# 1943 in New Zealand

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive
The following lists events that happened during 1943 in New Zealand.

## Population

* Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,642,000.
* Increase since 31 December 1942: 5600 (0.34%).
* Males per 100 females: 92.9.

## Incumbents
### Regal and viceregal

* Head of State – George VI
* Governor-General – Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Cyril Newall GCB OM GCMG CBE AM
* George VI
* Cyril Newall, 1st Baron Newall

### Government

The 26th New Zealand Parliament concluded, with the Labour Party in government. Labour was re-elected for a third term in the election in November
* Speaker of the House – Bill Barnard (Democratic Labour Party)
* Prime Minister – Peter Fraser
* Minister of Finance – Walter Nash
* Minister of Foreign Affairs – Peter Fraser
* Attorney-General – Rex Mason
* Chief Justice – Sir Michael Myers
* Bill Barnard
* Peter Fraser
* Walter Nash
* Rex Mason
* Michael Myers

### Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition – Sidney Holland (National Party).

### Main centre leaders

* Mayor of Auckland – John Allum
* Mayor of Hamilton – Harold Caro
* Mayor of Wellington – Thomas Hislop
* Mayor of Christchurch – Ernest Andrews
* Mayor of Dunedin – Andrew Allen
* John Allum
* Harold Caro
* Thomas Hislop
* Ernest Andrews

## Events

* New Zealand troops take part in invasion of Italy.
* 25 February – Mutiny by Japanese prisoners of war at Featherston prisoner of war camp results in 48 Japanese dead, 61 wounded, plus one dead and 11 injured guards.
* 28 March - Body of Michael Joseph Savage reinterred at Bastion Point by a crowd of ten thousand
* 3 April – Battle of Manners Street between American and New Zealand servicemen
* 4 June – Hyde railway disaster – 21 passengers are killed when the Cromwell to Dunedin Express derails while travelling around a bend too fast near Hyde in Central Otago.
* 20 June – Several U.S. Marines drown during landing exercises at Paekākāriki.
* 28 August – Eleanor Roosevelt arrives in New Zealand for visit (she had visited American troops in the Cook Islands).
* 3 September – Eleanor Roosevelt flies out from Auckland.
* 25 September – 1943 New Zealand general election.
* October last US Marines depart US Naval Base New Zealand
* 28 October – Butter rationing is introduced, with an allowance of 8 ounces (230 g) per person per week.
* Japanese submarines operate in New Zealand waters in 1942 and 1943. They send reconnaissance aircraft over Auckland and Wellington, but do not carry out any attacks.

## Arts and literature

See 1943 in art, 1943 in literature

### Music

See: 1943 in music

### Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

### Film

See: Category:1943 film awards, 1943 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1943 films

## Sport
### Archery

The New Zealand Archery Association, now Archery New Zealand, is incorporated.
The first national championships are held. From now until 1947 the championships are a postal shoot.
* Men Open: W. Burton (Gisborne)

### Horse racing
#### Harness racing

* New Zealand Trotting Cup: Haughty – 2nd win
* Auckland Trotting Cup: Shadow Maid

#### Thoroughbred racing
### Rugby union

Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, Category:All Blacks
* Ranfurly Shield

### Soccer

* Chatham Cup competition not held
* Provincial league champions:
** Auckland: Metro College
** Canterbury: Western
** Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB
** Nelson: No competition
** Otago: Mosgiel
** South Canterbury: No competition
** Southland: No competition
** Taranaki: RNZAF
** Waikato: No competition
** Wanganui: No competition
** Wellington: Waterside

## Births

* 28 January: Malvina Major, opera singer
* 10 March: John McGrath, judge (died 2018)
* 16 March: Dave McKenzie, long-distance runner
* 24 March: Kate Webb, journalist (died 2007)
* 29 March: Diana Hill, scientist (died 2024)
* 6 April: Roger Cook, journalist
* 7 May: Gretchen Albrecht, painter
* 12 July: Bruce Taylor, cricketer (died 2021)
* 16 July: Peter Welsh, steeplechase runner
* 20 July: Chris Amon, Formula 1 racing driver (died 2016)
* 19 August: Sid Going, rugby union player
* 9 September: Keith Murdoch, rugby union player (died 2018)
* 11 September: Brian Perkins, radio broadcaster in Britain (BBC)
* 15 October (in Bosnia): Drago Došen, painter (died 2019)
* 21 October: John Robertson (composer)
* 24 October: Martin Campbell, film and television director
* 27 October: Tom Lister, rugby union player (died 2017)
* 7 November: Silvia Cartwright, judge
* 16 November: Chris Laidlaw, All Black, diplomat, politician and radio host
* 24 November: Barry Milburn, cricketer
* 26 November: Adrienne Simpson, broadcaster, historian, musicologist and writer (died 2010)
* 17 December: (in Ireland): Bert Hawthorne, motor racing driver (died 1972)
* 25 December: Hedley Howarth, cricketer (died 2008)
* Mel Courtney, politician
* Brian Easton, economist
* Richard (Dick) Frizzell, artist
* Alamein Kopu, politician (died 2011)
* Georgina te Heuheu, politician

## Deaths

* 15 January: William Barber, politician.
* 1 February: Frank Worsley, sailor and explorer.
* 6 April: Paraire Karaka Paikea, politician.
* 4 March: Arthur Cook, politician.
* 27 March: Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, soldier, VC winner.
* 22 May: Alfred Ransom, politician & cabinet minister.
* 27 May: Gordon Coates, 21st Prime Minister of New Zealand.
* 31 May: Dolce Ann Cabot, journalist.
* 21 August: Hilda Hewlett, aviation pioneer.
* 6 September: James Cowan, writer, historian and ethnographer.
* 14 September: Sarah McMurray, woodcarver and craftswoman.
* 24 September: Arthur Withy, journalist and politician.
* 10 October: Emma Maria Walrond, landscape painter.
* 11 October: Matthew Joseph Brodie, second Catholic bishop of Christchurch.
* 20 October: John Rigg, politician.
* William Barber
* Frank Worsley
* Paraire Karaka Paikea
* Arthur Cook
* Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu
* Alfred Ransom
* Gordon Coates
* Hilda Hewlett
* Sarah McMurray
* Matthew Brodie
* John Rigg