# 1934 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1934 in New Zealand.

## Population

* Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,558,400.
* Increase since previous 31 December 1933: 11,300 (0.73%).
* Males per 100 females: 103.3.

## Incumbents
### Regal and viceregal

* Head of State – George V
* Governor-General – The Lord Bledisloe GCMG KBE PC

### Government

The 24th New Zealand Parliament continued with the coalition of the United Party and the Reform Party; which postponed the next general election from 1934 to 1935.
* Speaker of the House – Charles Statham (Independent)
* Prime Minister – George Forbes
* Minister of Finance – Gordon Coates (Reform Party)
* Minister of Foreign Affairs – George Forbes
* Attorney-General – George Forbes
* Chief Justice — Sir Michael Myers

### Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition – Michael Joseph Savage (Labour Party).

### Main centre leaders

* Mayor of Auckland – George Hutchison
* Mayor of Wellington – Thomas Hislop
* Mayor of Christchurch – Dan Sullivan
* Mayor of Dunedin – Edwin Thomas Cox

## Events

* 6 February: Treaty house and grounds at Waitangi dedicated as a national reserve.
* 5 March: A magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes Pahiatua, Manawatu-Wanganui, at 11.46pm.
* 28 June: Third session of the 24th Parliament commences.
* 10 November: Third session of the 24th Parliament concludes.
* Banknotes issued by the new Reserve Bank replace those issued by the Trading Banks, see New Zealand pound.
* The first official airmail flight from New Zealand to Australia by Faith in Australia; see Charles Ulm.

## Arts and literature

See 1934 in art, 1934 in literature, Category:1934 books

### Music

See: 1934 in music

### Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

### Film

See: Category:1934 film awards, 1934 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1934 films

## Sport
### British Empire Games

| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |

### Chess

* The 43rd National Chess Championship was held in Dunedin, and was won by John Dunlop, of Dunedin, his fourth title.

### Golf

* The 24th New Zealand Open championship was won by Andrew Shaw, his 6th title.
* The 38th National Amateur Championships were held in Wanganui
** Men: B. M. Silk (Wanganui)
** Women: Miss B. Gaisford – her second title.

### Horse racing
#### Harness racing

* New Zealand Trotting Cup – Indianapolis
* Auckland Trotting Cup – Roi L'Or

### Lawn bowls

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Dunedin.
* Men's singles champion – W. Carswell (Taieri Bowling Club)
* Men's pair champions – J. McPherson, J. Veitch (skip) (West Harbour Bowling Club)
* Men's fours champions – G. Dickson, F. Redpath, H.F. Gibson, H. Wilson (skip) (Linwood Bowling Club)

### Rugby

Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, Category:All Blacks
* the Bledisloe Cup was won by Australia, with one win and one draw.
* The Ranfurly Shield changed hands twice: Canterbury lost their first defence to Hawkes Bay 0–9. Hawkes Bay defended the shield against Wanganui 39–16 and Taranaki 23–8 before losing it to Auckland 14–18.

### Rugby league

New Zealand national rugby league team

### Soccer

* The Chatham Cup is won by Auckland Thistle who beat Christchurch Thistle 2–1 in the final.
* Provincial league champions:
** Auckland: Thistle
** Canterbury: Thistle
** Hawke's Bay: Napier YMCA
** Nelson: YMCA
** Otago: King Edward Technical College Old Boys
** Southland: Southern
** Taranaki: Stratford
** Waikato: Huntly Starr Utd
** Wanganui: Thistle
** Wellington: Marist

## Births
### January

* 3 January – Bob Elliott, paediatrician (died 2020)
* 6 January – Harry M. Miller, entertainment promoter and publicist (died 2018)
* 11 January – Barrie West, naval officer
* 22 January – Graham Kerr, television cook
* 26 January – Rex Percy, rugby union and rugby league player (died 2015)

### February

* 4 February – Donal Smith, athlete (died 2023)
* 6 February – Barry Magee, athlete
* 7 February – Ossie Butt, rugby league player (died 2002)
* 10 February – Fleur Adcock, poet and editor (died 2024)
* 26 February – Kara Puketapu, public servant and Maori leader (died 2023)

### March

* 3 March – Lindsay Townsend, rugby union player (died 2020)
* 15 March – Wally Hughes, association football player and coach (died 2011)
* 16 March
** Ian McLean, politician
** Des Townson, yacht designer (died 2008)
* 17 March – Ian Barker, jurist (died 2022)
* 20 March
** Graeme Hansen, equestrian (died 2007)
** Ralph Maxwell, politician (died 2012)
* 26 March
** Harle Freeman-Greene, diplomat
** Matiu Rata, politician (died 1997)
* 31 March – Randall Carrington, cricketer (died 2018)

### April

* 3 April – Pamela Allen, children's writer and illustrator
* 9 April – Bill Birch, politician
* 14 April – Duncan MacRae, rugby league player (died 2019)
* 21 April – Martin Horton, cricket player and coach (died 2011)
* 30 April – Tom Coughlan, rugby union player (died 2017)

### May

* 1 May
** Nev MacEwan, rugby union player
** Apirana Mahuika, Ngāti Porou leader (died 2015)
* 8 May
** Graeme Lowans, cricketer (died 2014)
** Gordon Ogilvie, historian and biographer (died 2017)
* 12 May – Peter Bland, poet, actor
* 15 May – Frank McAtamney, rugby union player (died 2022)
* 16 May – Roy Kerr, mathematician
* 21 May – Guy Henderson, oboist (died 2013)
* 28 May – Bill Baillie, athlete (died 2018)
* 30 May
** Mel Cooke, rugby league player (died 2013)
** Peter Dronke, medievalist (died 2020)

### June

* 5 June
** Ashley Lawrence, conductor (died 1990)
** Margaret Stuart, athlete (died 1999)
* 8 June – David Abbott, cricket umpire (died 2016)
* 11 June – John da Silva, wrestler, boxer (died 2021)
* 13 June – Mel Brieseman, public health official, missionary (died 2010)
* 19 June – Arthur Candy, cyclist (died 2019)

### July

* 12 July – Tuna Scanlan, boxer (died 2014)
* 15 July – Noel Hobson, field hockey player
* 19 July – Tessa Birnie, concert pianist (died 2008)
* 22 July
** Sam Chaffey, alpine skier, businessman (died 1998)
** Neville Denton, rugby league player and coach (died 2015)
* 25 July – Peter Skelton, cricketer (died 2009)
* 27 July – Robin Leamy, Roman Catholic bishop (died 2022)
* 31 July – Roger Urbahn, rugby union player, cricketer, sports journalist (died 1984)

### August

* 1 August – John Beck, cricketer (died 2000)
* 6 August – Dave Gillespie, rugby union player
* 9 August – Kevin Laidlaw, rugby union player (died 2024)
* 21 August – Ruth Butterworth, political scientist (died 2020)
* 24 August
** Tony Campbell, biblical scholar (died 2020)
** John Waddingham, cricketer
* 29 August – John Guy, cricketer

### September

* 2 September
** Leslie Butler, cricketer (died 2006)
** Colin Knight, educationalist (died 2016)
* 6 September – Alison Roxburgh, women's rights advocate, community leader (died 2020)
* 8 September – Ross Brown, rugby union player (died 2014)
* 9 September
** Eugene Paykel, psychiatrist
** John Wallace, jurist (died 2012)
** Roy Williams, decathlete
* 10 September
** John Abrams, field hockey player
** Des Webb, rugby union player (died 1987)
* 11 September – Evon Dickson, cricketer (died 2012)
* 14 September – Paul Little, rugby union player (died 1993)
* 19 September – Austin Mitchell, journalist, politician (died 2021)
* 25 September – Allan Potts, athlete, athletics coach and administrator (died 2014)
* 29 September – Bob Parker, rower (died 2009)

### October

* 1 October – Teupoko'ina Utanga Morgan, teacher, politician, author (died 2007)
* 4 October – Joe Williams, physician, politician (died 2020)
* 8 October – Jean Coulston, cricketer (died 2001)
* 12 October – Maurice Langdon, cricketer
* 18 October – Allan Wilson, biochemist (died 1991)
* 20 October – Leo Close, Paralympic sportsman and sports organiser (died 1977)
* 22 October – Donald McIntyre, opera singer
* 28 October – Brian Davis, Anglican archbishop (died 1998)
* 29 October – George Cuthill, association footballer
* 31 October – Don Aickin, obstetrician and gynaecologist (died 2019)

### November

* 1 November – Les Mills, athlete, politician
* 11 November – Peter Snow, physician (died 2006)
* 12 November – Peter Wilkinson, politician (died 1987)
* 13 November – Peter Arnett, TV journalist, Pulitzer Prize winner

### December

* 1 December – Peter Williams, lawyer, penal reform advocate (died 2015)
* 6 December – Johnny Hanks, boxer (died 2013)
* 11 December
** Tom Hadfield, rugby league player (died 2018)
** Ross McNabb, mycologist (died 1972)
* 16 December – Mel Dunne, rugby union player, cricketer, civil engineer (died 2002)
* 25 December – John Shrapnell, journalist, actor, singer (died 2020)
* 26 December – Don Hunn, diplomat and public servant
* 27 December – Ron Ackland, rugby league player and coach (died 2013)
* 28 December – Bob Skelton, jockey (died 2016)
* 30 December
** Barry Briggs, speedway rider
** Eddie Tonks, rugby union administrator (died 2020)

### Undated

* Gillian Cowlishaw, anthropologist
* James Flynn, intelligence researcher, politician (died 2020)
* Gil Hanly, artist
* Olaf Keil, musician
* Leo McKendry, politician
* Norma Restieaux, cardiologist
* Tepaeru Tereora, artist, Cook Islands Māori language advocate
* Ted Thomas, jurist
* Ann Verdcourt, potter (died 2022)

## Deaths
### January–February

* 6 January – Hikapuhi, Ngāti Pikiao tohunga (born c. 1871)
* 7 January – Alfred West, rugby union player (born 1893)
* 9 January – George Smailes, politician, clergyman (born 1862)
* 10 January – Lawrence Grace, politician (born 1854)
* 18 January – Jessie Aitken, community worker, political activist (born 1867)
* 20 January – Joseph Lawton, cricket player and coach (born 1857)
* 27 January – Spencer Gollan, rower, golfer (born 1860)
* 31 January – Duncan Sommerville, mathematician and astronomer (born 1879)
* 8 February– Herbert Izard, Anglican clergyman (born 1869)
* 15 February – John Fletcher, businessman, politician (born 1888)
* 22 February
** Rosetta Baume, feminist, community leader (born 1871)
** George Witters, conservationist (born 1876)

### March–April

* 5 March – Sir Arthur Dobson, surveyor, engineer, explorer (born 1841)
* 12 March – Fanny Osborne, botanical illustrator (born 1852)
* 31 March – James Mackintosh Bell, geologist, writer (born 1877)
* 5 April – Thomas Davey, politician (born 1856)
* 9 April – John Charles Thomson, politician (born 1866)
* 11 April
** Harry Beswick, politician (born 1860)
** Sir Edwin Mitchelson, politician (born 1846)
** Alexander Peebles, politician (born 1856)
* 29 April – Bert Pither, cyclist, aviation experimenter (born 1871)
* 30 April – James Testro, cricketer (born 1851)

### May–June

* 5 May – Ann O'Donnell, hotel proprietor (born c. 1858)
* 6 May
** William McGirr, cricketer (born 1859)
** Sir Henry Wigram, businessman, politician, aviation pioneer (born 1857)
* 14 May – George Fowler, cricketer (born 1860)
* 26 May – John Anderson, rugby union player, engineer, politician (born 1849)
* 2 June – David Ashby, cricketer (born 1852)
* 7 June
** William Vorrath, cricketer, rugby league player (born 1904)
** George Webbe, cricketer (born 1856)
* 9 June – John Joseph Woods, composer of "God Defend New Zealand" (born 1849)
* 13 June – Guy Thornton, army chaplain (born 1872)
* 14 June – Walter Empson, schoolteacher (born 1856)
* 15 July – George Anson, cricketer, physician (born 1850)
* 17 June – William Triggs, journalist, newspaper editor, politician (born 1855)
* 27 June – Harry Ell, politician, conservationist (born 1862)

### July–August

* 1 July – Frederick William Ward, journalist and newspaper editor (born 1847)
* 2 July – Arthur Plugge, army officer (born 1877)
* 6 July – Thomas Pettit, businessman, politician (born 1858)
* 8 July – Leonard Cockayne, botanist (born 1855)
* 10 July – Andrew Walker, politician (born 1855)
* 13 July – Kate Sheppard, suffragist (born 1848)
* 16 July
** Walter Bennett, politician (born 1864)
** Carlo Bergamini, sculptor (born 1868)
* 18 July – Herbert Fenwick, cricketer (born 1861)
* 20 July – William Alfred Bayly, convicted murderer (born 1906)
* 3 August – Allan Johnson, Anglican clergyman (born 1871)
* 10 August – Sally Low, social reformer and peace campaigner (born 1876)
* 11 August – William Collins, surgeon, politician, rugby union player, cricketer (born 1853)
* 12 August – James Glasgow, cricketer (born 1934)
* 17 August – Sir George Fowlds, politician (born 1860)

### September–October

* 2 September – James Allan, rugby union player (born 1860)
* 4 September – Tini Taiaroa, community worker (born c. 1846)
* 5 September – John Joseph Dougall, politician (born 1860)
* 13 September – Sir John Roberts, businessman, politician (born 1845)
* 14 September – Robert Loughnan, journalist, politician (born 1841)
* 21 September – Hugh Stewart, soldier, historian (born 1884)
* 30 September – Joseph Butler, timber merchant (born 1862)
* 9 October – Roderick McKenzie, politician (born 1852)
* 20 October – Arthur Blacklock, cricketer (born 1868)

### November–December

* 2 November – Alexander Don, Presbyterian missionary (born 1857)
* 8 November – Arthur Eastwood, jockey, rowing coxswain (born 1905)
* 19 November – Charles Wilson, politician (born 1862)
* 25 November – Eliza Anscombe, painter (born 1872)
* 2 December – Horace Packe, Anglican clergyman (born 1865)
* 8 December – Robert Brown, cricketer (born 1850)
* 10 December – Margaret Stoddart, botanical artist (born 1865)
* 22 December – Robert Davenport, cricketer (born 1852)
* 29 December – Sir Arthur Fell, politician (born 1850)