1917 in New Zealand

1917 in New Zealand
The following lists events that happened during 1917 in New Zealand.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Head of State – George V
Governor – Arthur Foljambe, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, until 28 June
Governor-General – Arthur Foljambe, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, from 28 June
Government
The 19th New Zealand Parliament continues as a grand coalition led by the Reform Party. The general election due this year is deferred because of World War I.
Speaker of the House – Frederic Lang (Reform Party)
Prime Minister – William Massey (Reform Party)
Minister of Finance – Joseph Ward
Parliamentary opposition
Leader of the Opposition – Joseph Ward (Liberal Party). Ward retains the title even though he is part of the coalition government.
Judiciary
Chief Justice – Sir Robert Stout
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – James Gunson
Mayor of Wellington – John Luke
Mayor of Christchurch – Henry Holland
Mayor of Dunedin – James Clark
Events
April – The first Caudron biplane purchased by Henry Wigram for the Canterbury Aviation Company arrives.
1 May – The New Zealand Rifle Brigade (Earl of Liverpool's Own) is formed as the 3rd Brigade of the New Zealand Division, part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
7 May – Cecil McKenzie Hill makes the first flight for the Canterbury Aviation Company.
June – Pilot training by the Canterbury Aviation Company commences at Sockburn.
24 September – Ten New Zealand are soldiers killed in England in the Bere Ferrers rail accident.
20 October – 850 New Zealand are soldiers killed in the Second Battle of Passchendaele, the greatest loss of life in a single day in the military history of New Zealand.
1 December – Six o’clock closing of hotel bars is introduced as a wartime measure.
Undated
"Extraordinary and continuous rainfall" throughout the year causes "enormous damage to roads and bridges", and "the country became waterlogged", according to the Public Works Statement.
The West Coast Times, established in 1865, is merged into the Hokitika Guardian and Star.
Arts and literature
See 1917 in art, 1917 in literature, :Category:1917 books
Music
See: 1917 in music
Film
See: :Category:1917 film awards, 1917 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1917 films
Sport
Golf
The New Zealand Open championship and National Amateur Championships are not held due to the war.
Horse racing
Harness racing
New Zealand Trotting Cup – Adelaide Direct
Auckland Trotting Cup – Steel Bell (2nd win)
Thoroughbred racing
New Zealand Cup – Meelaus
Auckland Cup – Fiery Cross
Wellington Cup – Bunting
New Zealand Derby – Estland
Lawn bowls
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Wellington.
Men's singles champion – C.R. Ingram (Wellington Bowling Club)
Men's pair champions – A. Sawyer, J.J. Martin (skip) (Turanganui Bowling Club)
Men's fours champions – J.S. Ryrie, A.R. Coltman, W. Coltman, G.S. Osmond (skip) (Auckland Bowling Club)
Rugby union
The Ranfurly Shield (held by ) is not contested as interprovincial matches are cancelled due to the war.
Soccer
Provincial league champions:
Auckland – Brotherhood
Canterbury – Linwood
Hawke's Bay – Waipukurau
Otago – Northern
Southland – No competition
Wanganui – No competition
Wellington – No competition
Births
January
13 January – Doris Strachan, athlete
19 January – Agnes Ell, cricketer
20 January – Emily Carpenter, home science academic, adult educationalist, consumer advocate
25 January – Rosalie Gascoigne, sculptor
27 January – John Pattison, World War II pilot
28 January – Jack Hatchard, association footballer
31 January
Erich Geiringer, writer, doctor, anti-nuclear weapons activist
Frank Gill, air force officer, politician
February
19 February
Morrie McHugh, boxer, rugby union player
Peg Taylor, cricketer
26 February – Clyde Jeffery, politician, mayor of Napier (1974–83)
March
1 March – Bill Sutton, artist
9 March – Clarrie Gordon, boxer
10 March – Tom Pritchard, cricketer
20 March – Haddon Donald, soldier, politician, sports shooter
22 March – Phil Holloway, politician
26 March – Ruth Gilbert, poet
April
13 April – Bruce Ferguson, soldier
18 April – Brian Mason, geochemistry, mineralogist, meteoriticist
May
6 May – Roy Scott, cricketer
21 May – Margaret Milne, potter
22 May – Charlie Munro, jazz musician
June
10 June – Jack Henry, industrialist
11 June – Tom Davis, Cook Islands politician
25 June – Nora Crawford, police officer
July
1 July – Maurice Carter, property developer, politician, philanthropist
6 July – Arthur Lydiard, runner, athletics coach
7 July – John Crichton, furniture and interior designer
13 July – Frank Carpay, ceramics, textile and graphic designer
14 July – Doug Zohrab, public servant, diplomat
19 July – Lewis Johnston, cricket umpire
21 July – Jock Newall, association footballer
23 July – Douglas Goodfellow, businessman, philanthropist
27 July – Ron Meek. economist and social scientist
31 July – Derek Ward, World War II pilot
August
1 August – Esme Tombleson, politician
3 August – Eddie Isbey, politician
7 August – Arthur Cresswell, cricketer
24 August – Ruth Park, writer
September
2 September – Jack Scholes, sailor
6 September – Cecil Hight, World War II pilot
7 September – Ewen Solon, actor
16 September – David Lewis, sailor, Polynesian scholar
23 September – Wiremu Te Tau Huata, Anglican priest, military chaplain
26 September – James Coe, artist, art teacher, industrial designer, ergonomist
30 September – Denis Rogers, politician, mayor of Hamilton (1959–68)
October
2 October – Rosaleen Norton, artist, occultist
17 October
Martin Donnelly, cricketer, rugby union player
John Oswald Sanders, missionary
18 October – Roy White, rugby union player
31 October – Evan Mackie, World War II pilot
November
6 November – Henry Walters, cricketer
17 November – Tom Larkin, public servant, diplomat
25 November – Paul Beadle, sculptor, medallist
December
2 December – Betty Batham, marine biologist
7 December – Bert Roth, librarian, historian
8 December – Alan Stewart, rugby union player, university administrator
11 December – Owen Snedden, Roman Catholic bishop
12 December – Alan Deere, military pilot, author
13 December – Keith Hay, construction company founder, politician, conservative activist
24 December – Ronald Triner, road cyclist
Deaths
January–February
3 February – Robert McNab, politician (born 1864)
17 February
Graham Gow, government trade representative (born 1850)
Sir George McLean, politician (born 1834)
22 February – Hugh Murray-Aynsley, politician (born 1828)
March–April
6 March
Tame Parata, politician (born 1837)
William Salmond, Presbyterian minister, theologian (born 1835)
11 March – William Hosking, doctor (born 1841)
13 March – Percy Dix, vaudeville company manager (born 1866)
27 March – Joseph Braithwaite, bookseller, politician, mayor of Dunedin (1905–06) (born 1848)
30 March – Ferdinand Holm, mariner, ship owner (born 1844)
23 April – Robert Bruce, politician, conservationist (born 1843)
May–June
2 May – Alfred Lee Smith, politician (born 1838)
7 June
Bill Bussell, rugby league player (born 1887)
George Sellars, rugby union player (born 1886)
8 June
George Bollinger, soldier, diarist (born 1890)
Charles Henry Brown, military leader (born 1872)
Thomas Culling, World War I flying ace (born 1896)
22 June – John Lecky, rugby union player (born 1863)
July–August
8 July – Alexander McKay, geologist (born 1841)
14 July
Robert Batley, storekeeper, sheep farmer (born 1849)
Alexander Bruce, politician (born 1839)
15 July – Bill Mackrell, rugby union and rugby league player (born 1881)
23 July – James Gore, politician, mayor of Dunedin (1881–82) (born 1834)
27 July – Arthur Brown, Mayor of Wellington
30 July – William Baldwin, politician (born 1836)
31 July – William Henry Dillon Bell, politician (born 1884)
4 August
Purakau Maika, newspaper editor and publisher (born 1852)
Cecil Perry, cricketer (born 1846)
5 August – Don Buck, gum digger (born 1869)
6 August – Charles James, rugby league player (born 1891)
7 August – Francis Earl Johnston, army officer (born 1871)
14 August – William Sanders, naval officer, Victoria Cross recipient (born 1883)
24 August – Alfred Kidd, politician, mayor of Auckland (1901–03) (born 1851)
26 August – William Lane, journalist, utopian (born 1861)
September–October
4 October – Dave Gallaher. rugby union player (born 1873)
6 October – John Davies Ormond, politician (born 1831)
12 October
Henry Du Vall, rugby league player (born 1886)
George Augustus King, military officer (born 1885)
20 October – Elise Kemp, nurse (born 1881)
22 October – Bob Fitzsimmons, boxer (born 1863)
27 October – William Beehan, politician (born 1853)
November–December
10 November – Charles King, cricketer (born 1847)
13 November – Cecil Fitzroy, politician, mayor of Hastings (1894–99) (born 1844)
15 November – Frank Twisleton, soldier, writer (born 1873)
29 November – Ellen Greenwood, schoolteacher, social worker (born 1837)
12 December – Sir Charles Bowen, politician (born 1830)
14 December – George Wilson, cricketer (born 1887)
23 December – Clive Franklyn Collett, World War I flying ace (born 1886)
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