1946 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,781,200
• Increase since 31 December 1945: 53,400
• 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

  Government

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

  Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Sidney Holland.

  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

Music

Radio

Film

Sport

Archery

• Open: W. Burton
• Women: P. Bryan

  Athletics

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

  Basketball

• Interprovincial champions: Men – Auckland, Wellington, Otago

  Chess

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

  Cricket

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Integrity
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Loyal Nurse

  Lawn bowls

• Men's singles champion – J.S. Martin
• Men's pair champions – G.C. Batchelor, S.C.K. Smith
• Men's fours champions – W. Hillhouse, J. Gourley, J. Armstrong, F. White

  Rugby union

• Ranfurly Shield

  Rugby league

Soccer

• 14 September: A New Zealand team played a single game against Wellington, which they won 5–2
• The Chatham Cup is won by Wellington Marist who beat Technical Old Boys of Christchurch 2–1 in the final.
• Provincial league champions:
• * 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 : John Bach, actor.
• 8 June: Graham Henry, rugby coach.
• 13 June: Geoff Murphy, film director.
• 27 June: Bruce Cribb, motorcycle speedway rider.
• 4 July: Sam Hunt, performance poet.
• 4 August: Paul East, politician.
• 1 September: Keith Quinn, broadcaster.
• 14 September: John Luxton, politician.
• 29 September: Neil Cherry, environmental scientist.
• 17 October: Ian Wedde, writer.
• 30 November: Ken Wadsworth, cricketer.
• 2 December:
• *John Banks, politician, radio host.
• *Doug Cowie, cricket umpire.
• 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.