1943 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,642,000
• Increase since 31 December 1942: 5600
• Males per 100 females: 92.9

  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

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Bill Barnard
• Prime Minister – Peter Fraser
• Minister of Finance – Walter Nash
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Peter Fraser
• Attorney-General – Rex Mason
• Chief Justice – Sir Michael Myers

  Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Sidney Holland.

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – John Allum
• Mayor of Hamilton – Harold Caro
• Mayor of Wellington – Thomas Hislop
• Mayor of Christchurch – Ernest Andrews
• Mayor of Dunedin – Andrew Allen

  Events

• New Zealand troops take part in invasion of Italy.
• 25 February – Mutiny by Japanese prisoners of war at Featherston prisoner of war camp results in 48 Japanese dead, 61 wounded, plus one dead and 11 injured guards.
• 3 April – Battle of Manners Street between American and New Zealand servicemen
• 4 June – Hyde railway disaster – 21 passengers died when the Cromwell to Dunedin Express derailed while travelling around a bend too fast near Hyde in Central Otago.
• 20 June – Several U.S. Marines drown during landing exercises at Paekakariki.
• 28 August – Eleanor Roosevelt arrives in New Zealand for visit.
• 3 September – Eleanor Roosevelt flies out from Auckland.
• 25 September – 1943 New Zealand general election.
• October – Butter rationing is introduced, with an allowance of per person per week.
• Japanese submarines operated in New Zealand waters in 1942 and 1943. They sent reconnaissance aircraft over Auckland and Wellington, but did not carry out any attacks.

  Arts and literature

Music

Radio

Film

Sport

Archery

• Men Open: W. Burton

  Cricket

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Haughty – 2nd win
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Shadow Maid

  Thoroughbred racing

Rugby union

• Ranfurly Shield

  Soccer

• Chatham Cup competition not held
• Provincial league champions:
• * Auckland: Metro College
• * 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: No competition
• * Wellington: Waterside

  Births

• 28 January: Malvina Major, opera singer
• 10 March" John McGrath, Judge
• 16 March: Dave McKenzie, long-distance runner
• 24 March: Kate Webb, journalist
• 6 April: Roger Cook, journalist
• 7 May: Gretchen Albrecht, painter
• 12 July: Bruce Taylor, cricketer
• 16 July: Peter Welsh, steeplechase runner
• 20 July: Chris Amon, Formula 1 racing driver
• 19 August: Sid Going, rugby union player
• 9 September: Keith Murdoch, rugby union player
• 11 September: Brian Perkins, radio broadcaster in Britain
• 15 October : Drago Došen, painter
• 21 October: John Robertson
• 27 October: Tom Lister, rugby union player
• 7 November: Silvia Cartwright, judge
• 16 November: Chris Laidlaw, All Black, diplomat, politician and radio host
• 24 November: Barry Milburn, cricketer
• 17 December: : Bert Hawthorne, motor racing driver
• 25 December: Hedley Howarth, cricketer
• Mel Courtney, politician
• Brian Easton, economist
• Richard Frizzell, artist
• Alamein Kopu, politician
• Georgina te Heuheu, politician

Deaths

• 15 January: William Barber, politician.
• 1 February: Frank Worsley, sailor and explorer.
• 6 April: Paraire Karaka Paikea, politician.
• 27 March: Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, soldier, VC winner.
• 22 May: Alfred Ransom, politician & cabinet minister.
• 27 May: Gordon Coates, 21st Prime Minister of New Zealand.
• 21 August: Hilda Hewlett, aviation pioneer.
• 6 September: James Cowan, writer, historian and ethnographer.
• 24 September: Arthur Withy, journalist and politician.
• 11 October: Matthew Joseph Brodie, second Catholic bishop of Christchurch.
• 20 October: John Rigg, politician.