
Cricket
Horse racing
Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup – Lucky Jack (2nd win) Auckland Trotting Cup – MarleneAuckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
Lawn bowls The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland. 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)
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 Provincial league champions: 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. 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. 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