# 1947 in New Zealand

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive
The following lists events that happened during 1947 in New Zealand.

## Population

* Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,817,500.
* Increase since 31 December 1946: 36,300 (2.04%).
* Males per 100 females: 100.3.

## Incumbents
### Regal and viceregal

* Head of State – George VI
* Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSO

### Government

The 28th New Zealand Parliament continued, with the Labour Party in government.
* Speaker of the House – Robert McKeen (Labour)
* Prime Minister – Peter Fraser
* Minister of Finance – Walter Nash
* Minister of Foreign Affairs – Peter Fraser
* Attorney-General – Rex Mason
* Chief Justice – Sir Humphrey O'Leary

### 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 – Will Appleton
* Mayor of Christchurch – Ernest Andrews
* Mayor of Dunedin – Donald Cameron

## Events

* 19 January –The TSMV Wanganella, completing her first trans-tasman crossing since World War II, runs aground on Barrett Reef at the entrance to Wellington Harbour. All 400 passengers are safely evacuated. The ship is refloated on 6 February but is out of service for a further 22 months.
* 6 February – First annual Waitangi Day ceremony held by New Zealand Navy in grounds of Treaty house, Waitangi.
* 6 March – The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra performs for the first time
* 26 March – A magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes east of Gisborne, causing a tsunami with a maximum run-up height of 10 metres.
* 1–29 April – A series of non-violent mutinies occur aboard ships and bases of the Royal New Zealand Navy
* 4 April – Horahora Power Station is decommissioned as the filling of Lake Karapiro floods the station.
* 21 April – The first generator at Karapiro Power Station is commissioned.
* 26 March – Another magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes east of Gisborne, causing a tsunami with a maximum run-up height of 6 metres.
* 18 November – 41 people die in a fire in the Ballantyne's department store in Christchurch.
* 25 November – The Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947 was passed making New Zealand politically independent from the United Kingdom
* 1 December – Clothing rationing, introduced in May 1942, is abolished.

## Arts and literature

See 1947 in art, 1947 in literature

### Music

See: 1947 in music

### Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

### Film

See: Category:1947 film awards, 1947 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1947 films

## Sport
### Archery

National Champions (Postal Shoot)
* Open Men – W. Burton (Gisborne)
* Open Women – G. Norris (Dunedin)

### Athletics

* George Bromley wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:58:54 in Auckland.

### Basketball

The first interprovincial championship for women is held.

#### Interprovincial champions

* Men – Auckland
* Women – Wellington

### Chess

* The 54th National Chess Championship was held in Palmerston North, and was won by T. Lepviikman of Wellington (his 2nd win).

### Horse racing
#### Harness racing

* New Zealand Trotting Cup – Highland Fling
* Auckland Trotting Cup – Single Direct

### Lawn bowls

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Wellington.
* Men's singles champion – S. Vella (Onehunga Bowling Club)
* Men's pair champions – W.R. Hawkins, Phil Exelby (skip) (Frankton Bowling Club)
* Men's fours champions – E.H. Crowley, E. Crowley, V.F. Hurlstone, G.A. Crowley (skip) (Tolaga Bay Bowling Club)

### Rugby league

* New Zealand national rugby league team beat Wales 28-20

### Soccer

* A South African team visited New Zealand and played four internationals:
** 28 June, Christchurch: NZ 5–6 South Africa
** 5 July, Dunedin: NZ 0–6 South Africa
** 12 July, Wellington: NZ 3–8 South Africa
** 19 July, Auckland: NZ 1–4 South Africa
* The Chatham Cup is won by Waterside of Wellington who beat Technical Old Boys of Christchurch 2–1 in the final.
* Provincial league champions:
** Auckland: North Shore United
** Canterbury: Western
** Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB
** Nelson: Nelson United
** Otago: Mosgiel AFC
** South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
** Southland: Invercargill Thistle
** Taranaki: Albion
** Waikato: Claudelands Rovers
** Wanganui: Technical College Old Boys
** Wellington: Wellington Marist

## Births

* 8 January: Luke Williams, wrestler
* 16 January: Gavan Herlihy, politician.
* 19 February: Tim Shadbolt, politician.
* 9 March
** Keri Hulme, writer. (died 2021)
** John Lister, golfer.
* 6 May: Alan Dale, actor.
* 6 May (in United Kingdom): Carl Doy, musician and composer.
* 6 May: Andrew Roberts, cricketer.
* 20 May: Margaret Wilson, politician.
* 27 May: Glenn Turner, cricketer.
* 1 June: Gaylene Preston, filmmaker
* 6 June: Patrick Power, tenor.
* 22 June: Murray Webb, cricketer and caricature artist.
* 27 August: John Morrison, cricketer.
* 2 September: Jim Richards, motor racing driver.
* 13 September: Annette King, politician.
* 14 September: Sam Neill, actor
* 22 September: David Trist, cricket player and coach.
* 11 December (in United Kingdom): David McGee, lawyer and public servant
* 18 December: Marian Hobbs, politician.
   * Bill Hammond, painter.
   * Michael Wintringham, public servant.
Category:1947 births

## Deaths

* 17 January: Kahupāke Rongonui, tribal leader.
* 10 February: Winter Hall, silent movie actor.
* 11 March: Duncan McGregor, rugby player.
* 24 April: Patrick O'Regan, lawyer, politician and judge.
* 13 May: Frances Hodgkins, painter.
* 17 May: George Forbes, 22nd Prime minister of New Zealand.
* 30 June: Robert Frederick Way, trade unionist and activist.
* 21 July: Agnes Fabish, domestic servant, farmer and homemaker.
* 4 December: Margaret Butler, sculptor and artist.
* 6 December: Robert Wright, mayor of Wellington and politician.