1940 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1940 in New Zealand.

Population

 * Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,633,600.
 * Increase since 31 December 1939: -8000 (−0.49%).
 * Males per 100 females: 99.1.

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 then Peter Fraser
 * Minister of Finance – Walter Nash
 * Minister of Foreign Affairs – Michael Joseph Savage then Frank Langstone
 * Attorney-General – Rex Mason
 * Chief Justice – Sir Michael Myers

Parliamentary opposition

 * Leader of the Opposition – Adam Hamilton (National Party) until 26 November, then Sidney Holland (National).

Main centre leaders

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

Events

 * 25 March: John A. Lee is expelled from the governing Labour caucus following his outspoken criticism of dying leader Michael Joseph Savage
 * 27 March: New Zealand's first Labour Prime Minister, Michael Joseph Savage dies from cancer in Wellington.
 * 19 June: The liner RMS Niagara is sunk by a mine laid by the GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISER Orion off Whangarei. She was carrying British gold destined for America.
 * 12 July: Pan American Airways flying boat service from Hawaii to Auckland via Canton Island (not Kingman Reef) commences.
 * 14 December: The Canterbury Pioneer Women's Memorial was formally opened.
 * German surface raiders operated in New Zealand waters in 1940 and 1941, sinking four ships.

Arts and literature
See 1940 in art, 1940 in literature

Music
See: 1940 in music

Radio
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

 * Rewi's Last Stand (1940)
 * One Hundred Crowded Years

See: Category:1940 film awards, 1940 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1940 films

Chess

 * The 49th National Chess Championship was held in Wellington, and was won by John Dunlop of Dunedin (his 6th and last title).

Harness racing

 * New Zealand Trotting Cup – Marlene
 * Auckland Trotting Cup – Ned Worthy

Lawn bowls
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Wellington.
 * Men's singles champion – G.A. Deare (Carlton Bowling Club)
 * Men's pair champions – L.G. Donaldson, Bill Bremner (skip) (West End Bowling Club, Auckland)
 * Men's fours champions – Bill Whittaker, J.W.T. Macklow, Alec Robertson, Frank Livingstone (skip) (Onehunga Bowling Club)

Soccer

 * The Chatham Cup is won by Waterside who beat Mosgiel 6–2 in the final.
 * Provincial league champions:
 * Auckland:	Comrade
 * Canterbury:	Western
 * Hawke's Bay:	Napier HSOB
 * Nelson:	No competition
 * Otago:	Mosgiel
 * South Canterbury:	No competition
 * Southland:	No competition
 * Taranaki:	RNZAF
 * Waikato:	No competition
 * Wanganui:	Technical College Old Boys
 * Wellington:	Waterside

Births

 * 12 January: Dick Motz, cricketer (d. 2007)
 * 13 February: Stan Rodger, politician (d. 2022)
 * 17 February: James Laurenson, actor
 * 23 March: Brian Hastings, cricketer
 * 14 April: Robin Tait, discus thrower (d. 1984)
 * 7 June: Felicity Riddy, author and academic
 * 10 June (in the USA): Augie Auer, meteorologist (d. 2007)
 * 23 June: Mike Shrimpton, cricketer (d. 2015)
 * 1 July (in Australia): Judith Binney, historian (d. 2011)
 * 8 July: Waka Nathan, rugby union player (d. 2021)
 * 15 July: Ian Athfield, architect (d. 2007)
 * 11 August: Glenys Page, cricketer (d. 2012)
 * 31 August: Maurice (John) Belgrave, public servant and chief ombudsman (d. 2007)
 * 3 September: Brian Lochore, rugby player (d. 2019)
 * 18 September
 * Bruce Murray cricketer
 * Jon Trimmer, ballet dancer.
 * 24 September: Don Brash, Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, politician
 * 6 October: Merv Wellington, politician (d. 2003)
 * 24 October: Martin Campbell, film and TV director
 * date unknown
 * David Baragwanath, High Court judge.
 * Robyn Donald, writer.
 * Tessa Duder, writer.
 * Joe Hawke, politician.
 * Michael Jackson, poet, anthropologist
 * Maurice McTigue, politician and diplomat.

Deaths

 * 12 January: Taurekareka Henare, politician.
 * 27 March: Michael Joseph Savage, Prime Minister.
 * 28 May: Florence Young, missionary.
 * 6 June: F.O. Edgar "Cobber" Kain, first RAF ace of WWII.
 * 17 November: Frank Moore, political activist.
 * Hannah Retter, New Zealand centenarian (born 1839)