# 1939 in New Zealand

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive
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 PC

### 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 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: 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. (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).

### Horse racing
#### Harness racing

* New Zealand Trotting Cup – Lucky Jack (2nd win)
* Auckland Trotting Cup – Marlene

### 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.
* 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 (in England): Michael Cox, politician.
* 24 April: Fergie McCormick, rugby union player. (died 2018)
* 16 September: Tony Davies, rugby union player. (died 2008)
* 23 September: Hugh Williams, High Court judge.
* 23 September: 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.
* 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.
* 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.