1948 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,853,900
• Increase since 31 December 1947: 36,400
• Males per 100 females: 100.5

  Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – George VI
• Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSO

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Robert McKeen
• Prime Minister – Peter Fraser
• Minister of Finance – Walter Nash
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Peter Fraser
• Attorney-General – Rex Mason
• Chief Justice – 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

• 31 May – Tea rationing is abolished.
• 27 August – Sugar rationing is abolished.
• 27 September – Meat rationing is abolished.
• The Marlborough Press, which was founded in 1860, is taken over by The Marlborough Express.
• Italy establishes a consulate in Wellington.

  Arts and literature

Music

Radio

Film

Sport

Archery

• Open Men – H. Butel
• Open Women – D. Johnstone

  Athletics

• Jack Clarke wins the national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:44:06 in Dunedin.

  Basketball

• Interpovincial Champions: Men – Palmerston North
• Interpovincial Champions: Women – Palmerston North

  Chess

• The 55th National Chess Championship was held in Dunedin, and was won by R.G. Wade of Wellington.

  Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Highland Fling
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Captain Sandy

  Lawn bowls

• Men's singles champion – S. Marriott
• Men's pair champions – M.A. Marinovich, S. Garelja
• Men's fours champions – J.W.T. Macklow, Frank Livingstone, Alec Robertson, J.H. Mingins

  Olympic Games

• New Zealand is represented by seven competitors in athletics, boxing, cycling, swimming and weightlifting. There are no medal successes.

  Rugby union

• Ranfurly Shield

  Rugby league

Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by Technical Old Boys of Christchurch who beat Waterside of Wellington 2–0 in the final.
• An Australian side toured New Zealand, playing four internationals:
• * 14 August, Wellington: NZ 0–6 Australia
• * 28 August, Christchurch: NZ 0–7 Australia
• * 4 September, Wellington: NZ 0–4 Australia
• * 11 September, Auckland: NZ 1–8 Australia
• Provincial league champions:
• * Auckland: Eastern Suburbs
• * Canterbury: Western
• * Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB
• * Nelson: Nelson United
• * Otago: Mosgiel
• * South Canterbury: Fisherman
• * Southland: Invercargill United
• * Taranaki: Stratford
• * Waikato: Rotowaro
• * Wanganui: Wanganui Athletic
• * Wellington: Waterside

  Births

• 6 January: Dayle Hadlee, cricketer.
• 16 January: Dalvanius Prime, entertainer.
• 17 January: Billy T. James, comedian.
• 7 February: Richard Prebble, politician.
• 27 February: Michael Baigent, author and conspiracy theorist.
• 2 April : Sam Malcolmson, soccer player.
• 25 May: Mac Price, diplomat.
• 3 July: Richard Worth, politician.
• 22 July: Kevin Ryan, long-distance runner.
• 29 July: John Clarke, actor, best known in New Zealand for Fred Dagg.
• 6 September: Kevin Towns, field hockey player and coach.
• 1 October: Peter Blake, yachtsman.
• 2 October: Robert Anderson, cricketer.
• 24 October: Ray Ahipene-Mercer, musician, politician.
• 4 November: Alexis Hunter, painter.
• 13 November: Lockwood Smith, politician.
• Sue Kedgley, politician.
• Bruce Lynch, musician.
• Grahame Sydney, painter.
• Sue Wood, politician.

Deaths

• 16 May: John Gordon Eliott, former Reform MP
• 25 September: George Davidson, olympic sprinter.
• 9 October: Edmund Anscombe, architect.
• 20 December: Fanny Irvine-Smith, teacher and writer
• 21 December: Fred Bartram, former Labour MP