1940 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,633,600
• Increase since 31 December 1939: -8000
• Males per 100 females: 99.1

  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 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 until 26 November, then Sidney Holland.

  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 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 commences.
• German surface raiders operated in New Zealand waters in 1940 and 1941, sinking four ships.

  Arts and literature

Music

Radio

Film

• Rewi's Last Stand
• One Hundred Crowded Years

Sport

Chess

• The 49th National Chess Championship was held in Wellington, and was won by J.B. Dunlop of Dunedin.

  Cricket

Horse racing

Harness racing

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

  Lawn bowls

• Men's singles champion – G.A. Deare
• Men's pair champions – L.G. Donaldson, Bill Bremner
• Men's fours champions – Bill Whittaker, J.W.T. Macklow, Alec Robertson, Frank Livingstone

  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
• 17 February: James Laurenson, actor
• 23 March: Brian Hastings, cricketer
• 14 April: Robin Tait, discus thrower
• 7 June: Felicity Riddy, author and academic
• 10 June : Augie Auer, meteorologist
• 23 June: Mike Shrimpton, cricketer
• 1 July : Judith Binney, historian
• 15 July: Ian Athfield, architect
• 11 August: Glenys Page, cricketer
• 31 August: Maurice Belgrave, public servant and chief ombudsman
• 3 September: Brian Lochore, rugby player
• 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
• 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.