1946 in New Zealand explained

The following lists events that happened during 1946 in New Zealand.

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,781,200.^[1]
• Increase since 31 December 1945: 53,400 (3.09%).
• Males per 100 females: 100.2.

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – George VI
• Governor-General – Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Cyril Newall GCB OM GCMG CBE AM, succeeded same year by Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSO ^[2]

Government

The 27th New Zealand Parliament concluded, with the Labour Party in government. Labour was re-elected for a fourth term in the election in November, but with a smaller majority.

• Speaker of the House – Bill Schramm (Labour)
• Prime Minister – Peter Fraser
• Minister of Finance – Walter Nash
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Peter Fraser
• Attorney-General – Rex Mason
• Chief Justice – Sir Michael Myers (until 7 August), Sir Humphrey O'Leary (starting 12 August)

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Sidney Holland (National Party).^[3]

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – John Allum
• Mayor of Hamilton – Harold Caro
• Mayor of Wellington – Will Appleton
• Mayor of Christchurch – Ernest Andrews
• Mayor of Dunedin – Donald Cameron

Events

• Family benefit of £1 per week becomes universal.
• Bank of New Zealand nationalised.

Arts and literature

See 1946 in art, 1946 in literature

Music

See: 1946 in music

Radio

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

See:, 1946 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand,

Sport

Archery

National Champions (Postal Shoot) ^[4]

• Open: W. Burton (Gisborne)
• Women: P. Bryan (Auckland)

Athletics

• Lionel Fox wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:40:00 in Wanganui.

Basketball

National Associations are formed for both men and women (now combined as Basketball New Zealand) and the first championship for men under the control of their association is held.^[5] (see 1938 and 1939)

• Interprovincial champions: Men – (tie) Auckland, Wellington, Otago

Chess

• The 53rd National Chess Championship was held in Christchurch, and was won by T. Lepviikman of Wellington.^[6]

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Integrity^[7]
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Loyal Nurse^[8]

Lawn bowls

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Christchurch.^[9]

• Men's singles champion – J.S. Martin (Edgeware Bowling Club)
• Men's pair champions – G.C. Batchelor, S.C.K. Smith (skip) (North End Bowling Club, Invercargill)
• Men's fours champions – W. Hillhouse, J. Gourley, J. Armstrong, F. White (skip) (Runanga Bowling Club)

Rugby union

,

• Ranfurly Shield

Rugby league

New Zealand national rugby league team

Soccer

• 14 September: A New Zealand team played a single game against Wellington, which they won 5–2^[10]
• The Chatham Cup is won by Wellington Marist who beat Technical Old Boys of Christchurch 2–1 in the final.^[11]
• Provincial league champions: ^[12]
  • Auckland: Metro College
  • Canterbury: Western
  • Hawke's Bay: Napier Rovers
  • Nelson:
  • Otago: Mosgiel
  • South Canterbury: Fisherman
  • Southland: Invercargill Thistle
  • Taranaki: Albion
  • Waikato: Rotowaro
  • Wanganui: Technical College Old Boys
  • Wellington: Wellington Marist

Births

• 25 February: Grahame Thorne, rugby player, commentator and politician.
• 28 February: Graham Vivian, cricketer.
• 2 April: Richard Collinge, cricketer.
• 15 May: George Hawkins, politician.
• 24 May: Ian Kirkpatrick, rugby player.
• 5 June (in Wales): John Bach, actor.
• 8 June: Graham Henry, rugby coach.
• 27 June: Bruce Cribb, motorcycle speedway rider.
• 4 July: Sam Hunt, performance poet.
• 22 July: Christine McElwee, politician, historian, non-fiction author and teacher (died 2022).
• 4 August: Paul East, politician.
• 1 September: Keith Quinn, broadcaster.
• 14 September: John Luxton, politician.
• 29 September: Neil Cherry, environmental scientist (died 2003).
• 17 October: Ian Wedde, writer.
• 30 November: Ken Wadsworth, cricketer (died 1976).
• 2 December:
  • John Banks, politician, radio host.
  • Doug Cowie, cricket umpire.
• 11 December: Stewart Murray Wilson, sex offender (died 2021).
• 27 December: Bill Manhire, poet.
• date unknown
  • Frank Gibson, Jr., jazz drummer.
  • Richard Killeen, artist.

Deaths

• 9 February Vincent Ward, politician.
• 5 March: Sir Charles Statham, politician.
• 26 September: William Nosworthy, politician.
• 10 November: Claude Weston, politician.

See also

• List of years in New Zealand
• Timeline of New Zealand history
• History of New Zealand
• Military history of New Zealand
• Timeline of the New Zealand environment
• Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica

Notes and References

1. Web site: Historical population estimates tables . https://web.archive.org/web/20171231000952/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx . 31 December 2017 . Statistics New Zealand.
2. Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
3. Web site: Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition. 6 April 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081017200326/http://www1.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html. 17 October 2008. dead.
4. In a postal shoot clubs compete on specified dates and the results are posted to the Association.
5. Todd, S. (1976) Sporting Records of New Zealand. Auckland: Moa Publications.
6. http://www.poisonpawn.co.nz/nzcftitles.htm List of New Zealand Chess Champions
7. Web site: List of NZ Trotting cup winners . 6 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120222233106/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/nz_trotting_cup.htm . 22 February 2012 . dead .
8. http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race2.htm Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
9. Book: McLintock . A.H. . Alexander Hare McLintock . Bowls, men's outdoor—tournament winners . An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand . 6 June 2018 . 1966 . Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
10. http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/NZRepSoccer/id164.htm List of New Zealand national soccer matches
11. http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/chatham_cup_records.html Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com
12. Web site: New Zealand: List of champions. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 1999.