1939 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,641,600
• Increase since 31 December 1938: 23,300
• 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

• Speaker of the House – Bill Barnard
• 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.

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Ernest Davis
• Mayor of Hamilton – Harold David Caro
• Mayor of Wellington – Thomas Hislop
• Mayor of Christchurch – Robert Macfarlane
• Mayor of Dunedin – Andrew Henson Allen

  Events

• 29 January: 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 : New Zealand declares war on Germany at the same time as Britain.
• 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.

  Arts and literature

Music

Radio

Film

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

• Interpovincial Champions: Men – Wellington

  Chess

• The 48th National Chess Championship was held in Wanganui, and was won by J.B. Dunlop of Dunedin.

  Cricket

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Lucky Jack
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Marlene

  Lawn bowls

• Men's singles champion – W.C. Franks
• Men's pair champions – J. Anchor, W.J. Robinson
• Men's fours champions – C.F. Robertson, H. Franks, J.F. Benson, W.C. Franks

  Rugby union

• Ranfurly Shield

  Rugby league

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.
• 27 February: Don McKinnon, deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and Commonwealth Secretary-General.
• 10 April : Michael Cox, politician.
• 24 April: Fergie McCormick, rugby union player.
• 16 September: Tony Davies, rugby union player.
• 23 September: Hugh Williams, High Court judge.
• 4 October: Ivan Mauger, motorcycle speedway champion.
• 29 October: Michael Smither, painter.
• 18 October: Peter Brown, politician.
• 29 October: Douglas Myers, businessman.
• 24 November: Bob Jones, businessman.
• 27 December: Hugo Judd, diplomat and public servant
• Raymond Ching, painter.
• Syd Jackson, political activist.
• : Dylan Taite, music journalist.
• Philip Temple, writer.
• David Walter, mayor of Stratford.

Deaths

• 16 March: George Mitchell, soldier and politician
• 26 April: Ted Howard, politician.
• 26 July: Thomas William "Torpedo Billy" Murphy, boxer.
• 27 July: Malcolm Champion, swimmer.
• 23 August: Robin Hyde, writer.
• 18 September: T. W. Ratana, prophet.
• 3 November: David McLaren, politician.