Population

• Estimated Population as of 31 December: 1,817,500
• Increase since 31/12/1946: 36,300 (2.04%)
• Males per 100 Females: 100.3

Regal and Vice Regal

• Head of State
  Head of State
  A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
  
   - George VI
  George VI of the United Kingdom
  George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
  
  
• Governor-General
  Governor-General of New Zealand
  The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
  
   - Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg
  Bernard Freyberg, 1st Baron Freyberg
  Lieutenant-General Bernard Cyril Freyberg, 1st Baron Freyberg VC, GCMG, KCB, KBE, DSO & Three Bars , was a British-born New Zealand Victoria Cross recipient and soldier who later served as the seventh Governor-General of New Zealand.A veteran of the Mexican Revolution, he became an officer in the...
  
  VC
  Victoria Cross
  The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
  
   GCMG
  Order of St Michael and St George
  The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
  
   KCB
  Order of the Bath
  The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
  
   KBE
  Order of the British Empire
  The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
  
   DSO
  Distinguished Service Order
  The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
  
  

Government

• Speaker of the House
  Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
  In New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
  
   - Robert McKeen
  Robert McKeen
  Robert McKeen, CMG was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party He was the twelfth Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1947 to 1950....
  
  (Labour)
• Prime Minister
  Prime Minister of New Zealand
  The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
  
   - Peter Fraser
• Minister of Finance
  Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
  The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
  
   - Walter Nash
  Walter Nash
  Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...
  
  
• Minister of Foreign Affairs
  Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)
  The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...
  
   - Peter Fraser
• Attorney-General
  Attorney-General (New Zealand)
  The Attorney-General is a political office in New Zealand. It is simultaneously a ministerial position and an administrative office, and has responsibility for supervising New Zealand law and advising the government on legal matters...
  
   - Rex Mason
  Rex Mason
  Henry Greathead Rex Mason was a New Zealand politician. He served as Attorney General, Minister of Justice, Minister of Education, and Minister of Native Affairs, and had a significant influence on the direction of the Labour Party...
  
  

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition
  Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand)
  The Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand is the politician who, at least in theory, commands the support of the non-government bloc of members in the New Zealand Parliament. In the debating chamber the Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister...
  
   - Sidney Holland
  Sidney Holland
  Sir Sidney George Holland, GCMG, CH was the 25th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.-Early life:...
  
  (National Party
  New Zealand National Party
  The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
  
  ).

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland
  Mayor of Auckland
  The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...
  
   - John Allum
  John Allum
  Sir John Andrew Charles Allum was a New Zealand businessman and engineer, and was Mayor of Auckland City from 1941 to 1953.He was born in London and educated at Goldsmiths College. An electrical engineer, he founded Allum Electrical in Auckland in 1922.He was on the Auckland City Council from 1920...
  
  
• Mayor of Hamilton
  Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand
  The Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand is the head of the municipal government of Hamilton, New Zealand, and presides over the Hamilton City Council.In the 2010 Local Government elections, Julie Hardaker was elected as mayor, defeating incumbent Bob Simcock....
  
   - Harold Caro
• Mayor of Wellington
  Mayor of Wellington
  The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...
  
   - William Appleton
  William Appleton (mayor)
  Sir William Appleton was Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand from 1944 to 1950, having been a city councillor from 1931 to 1944.He was a leader of the commercial community, and founder of an advertising agency.-References:...
  
  
• Mayor of Christchurch
  Mayor of Christchurch
  The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
  
   - Ernest Andrews
  Ernest Andrews
  Sir Ernest Herbert Andrews was Mayor of Christchurch from 1941 until his retirement in 1950. He had served continuously on Christchurch City Council since 1919.- Early years :...
  
  
• Mayor of Dunedin
  Mayor of Dunedin
  The Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....
  
   - Donald Cameron

Events

• 19 January: The TSMV Wanganella
  Wanganella
  Wanganella was an Australian-registered merchant vessel constructed by the Harland and Wolff shipyards and entering service as a trans-Tasman passenger liner in 1933...
  
  , completing her first trans-tasman crossing since World War II, went aground on Barrett Reef
  Barrett Reef
  The cluster of rocks that is Barrett Reef is one of the most treacherous reefs in New Zealand.It lies on the western side of the entrance of Wellington Harbour, on the approaches to the city of Wellington, at coordinates . The reef is named after Richard Barrett , a whaler and trader. Its Maori...
  
   at the entrance to Wellington Harbour
  Wellington Harbour
  Wellington Harbour is the large natural harbour at the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island. New Zealand's capital, Wellington, is on the western side of Wellington Harbour. The harbour was officially named Port Nicholson until it assumed its current name in the 1980s.In Māori the harbour is...
  
  . All 400 passengers were safely evacuated and the ship was refloated on 6 February but was out of service for a further 22 months.
• 6 February: First annual Waitangi Day
  Waitangi Day
  Waitangi Day commemorates a significant day in the history of New Zealand. It is a public holiday held each year on 6 February to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.-History:...
  
   ceremony held by New Zealand Navy in grounds of Treaty house
  Treaty house
  In New Zealand, the Treaty House refers to the former house of the British Resident in New Zealand, James Busby. The Treaty of Waitangi, the document that established the British Colony of New Zealand was signed in the grounds of the Treaty House on 6 February 1840.The grounds had previously been...
  
  , Waitangi.
• February: Holy Name Seminary
  Holy Name Seminary
  Holy Name Seminary was a Roman Catholic seminary staffed by the Society of Jesus established in New Zealand for the training of priests. It was first opened in 1947 in Christchurch and closed at the end of 1978.-Establishment:...
  
  , Christchurch
  Christchurch
  Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
  
   (Catholic) established.
• 6 March: The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
  New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
  The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....
  
   performs for the first time
• 1–29 April: A series of non-violent mutinies occur
  1947 Royal New Zealand Navy mutinies
  During April 1947, the Royal New Zealand Navy was affected by a series of peaceful mutinies amongst the sailors and non-commissioned officers of four ships and two shore bases...
  
   aboards ships and bases of the Royal New Zealand Navy
  Royal New Zealand Navy
  The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
  
  
• 18 November: 41 people die in a fire in the Ballantyne's department store
  Ballantyne's store disaster
  The Ballantyne's fire on 18 November 1947 remains the deadliest fire in New Zealand history. Forty one people died in the blaze in the Christchurch Central City; all were employees who found themselves trapped by the fire or were overcome by smoke while evacuating the store complex without a fire...
  
   in Christchurch.

Film

Appointments and awards

• Archbishop of New Zealand
  Archbishop of New Zealand
  The Archbishop of New Zealand is the primate, or head, of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. However, since Whakahuihui Vercoe stepped down at the end of his two-year term as archbishop in 2006, the church has decided that three bishops shall share the position and style of...
  
  
• Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
  Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
  The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is a church of the Anglican Communion serving New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands...
  
   , see appointments to Diocese

Archery

• Open Men - W. Burton (Gisborne
  Gisborne, New Zealand
  -Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
  
  )
• Open Women - G. Norris (Dunedin
  Dunedin
  Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
  
  )

Athletics

• George Bromley wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:58:54 in Auckland
  Auckland
  The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
  
  .

Chess

• The 54th National Chess Championship was held in Palmerston North, and was won by T. Lepviikman of Wellington (his 2nd win).

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup
  New Zealand Trotting Cup
  The New Zealand Trotting Cup or New Zealand Cup is a Group One harness race held annually by the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is considered the country's most prestigious harness racing event. the prize was NZ$750,000, the largest prize for a...
  
  : Highland Fling
  Highland Fling (horse)
  Highland Fling was a New Zealand bred Standardbred racehorse. He is notable in that he won two New Zealand Trotting Cup races, the richest harness race, and sometimes the richest horse race in New Zealand. Highland Fling was a leading performer in the years 1947 and 1948...
  
  
• Auckland Trotting Cup
  Auckland Trotting Cup
  The Auckland Trotting Cup or Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in March in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year. It is notable as it is a Group 1 championship race over...
  
  : Single Direct

Soccer

• A South African team visited New Zealand and played four internationals:
  • 28 June, Christchurch: NZ 5-6 South Africa
  • 5 July, Dunedin: NZ 0-6 South Africa
  • 12 July, Wellington: NZ 3-8 South Africa
  • 19 July, Auckland: NZ 1-4 South Africa
• The Chatham Cup
  1947 Chatham Cup
  The 1947 Chatham Cup was the 20th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.The competition was run on a regional basis, with regional associations each holding separate qualifying rounds. Teams taking part in the final rounds are known to have included North Shore United,...
  
   is won by Waterside
  Waterside Karori
  Waterside Karori AFC is an association football club in Karori, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand.Waterside Karori was formed in 19881 when Karori Swifts merged with Waterside. These two clubs had contrasting origins: Swifts were founded in 1894 from a Sunday School, and Waterside were founded...
  
   of Wellington who beat Technical Old Boys
  Christchurch Technical
  Christchurch Technical was a soccer club based in Christchurch, New Zealand.It was formed in 1923 as Technical Old Boys. The club changed its name to ChristchurchTechnical in 1968. It was also known temporarily as ChristchurchCity....
  
   of Christchurch 2—1 in the final.
• Provincial league champions:
  • Auckland: North Shore United
    North Shore United
    North Shore United is a semi-professional football club based in North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2.Their home ground, Allen Hill Stadium, is located in the suburb of Devonport.-History:...
    
    
  • Canterbury: Western
    Western A.F.C.
    Western A.F.C. is a semi-professional association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League.-1913–1920:...
    
    
  • Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB
  • Nelson: Nelson United
    Nelson United
    Nelson United is a New Zealand soccer club, based in the South Island city of Nelson. Their home ground is Guppy Park. The team was founded in 1968 through the amalgamation of Nelson Rangers and Nelson Thistle...
    
    
  • Otago: Mosgiel AFC
  • South Canterbury: Northern Hearts
  • Southland: Invercargill Thistle
  • Taranaki: Albion
  • Waikato: Claudelands Rovers
    Claudelands Rovers
    Claudelands Rovers is an association football club in New Zealand. It is based in the Hamilton suburb of Claudelands.Claudelands Rovers Premier Team is The Claudelands Rovers Women's Team that plays in the Northern Women's Premier League...
    
    
  • Wanganui: Technical College Old Boys
  • Wellington: Wellington Marist
    Wellington Marist
    Wellington Marist AFC is an association football club in Wellington, New Zealand. The team is based at Kilbirnie Park in Kilbirnie.They won the Chatham Cup in 1932 and 1946, and were runners-up in 1945.-External links:***...
    
    

Births

• 19 February: Tim Shadbolt
  Tim Shadbolt
  Timothy Richard "Tim" Shadbolt is a New Zealand politician. He is the Mayor of Invercargill and was previously Mayor of Waitemata City.-Early life:...
  
  , politician.
• 9 March: Keri Hulme
  Keri Hulme
  Keri Hulme is a New Zealand writer, best known for The Bone People, her only novel.-Early life:Hulme was born in Christchurch, in New Zealand's South Island. The daughter of a carpenter and a credit manager, she was the eldest of six children. Her parents were of English, Scottish, and Māori ...
  
  , writer.
• 9 March: John Lister
  John Lister (golfer)
  John Malcolm Lister is a professional golfer from New Zealand. He played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s and early 1980s, and was one of the dominant players on the Australasian golf scene during that period....
  
  , golfer.
• 6 May: Alan Dale
  Alan Dale
  Alan Hugh Dale is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale developed a love of theatre and also became a rugby player. After retiring from the sport he took on a number of professions to support his family, before deciding to become a professional actor at the age of 27. With work limited in New...
  
  , actor.
• 6 May (in England): Carl Doy
  Carl Doy
  Carl William Doy ONZM is a pianist, composer and arranger. One of New Zealand's most successful musicians, Carl is probably best known for his multi-platinum selling Piano By Candlelight albums....
  
  , musician and composer.
• 6 May: Andrew Roberts
  Andrew Roberts (cricketer)
  Andrew Duncan Glenn Roberts in Te Aroha was a New Zealand cricketer who died suddenly at the age of 42. Roberts also played for Bay of Plenty in the Hawke Cup....
  
  , cricketer.
• 20 May: Margaret Wilson
  Margaret Wilson
  Dame Margaret Wilson DCNZM is a New Zealand academic and former politician. She was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives during the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand. She is a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:...
  
  , politician.
• 27 May: Glenn Turner
  Glenn Turner
  Glenn Maitland Turner played cricket for New Zealand and was one of the country's best and most prolific batsmen. He is the current head of the New Zealand Cricket selection panel....
  
  , cricketer.
• 6 June: Patrick Power
  Patrick Power (tenor)
  Patrick Power, , is a New Zealand tenor. He has sung nearly all the lyric tenor repertoire in most of the major opera companies and festivals in Europe and North America. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream.-External links:...
  
  , tenor.
• 22 June: Murray Webb
  Murray Webb
  Murray George Webb is a respected New Zealand caricature artist. Based in Dunedin, his usual subjects are sports icons....
  
  , cricketer and caricature artist.
• 27 August: John Morrison
  John Morrison (cricketer)
  John Francis Maclean Morrison, MNZM played 17 Tests and 18 One Day Internationals for New Zealand. Since retiring from playing he has worked as a commentator and in local body politics, including serving on the Wellington City Council.He was greatly known for his dribbly spin bowling, including...
  
  , cricketer.
• 2 September: Jim Richards
  Jim Richards (race driver)
  Jim Richards is a New Zealand racing driver who has spent most of his racing life in Australia. While retired from professional racing, Richards continues to compete in the historic category Touring Car Masters while running a team in the Australian GT Championship...
  
  , motor racing driver.
• 13 September: Annette King
  Annette King
  Annette Faye King is a New Zealand politician. She is the current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the New Zealand. She was a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand.-Early life:...
  
  , politician.
• 22 September: David Trist
  David Trist
  David George Trist is a former first class cricketer who played for Canterbury. A right arm fast-medium bowler, he played 24 games between 1968/69 and 1977/78....
  
  , cricket player and coach.
• 18 December: Marian Hobbs
  Marian Hobbs
  Marian Leslie Hobbs , a New Zealand politician, was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2008. She was initially a list MP and then represented the Wellington Central electorate...
  
  , politician.

• Bill Hammond
  Bill Hammond (artist)
  William Hammond is a New Zealand artist.Hammond attended the School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury from 1966 to 1969, and has worked as a full-time painter since 1981...
  
  , painter.
• Gavan Herlihy
  Gavan Herlihy
  Gavan Herlihy is a former New Zealand politician. He was educated at St. Kevin's College and Canterbury University. He was a member of Parliament for the National Party from 1996 to 2002.-Member of Parliament:...
  
  , politician.
• Michael Wintringham
  Michael Wintringham
  Michael Charles Wintringham CNZM is a New Zealand public servant. He served as State Services Commissioner, head of New Zealand's public service, from 1997 to 2004....
  
  , public servant.