1961 New Year Honours (New Zealand)

Knight Bachelor

• The Honourable Francis Boyd Adams – formerly a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand.

  Order of Saint Michael and Saint George

Companion (CMG)

• Leslie Cecil Lloyd Averill – of Christchurch. For services to the medical profession in New Zealand.
• Herbert Leslie Bockett – Secretary of Labour and Director of Employment.

  Order of the British Empire

Knight Commander (KBE)

• Guy Richardson Powles – High Commissioner for Western Samoa, 1949–1960, and High Commissioner for New Zealand in India since July 1960.

  Commander (CBE)

• James Andrew – a member of the New Zealand Wool Board, of Masterton.
• Keith Nicholson Buttle – formerly mayor of the City of Auckland.
• George Edward Turney – public trustee, of Wellington.

• Brigadier Frank Leo Hutter – Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps, of Wellington.
• Air Commodore Thomas Francis Gill – Royal New Zealand Air Force.

  Officer (OBE)

• Norman Rhind Bain – Crown prosecutor and Crown solicitor at Wanganui.
• James Gumming – of Petone. For services to the community.
• Elizabeth Gregory – dean of the School of Home Science, University of Otago.
• Charles William Feilden Hamilton – of Timaru. For services in the field of engineering.
• Julius McLachlan Hogben. For services in cultural activities in Auckland.
• Carl Herluf Richard Jepsen – of Upper Hutt. For philanthropic services.
• Michael Rotohiko Jones – of Wellington. For services to the Māori people.
• Geoffrey Nevill – formerly resident commissioner of the Cook Islands.
• Stanley Ivan Russell – of Nelson. For services to local government.
• Arthur Hugh Ward – of Wellington. For services to the dairy industry.

• Lieutenant-Colonel Phillip John Oliver – Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery, of Hamilton.
• Lieutenant-Colonel Henry McKenzie Reid – Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps, of Wellington.
• Wing Commander Jack Hardy – Royal New Zealand Air Force, of Christchurch.

  Member (MBE)

• Rowena Othlie Jackson – of Auckland. For services to ballet in New Zealand.
• William Clayton – of Westland. For services to local government.
• Winter Cole. For services to local body and community organisations in Christchurch and North Canterbury.
• Esther Hill Elliott – matron of the Ross Home for the Aged, Dunedin.
• Francis Stanley Grayling – of New Plymouth. For services to local government.
• Murray Gordon Halberg – of Auckland. For services in the field of athletics.
• William Patrick Hartstonge – mayor of Mosgiel, 1938–1959.
• Joseph Thomas Head – in recognition of his services as a member of the Royal New Zealand Navy, particularly in social welfare and industrial conciliation.
• Neil Budhanan Hunt – chairman of the Rotorua County Council.
• The Reverend Ngapaka Kukutai – of Ngāruawāhia. For services to the Māori people.
• Mary Elizabeth McLean – of Christchurch. For services to the community and to local government in many fields.
• Catherine Johnston Ovens – district nurse at Motueka.
• Joyce Edith Phipps – corps officer, St John's Ambulance Brigade, of Auckland.
• Papali'i Poumau – in recognition of his services in the Samoan public service and latterly as administrator of the island of Savai'i.
• Robert John Runciman – of Timaru. For services to the children's health camp movement.
• George Smith – of Huntly. For services to local government.
• Harold Welton Smith – chief engineer to the Ministry of Works at Invercargill.
• Ernest Ronald Spriggs – of Napier. For services to local government.
• Gladys May Wilson – sister-in-charge, geriatric ward, Cook Hospital, Gisborne.

• Horace Trevor Williams – school teacher, of Russell. For courage and determination when effecting the rescue of a mother and her child from a burning house.

• Temporary Lieutenant-Commander Frank James Glanville – Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve, of Christchurch.
• Warrant Officer Second Class John Tasman Dawson – Royal New Zealand Infantry Corps, of Edendale.
• Major Donald Hector McLeod – Royal New Zealand Infantry Corps, of Gisborne.
• Captain Maysie Hildreth Moore – New Zealand Women's Royal Army Corps, of Wellington.
• Lieutenant and Quartermaster Henry Williamson – Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps, of Ngāruawāhia.
• Flight Lieutenant Harvey Colin O'Loughlin – Air Training Corps, of Greymouth.
• Warrant Officer Catherine Frances Bryers – Women's Royal New Zealand Air Force, of Auckland.

  British Empire Medal (BEM)

• John Dudley Cleeve – constable, New Zealand Police Force, of Piopio.
• Tohovaka – sergeant, Niue Police Department, Niue Island.
• George Colin Urquhart – detective senior sergeant, New Zealand Police Force, of Christchurch.

• Desmond Smith – launch master, Russell. For courage and determination when effecting the rescue of a mother and her child from a burning house.

• Chief Petty Officer John Barker – Royal New Zealand Navy, of Dunedin.
• Corporal James William Carter – New Zealand Regiment, of Auckland.
• Sergeant Peter Crowther – Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers, of Auckland.
• Chief Engineering Mechanic Thomas Arthur Hardy – Royal New Zealand Navy, of Auckland.
• Chief Ordnance Artificer Samuel Harris – Royal New Zealand Navy, of Auckland.
• Sergeant George Gordon Scott Harvey – Royal New Zealand Air Force, of Whenuapai.
• Staff-Sergeant Frederick John Kinley – New Zealand Regiment, of Gore.
• Chief Wren Maureen Margaret McCambridge – Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service, of Timaru.
• Warrant Officer Second Class Ian McDonald Russell – Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps, of Frankton Junction.
• Flight Sergeant Johnston Vivian William Thomas – Royal New Zealand Air Force, of Christchurch.
• Warrant Officer Second Class Robert Maurice Urquhart – Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery, of Christchurch.

  Air Force Cross (AFC)

• Flight Lieutenant Alexander Robertson Campbell – Royal New Zealand Air Force, of Ohakea.
• Flight Lieutenant William Joseph Cranfield – Royal New Zealand Air Force, of Weedons, Christchurch.
• Flight Lieutenant John Corfe Evison – Royal New Zealand Air Force, of Auckland.

  Air Force Medal (AFM)

• Flight Sergeant Peter Antwis – Royal New Zealand Air Force, of Whenuapai.

  Queen's Police Medal (QPM)

• Francis John Brady – chief superintendent, New Zealand Police Force, of Auckland.

  Queen's Fire Services Medal (QFSM)

• George Alexander Mackenzie – deputy chief fire officer, Auckland Fire Brigade.
• Henry James Hayward – chief fire officer, Kaikoura Volunteer Fire Brigade.