1978 Special Honours (New Zealand)

The 1978 Special Honours in New Zealand were two Special Honours Lists: in the first, dated 11 February 1978, two judges received knighthoods; and in the second, dated 20 April 1978, six people were awarded the Polar Medal, for good services as members of New Zealand expeditions to Antarctica in recent years.

Knight Grand Cross (GBE)

 * Civil division
 * The Honourable Ronald Keith Davison – of Auckland; Chief Justice of New Zealand.
 * The Right Honourable Sir Herbert Richard Churton Wild – of Wellington; lately Chief Justice of New Zealand.

Polar Medal

 * Major James Richard Milton Barker  – of Christchurch; officer-in-charge, 1970–1972.
 * Peter John Barrett — of Wellington; geologist, 1974–1975.
 * Anthony Maurice Bromley — of Christchurch; meteorological observer and station leader, 1973–1974.
 * Jack Edward Hoffman — of Lower Hutt; driller, 1975–1976.
 * Malcolm Gordon Laird — of Christchurch; geologist and field leader, 1974–1975.
 * Alexander Thomas Wilson — of Hamilton; geochemist, 1974–1975.