The following lists events that happened during 1923 in New Zealand.

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

Head of State A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 "

he head of state He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...

being an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...

–

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

Governor-General Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

– John Jellicoe, Viscount Jellicoe File:King George 1923 LCCN2014715558 (cropped).jpg, George V File:John Jellicoe medals.jpg, Viscount Jellicoe

Government

The 21st New Zealand Parliament begins. The Reform Party governs as a minority with the support of independents. *

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hung ...

–

Charles Statham Sir Charles Ernest Statham (10 May 1875 – 5 March 1946) was a New Zealand politician, and the ninth Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1923 to 1935. Private life He was born in Dunedin in 1875, and trained in law, practising in hi ...

(Independent) *

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

–

William Massey William Ferguson Massey (26 March 1856 – 10 May 1925) was a politician who served as the 19th prime minister of New Zealand from May 1912 to May 1925. He was the founding leader of the Reform Party, New Zealand's second organised political ...

Minister of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

– William Massey *

Minister of External Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral rela ...

–

Ernest Lee Ernest Page Lee (27 August 1862 – 19 February 1932) was a New Zealand lawyer and politician of the Reform Party. Early life Born in 1862 in Teignmouth, England, he received his education at Cheltenham and London. Aged 18, he started learnin ...

until 13 January, then

Francis Bell Francis Bell may refer to: *Arthur Bell (martyr) (1590–1643), also known as Francis Bell, Franciscan and English martyr *Dillon Bell (Francis Dillon Bell; 1822–1898), New Zealand politician, father of the New Zealand Prime Minister *Francis Bel ...

from 7 June File:Charles Statham.jpg, Charles Statham File:William Ferguson Massey 1919.jpg, William Massey File:Ernest Lee.jpg, Ernest Lee File:Francis Bell.jpg, Francis Bell

Parliamentary opposition

Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the Opposition (parliamentary), largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the ...

–

Thomas Wilford Sir Thomas Mason Wilford (20 June 1870 – 22 June 1939) was a New Zealand politician. He held the seats of Wellington Suburbs then Hutt continuously for thirty years, from 1899 to 1929. Wilford was leader of the New Zealand Liberal Party, an ...

(

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

) File:Thomas Wilford, 1928.jpg, Thomas Wilford

Judiciary

* Chief Justice – Sir

Robert Stout Sir Robert Stout (28 September 1844 – 19 July 1930) was a New Zealand politician who was the 13th premier of New Zealand on two occasions in the late 19th century, and later Chief Justice of New Zealand. He was the only person to hold both ...

File:Robert Stout, ca 1919.jpg, Robert Stout

Main centre leaders

Mayor of Auckland The mayor of Auckland is the elected head of local government in the Auckland Region of New Zealand's North Island; one of 67 Mayors in New Zealand, mayors in the country. The principle city of the region (and its namesake) is Auckland. The may ...

–

James Gunson Sir James Henry Gunson (26 October 1877 – 12 May 1963) was a New Zealand businessman and Mayor of Auckland City from 1915 to 1925. He was knighted in 1924. W Gunson & Co Born and educated in Auckland, in his mid-twenties he took over W Gunso ...

Mayor of Wellington The mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, the city of Wellington. The mayor presides over the Wellington City Council. The mayor is directly elected using the Single Transferable Vote method of proportional ...

– Robert Wright *

Mayor of Christchurch The mayor of Christchurch is the elected head of local government in Christchurch, New Zealand; one of 67 Mayors in New Zealand, mayors in the country. The mayor presides over the Christchurch City Council and is directly elected using the First ...

–

Henry Thacker Henry Thomas Joynt Thacker (20 March 1870 – 3 May 1939) was a medical doctor, New Zealand Member of Parliament and Mayor of Christchurch. Early life Thacker was born in Okains Bay on Banks Peninsula on 20 March 1870. His parents were Essy J ...

, succeeded by James Flesher *

Mayor of Dunedin The mayor of Dunedin is the head of the local government, the city council of Dunedin, New Zealand. The mayor's role is "to provide leadership to the other elected members of the territorial authority, be a leader in the community and perform c ...

– James Douglas, succeeded by

Harold Tapley Harold Livingstone Tapley (25 January 1875 – 21 December 1932) was a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party. Born in Semaphore, South Australia in 1875, Tapley emigrated to Dunedin in 1893. He represented Dunedin North in Parliament ...

File:James Gunson 1920 (cropped).jpg, James Gunson File:Robert Alexander Wright.jpg, Robert Wright File:Henry Thacker, 1918.jpg, Henry Thacker File:James Arthur Flesher.jpg, James Flesher File:James Sandilands Douglas.jpg, James Douglas File:Harold Tapley.jpg, Harold Tapley

Events

* 28 March ** The Tauranga by-election is won by

Charles Macmillan Charles Edward de la Barca Macmillan (December 1872 – 9 January 1941) was a New Zealand politician. He was Mayor of Tauranga (1915–1917) and a member of the House of Representatives (1923–1935). Early life Macmillan was born in Saint Croi ...

( Reform Party) ** The Native Bird Protection Society (now known as the

Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Forest & Bird (), also known by its formal name as the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, is an environmental organisation specialising in the protection and conservation of New Zealand's indigenous flora and fauna and un ...

) is formed at a meeting in Wellington, with Sir Thomas Mackenzie elected inaugural president. * March – The inflation rate in New Zealand reaches its lowest recorded value, −15.3 per cent * 1 May – The Oamaru by-election is won by John MacPherson (

) * 5–9 May – The upper South Island and Wellington are hit by heavy rain, causing severe flooding. Three people drown in Marlborough. A quarter of Kaiapoi's population flee from rapidly rising water levels. Both telegraph lines connecting Christchurch with Wellington go down. * 14 June − The New Zealand Permanent Air Force, the forerunner of the

Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF; ) is the aerial warfare, aerial military service, service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed initially in 1923 as a branch of the New Zealand Army, being known as the New Zealand Perm ...

, is established * 6 July – The

Ongarue railway disaster The Ongarue railway disaster occurred on 6 July 1923 near the small settlement of Ongarue, near Taumarunui, North Island, New Zealand, when an overnight express ran into a landslip. Of the 200 passengers on board, 17 died and 28 were injured. ...

results in the deaths of 17 passengers when the overnight Auckland-Wellington Express runs into a landslip at Ongarue near

Taumarunui Taumarunui is a small town in the King Country of the central North Island of New Zealand. It is on an alluvial plain set within rugged terrain on the upper reaches of the Whanganui River, 65 km south of Te Kūiti and 55 km west of T� ...

* 4 August – Opening of the

Otira Tunnel The Otira Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the Midland Line in the South Island of New Zealand, between Otira and Arthur's Pass. It runs under the Southern Alps from Arthur's Pass to Otira – a length of over . The gradient is mainly 1 in 33, and ...

on the Midland Line * 15 December – The British and Intercolonial Exhibition opens in

Hokitika Hokitika is a town in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island, south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. It is the seat and largest town in the Westland District. The town's estimated population is as of ...

;Undated * New Zealand gains the right to conduct its own trade negotiations independently of Britain * The

Ross Dependency The Ross Dependency is a region of Antarctica defined by a circular sector, sector originating at the South Pole, passing along longitudes 160th meridian east, 160° east to 150th meridian west, 150° west, and terminating at latitude 60th para ...

is claimed by Britain and placed under New Zealand administration * The

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

battlecruiser HMS ''New Zealand'', funded by the New Zealand government as a gift to Britain before

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, is broken up for scrap

Arts and literature

See

1923 in art Events from the year 1923 in art. Events * March 20 – The Arts Club of Chicago hosts the opening of Pablo Picasso's first United States show, ''Original Drawings by Pablo Picasso''. * May 8 – Göteborgs Konsthall opens as the art gallery f ...

1923 in literature This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1923. Events *January **A copy of James Joyce's 1922 novel '' Ulysses'' posted to a London bookseller by the proprietor of Davy Byrne's pub in Dublin, which featur ...

, :1923 books

Music

Production of the musical "

Tutankhamen Tutankhamun or Tutankhamen, (; ), was an Egyptian pharaoh who ruled during the late Eighteenth Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Born Tutankhaten, he instituted the restoration of the traditional polytheistic form of ancient Egyptian religion, undo ...

" by L.P.Leary at His Majesty's Theatre in Auckland. Music by Eric Waters. See:

1923 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1923. Specific locations * 1923 in British music * 1923 in Norwegian music Specific genres *1923 in country music * 1923 in jazz Events *February – Joseph Samuels' Tampa ...

Radio

*A set of Broadcasting regulations are issued under the Post And Telegraph Act 1920. Under the new regulations the country is divided into four numerical transmission regions. The regulations also stipulate that the owner of a receiving set is to pay an annual licence of five shillings while permission to transmit costs two pound

See:

Public broadcasting in New Zealand Public broadcasting in New Zealand is funded through New Zealand Government body New Zealand On Air, and consists of a number of television channels, radio stations, and websites. In addition to funding solely public media outlets, New Zealand O ...

Film

* The Romance of Sleepy Hollow See:

1923 in film This is an overview of 1923 in film, including significant events, a list of films released and notable births and deaths. Top-grossing films (U.S.) The top eight films released in 1923 by U.S. gross are as follows: Events *April 4 – Warn ...

List of New Zealand feature films This is a list of feature films and pre-1910 short films produced or co-produced by New Zealand companies (with some early 1900s exceptions), ordered by the year of release. Key * * = Funded in part by the New Zealand Film Commission. * † = ...

Cinema of New Zealand The cinema of New Zealand refers to films made by New Zealand–based production company, production companies in New Zealand or films made about New Zealand by filmmakers from other countries. New Zealand produces many films that are co-finan ...

, :1923 films

Sport

Chess

* The 32nd National Chess Championship is held in Christchurch, and is won by

John Boyd Dunlop John Boyd Dunlop (5 February 1840 – 23 October 1921) was a Scottish people, Scottish inventor and veterinary surgeon who spent most of his career in Ireland. Familiar with making Natural rubber, rubber devices, he invented the first practica ...

of Oamaru (his third title)

Cricket

Plunket Shield New Zealand has had a domestic first-class cricket championship since the 1906–07 season. Since the 2009–10 season it has been known by its original name of the Plunket Shield. History The Plunket Shield competition was instigated in Octo ...

Football

* The inaugural competition for the

Chatham Cup The Chatham Cup is New Zealand's premier Single-elimination tournament, knockout tournament in men's association football. It is held annually, with the final contested in September. The current champions of the Chatham Cup are Wellington Olymp ...

is won by

Seacliff AFC Seacliff AFC was a soccer club based in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. They are notable for being the first team to win the Chatham Cup competition. They contested the final on later occasions in 1924, 1925, and 1929. Many of t ...

(Otago) * The New Zealand team tours Australia, playing 16 matches: ** 24 May, at Granville – lose 1–3 vs Granville ** 26 May, at Sydney – draw 2–2 vs New South Wales ** 29 May, at Newcastle – lose 0–2 vs Newcastle ** 2 June, at Ipswich – win 4–2 vs Ipswich / West Moreton ** 4 June, at Brisbane – win 3–1 vs Queensland ** 6 June, at Nambour – win 2–0 vs North Coast ** 9 June, at Brisbane – lose 1–2 vs

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

** 13 June, at Cessnock – lose 1–2 vs South Maitland ** 16 June, at Sydney – win 3–2 vs Australia ** 20 June, at Sydney – win 3–4 vs Metropolis ** 23 June, at Sydney – win 3–1 vs Granville ** 25 June, at Sydney – draw 1–1 vs New South Wales ** 30 June, at Newcastle – win 4–1 vs Australia ** 3 July, at Weston – lose 1–4 vs South Maitland ** 7 July, at Wollongong – lose 0–2 vs South Coast ** 11 July, at Lithgow – win 4–0 vs Western Districts * Provincial league champions: ** Auckland – North Shore AFC (Devonport) ** Canterbury – Sunnyside ** Hawke's Bay – Whakatu ** Nelson – Athletic ** Otago – HSOB ** South Canterbury – Albion Rovers ** Southland – Nightcaps ** Taranaki – Hawera ** Wanganui – Eastown Workshops ** Wellington – Waterside

Golf

* The 10th

New Zealand Open The New Zealand Open is the premier men's golf tournament in New Zealand. It has been a regular fixture on the PGA Tour of Australasia tournament schedule since the 1970s. The 2019 event was the 100th edition of the tournament. Since 2014 it has ...

championship is won by A. Brooks. * The 27th National Amateur Championships are held in

Wanganui Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a list of cities in New Zealand, city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest nav ...

: ** Men – J. Goss (Wanganui) ** Women – E. Vigor Brown (Napier)

Horse racing

Harness racing

New Zealand Trotting Cup The New Zealand Cup for standardbred horses, also known as either the New Zealand Trotting Cup or the New Zealand Pacing Cup is a Group One (G1) harness race held annually by the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in C ...

– Great Hope *

Auckland Trotting Cup The Auckland Pacing Cup which is sometimes referred to as the Auckland Trotting Cup or merely the Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of the two major harness races, along with ...

– Blue Mountain King

Thoroughbred racing

New Zealand Cup The New Zealand Cup is a thoroughbred horse race run at the Riccarton Park Racecourse in Christchurch. New Zealand Cup week The New Zealand Cup is raced on the final Saturday of Christchurch "Cup week" held each year in the second week of Nov ...

– Rouen *

Auckland Cup The Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club (ARC). It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres (two miles) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. The race was ...

– Te Kara / Muraahi (dead heat) *

Wellington Cup The Wellington Cup is a Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand held annually in January by the Wellington Racing Club at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham, New Zealand, Trentham. History Inaugurated in 1874, the Wellington Cup has been ra ...

– Rapine *

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held in March each year. History The New Zealand Derby i ...

– Black Ronald * ARC Great Northern Derby – Enthusiasm

Lawn bowls

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland. * Men's singles champion – M. Walker (Ponsonby Bowling Club) * Men's pair champions – W. McCallum, T. Edwards (skip) (Temuka Bowling Club) * Men's fours champions – R.S. Somervell, J.F. Hosking, V.P. Casey, A. Parsons (skip) (Ponsonby Bowling Club)

Rugby union

* A

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

team tours New Zealand, playing three matches against the New Zealand team. New Zealand wins all three: 19–9, 34–6 and 38–11. * defend the

Ranfurly Shield The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Shield is based on a challenge system. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge ...

for the full season, defeating

Wairarapa The Wairarapa (; ), a geographical region of New Zealand, lies in the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay Region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service t ...

(6–0), (10–6), (15–0), (9–8),

Horowhenua Horowhenua District is a territorial authority district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand, administered by Horowhenua District Council. Located north of Wellington and Kāpiti, it stretches from slightly north of the town of ...

(38–11), and (20–5).Palenski, R. and Lambert, M. ''The New Zealand Almanac'', 1982. Moa Almanac Press.

Shooting

* Ballinger Belt –

Les Loveday LES or Les may refer to: People * Les (given name) * Les (surname) * L.E.S. (producer), hip hop producer Space flight * Launch Entry Suit, worn by Space Shuttle crews * Launch escape system, for spacecraft emergencies * Lincoln Experimental S ...

(Linton)

Births

January–February

*2 January – Joe McManemin, athletics coach, sports administrator * 6 January –

Norman Kirk Norman Eric Kirk (6 January 1923 – 31 August 1974) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 29th prime minister of New Zealand and as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand), minister of Foreign Affairs from 1972 until h ...

, politician * 11 January –

Charles Philip Littlejohn Charles Philip Littlejohn (11 January 1923 – 14 September 2014) was the eleventh Clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives ("Clerk of the House"). As Clerk of the House he was head of the Legislative Department, responsible for admin ...

, parliamentary officer * 15 January – Nick Unkovich, lawn bowls player * 27 January –

Robert Burchfield Robert William Burchfield CNZM, CBE (27 January 1923 – 5 July 2004) was a lexicographer, scholar, and writer, who edited the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' for thirty years to 1986, and was chief editor from 1971. Education and career Born in ...

, lexicographer * 11 February – Bryce Rope, rugby union player and coach * 26 February –

Jean Anderson Mary Jean Heriot Powell (12 December 1907 – 1 April 2001), better known by her stage name Jean Anderson, was an English actress best remembered for her television roles as formidable matriarch Mary Hammond in the BBC drama ''The Brothers (197 ...

, pianist and professor of music

March–April

* 1 March –

Stephen Jelicich Stephen Albert Jelicich (1 March 1923 – 19 December 2015) was a New Zealand architect and historian. Early life and family Born Stjepan Albert Jeličić on 1 March 1923 in Sućuraj, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (present-day Republic ...

, architect, historian * 2 March ** Ron Elvidge, rugby union player ** Don Taylor, cricketer * 12 March –

James Godwin James Basil "Gib" Godwin III (born February 6, 1951), a retired Rear Admiral (upper half) of the United States Navy, was the Program Executive Officer – Enterprise Information Systems of the United States Department of the Navy, Departmen ...

, war crimes investigator * 13 March –

Travers Hardwick Travers Harry Hardwick (13 March 1923 – 25 April 1979) was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand and coached them in the 1960 World Cup. Early years Ha ...

, rugby league player and coach * 24 March –

Poul Gnatt Poul Rudolph Gnatt (24 March 1923 – 15 October 1995) was a Danish dancer and balletmaster active in New Zealand. Childhood Gnatt was born in Baden, Austria. His father was Kai Gnatt, flower merchant, and his mother Kaja Olsen, both fro ...

, ballet dancer and ballet master * 26 March – Ronald Dobson, rugby union player * 27 March – Donald Murdoch, cricketer * 31 March –

Lawrie Miller Lawrence Somerville Martin Miller (31 March 1923 – 17 December 1996) was a cricketer who played 13 Test matches for New Zealand between 1953 and 1958, and played Plunket Shield cricket for Central Districts and Wellington. Cricket career A ta ...

, cricketer * 6 April – Rina Moore, doctor * 7 April **

Lindsay Daen Lindsay Daen (1923–2001), was a New Zealand sculptor and artist who worked and resided in Puerto Rico. Daen created landmark sculptures in Puerto Rico, Australia and the United States. He was a member of the Royal Art Society in Sydney, whose a ...

, sculptor ** Russell Stone, historian * 14 April –

Stan Cowman Stanley Corbett Cowman (14 April 1923 – 2 February 2003) was a New Zealand cricket umpire. In his international umpiring career, he stood in two ODI games in 1983. He was also an honorary curator of the New Zealand Cricket Museum at the Ba ...

, cricket umpire * 16 April – Thomas Freeman, cricketer * 17 April – Ken Mudford, motorcycle racer * 18 April –

Allan Deane This is a list of cricketers who have played first–class, list A or Twenty20 cricket for the Auckland cricket team in New Zealand.

, cricketer * 26 April –

Harold Nelson Harold Nelson may refer to: * Harold George Nelson (1881–1947), Australian politician * Harold Nelson (athlete) (1923–2011), New Zealand long-distance runner * Harold "H" Nelson (1928–2016), English cycling coach * Harold E. H. Nelson (1871� ...

, athlete * 29 April –

Jean Herbison Dame Jean Marjory Herbison (29 April 1923 – 20 May 2007) was a New Zealand academic, educator, researcher and Chancellor (education), Chancellor of the University of Canterbury. She was the first woman to hold the post of chancellor at a New Z ...

, academic, university chancellor

May–June

* 17 May – Doug Ottley, association footballer * 26 May ** Bill Meates, rugby union player **

Thomas Paulay Thomas Paulay (26 May 1923 – 28 June 2009) was a Hungarian-New Zealand earthquake engineer. Academic career Trained as chemical engineer, after fleeing Hungary to West Germany, Paulay arrived in New Zealand in 1951, and became a naturalise ...

, earthquake engineer, academic * 4 June – Olga Stringfellow, journalist and author * 7 June – Peter Sutton, Anglican bishop * 19 June – Rex Orr, rugby union player * 25 June – Margaret Reid, Presbyterian minister * 30 June –

Melvin Day Melvin Norman "Pat" Day (30 June 1923 – 17 January 2016) was a New Zealand artist and art historian. Biography Day was born in Hamilton, New Zealand. At the age of eleven, Day began Saturday morning classes at Elam School of Art, University ...

, artist

July–August

* 8 July –

Margaret di Menna Margaret Elaine di Menna (8 July 1923 – 24 March 2014) was a New Zealand microbiologist. In 1954 she became the first woman to gain a Doctor of Philosophy degree from a New Zealand university. Her doctoral thesis at the University of Otago was ...

, microbiologist * 13 July – Max Lewis, cricketer * 14 July –

Noel Chambers Noel Reif Chambers (14 July 1923 – 22 November 1990) was a New Zealand swimmer who won a gold medal for his country at the 1950 British Empire Games. Chambers won five New Zealand national swimming titles: the 220 yards freestyle in 1946 and ...

, swimmer * 16 July ** Richard Bolt, air force officer ** Terry Harris, water polo player * 18 July ** John Morton, marine zoologist, theologian, conservationist **

JJ Stewart John Joseph Stewart (18 July 1923 – 15 November 2002), generally known as JJ Stewart, was a New Zealand rugby union coach and administrator, and secondary school teacher. His obituary said that in 1973 when he took over as All Blacks coach, he ...

, rugby union coach and administrator, politician * 26 July – Betty Gilderdale, children's author * 28 July –

Bill Sevesi Wilfred Jeffs (28 July 1923 – 23 April 2016), better known by the stage name Bill Sevesi, was a musician and master of the steel guitar who helped popularise Hawaiian-style music in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Tongan-born Sevesi c ...

, musician * 9 August – Bob Neilson, rugby league player * 11 August –

Roy Roper Roy Alfred Roper (11 August 1923 – 14 September 2023) was a New Zealand rugby union player. A Rugby union positions#Three-quarters, three-quarter, Roper represented Taranaki Rugby Football Union, Taranaki at a provincial level, and was a memb ...

, rugby union player * 12 August – Janet Holm, environmental activist, historian * 14 August –

Jack Luxton John Finlay Luxton (14 August 1923 – 29 August 2005) was a dairy farmer and New Zealand Member of parliament, Member of Parliament. Biography Luxton was born in 1923 in Waitoa, between Morrinsville and Te Aroha. He attended the local ...

, politician * 15 August – Norm Jones, politician * 28 August –

Maurice Casey Philip Maurice Casey (18 October 1942 – 10 May 2014) was a British scholar of New Testament and early Christianity. He was an emeritus professor at the University of Nottingham, having served there as Professor of New Testament Languages and ...

, jurist

September–October

* 9 September – Des Christian, rugby union player and coach * 19 September – Bob Sorenson, rugby union player and coach, cricketer * 29 September – Vernon McArley, cricketer * 3 October – Jack McLean, rugby union and rugby league player * 4 October –

Lachie Grant Lachlan Ashwell Grant (4 October 1923 – 27 April 2002) was a New Zealand rugby union player. Born in Temuka, Grant is regarded as that town's finest rugby product. A flanker and lock, Booth represented at a provincial level, and was a membe ...

, rugby union player * 9 October **

Bob Fenton William Robert Fenton (9 October 1923 – 10 January 2013), known as Bob Fenton, was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. Biography Fenton was born on 9 October 1923 at Napier, and was educated at Hastings High School. He served ...

, politician ** Ronald Tremain, composer, music academic * 11 October – Ed Nichols, alpine skier * 15 October ** Joyce Carpenter, diver ** Jim McCormick, rugby union player * 18 October –

Rob Talbot Robert Leslie Gapper Talbot (18 October 1923 – 13 December 2012) was a New Zealand politician who represented the National Party as a Member of Parliament. A Muldoon loyalist, he was a cabinet minister from 1981 to 1984 in the Third National ...

, politician * 20 October – Mike Minogue, politician * 29 October ** David Kear, geologist, science administrator **

Ted Thorne Ted may refer to: Names A shortened form of the following: * Edmund * Edward * Thaddeus * Theodore (given name) Art, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Ted, a character in the post-apocalyptic short story ''I Have No Mouth, a ...

, naval officer

November–December

* 1 November – Peter Mahon, jurist * 4 November – Joan Hatcher, cricketer * 5 November – Frederick Stanley, cricketer * 9 November – Marion Robinson, physiologist and nutritionist * 10 November – Brian Ashby, Roman Catholic bishop * 11 November –

Sonja Davies Sonja Margaret Loveday Davies (née Vile; 11 November 1923 – 12 June 2005) was a New Zealand trade unionist, peace campaigner, and Member of Parliament. On 6 February 1987, Davies was the third appointee to the Order of New Zealand."The ...

, trade unionist, peace activist, politician * 13 November –

Austen Gittos Austen John Gittos (13 November 1923 – 7 December 1986) was a New Zealand fencer who won a silver medal at the 1950 British Empire Games. Biography Born at Onehunga on 13 November 1923, Gittos was the son of Benjamin Frank Gittos and Gladys ...

, fencer * 17 November ** Dick Scott, historian, journalist **

Bert Sutcliffe Bert Sutcliffe (17 November 1923 – 20 April 2001) was a New Zealand Test cricketer. Sutcliffe was a successful left-hand batsman. His batting achievements on tour in England in 1949, which included four fifties and a century in the Tests, e ...

, cricketer * 18 November –

Neville Pickering Neville George Pickering (18 November 1923 – 25 June 1988) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. Biography Early life Pickering was born in Hāwera in 1923. He was educated at Hamilton Technical College where he was also keen s ...

, politician * 20 November – Robert Harwood, cricketer * 22 November –

Guy Doleman Guy Doleman (22 November 1923 – 30 January 1996) was a New Zealand born actor, active in Australia, Britain and the United States. He is possibly best remembered for being the first actor to play Number Two in the classic cult series ''The Pr ...

, actor * 28 November – Eric Heath, cartoonist * 2 December – Andy Keyworth, master mariner * 6 December –

Karl Sim Karl Feoder Sim, also known as Carl Feoder Goldie (6 December 1923 – 21 October 2013) was a New Zealand art forger, and the only person convicted of that crime in New Zealand. Early life Sim was born in Mangaweka in the Manawatū-Whanganui ...

, art forger * 13 December – Richard Campion, theatre director * 14 December – Bob Quickenden, association footballer * 17 December – John Darwin, statistician * 20 December – Arthur Mills, cricketer * 24 December – Bert Cook, rugby union and rugby league player

Deaths

January–March

* 9 January –

Katherine Mansfield Kathleen Mansfield Murry (née Beauchamp; 14 October 1888 – 9 January 1923) was a New Zealand writer and critic who was an important figure in the Literary modernism, modernist movement. Her works are celebrated across the world and have been ...

, writer (born 1888) * 14 January – Frederick Radcliffe, photographer (born 1863) * 28 January – Alfred Holdship, cricketer (born 1867) * 6 February –

William Thomas Jennings William Thomas Jennings (1854 – 6 February 1923) was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Early life He was born in Auckland, where he attended St. Paul's school and subsequently became an apprentice printer in the offices of ...

, politician (born 1854) * 22 February – Sir

William Herries Sir William Herbert Herries (19 April 1859 – 22 February 1923) was an English-born New Zealand politician who served as a member of the Piako County Council and later as MP for Bay of Plenty and Tauranga. Biography Herries was born in Lo ...

, politician (born 1859) * 17 March – Daniel Cooper, convicted baby farmer and illegal abortionist (born 1881) * 25 March – John Patterson, politician, businessman (born 1855) * 26 March – William Wescombe Corpe, sawmiller, dairy manufacturer (born 1836)

April–June

* 3 April **

Charles H. Mills Charles Houghton Mills (1843 – 3 April 1923) was a member of parliament for Waimea Plains, Tasman, Waimea and Wairau, in the South Island of New Zealand. Early life Mills was born in Nelson, New Zealand, Nelson. His father was Richard Mills, ...

, politician (born 1843) ** Arthur Seymour, politician (born 1832) * 4 April –

Charles Curtis Charles Curtis (January 25, 1860 – February 8, 1936) was the 31st vice president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 under President Herbert Hoover. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 1924 to 1929. An enrolled member of the Kaw Natio ...

, storekeeper, local-body politician (born 1850) * 12 April **

William Collins William Collins may refer to: Arts * William Collins (poet) (1721–1759), English poet * William Collins (painter) (1788–1847), English landscape artist * William Lucas Collins (1815–1887), English author and clergyman of the Church of Engla ...

, politician (born 1853) ** Randell McDonnell, cricketer (born 1843) * 27 April – Gordon Millington, cricketer (born 1848) * 7 May –

Walter Dinnie Walter Dinnie (26 December 1850 – 7 May 1923) was a British and New Zealand police officer, private detective and land board chairman. Life Brother of the strongman Donald Dinnie,''Dundee Evening Telegraph'', 6 April 1903, page 4 he was bor ...

, police commissioner (born 1850) * 9 May – John Fuller, singer and theatrical company manager (born 1850) * 21 May – Leopold Prime, cricketer (born 1884)

July–September

* 8 July –

Henry Lawson Henry Archibald Hertzberg Lawson (17 June 1867 – 2 September 1922) was an Australian writer and bush poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period ...

, cricketer (born 1862) * 16 July – Sir

William Fraser William Fraser may refer to: Military people *William W. Fraser (1844–1915), American Civil War soldier and Medal of Honor recipient *William Archibald Kenneth Fraser (1886–1969), British army officer *William Fraser (British Army officer) ( ...

, politician (born 1840) * 27 July – William Dawson, brewer, politician (born 1852) * 3 August – Frederick Fulton, cricketer (born 1859) * 8 September – Thomas Mahoney, architect (born 1854) * 23 September –

Sarah Higgins Sarah Higgins (30 January 1830 – 23 September 1923) was a New Zealand homemaker, midwife, community leader and writer. She was born in Lydden, Kent, England on 30 January 1830. Early life Sarah was the youngest child of five, born to S ...

, midwife, writer (born 1830) * 26 September –

Hoani Te Whatahoro Jury Hoani Turi Te Whatahoro Jury (4 February 1841–26 September 1923) was a New Zealand Ngāti Kahungunu scholar, recorder and interpreter. He was born in Wairarapa, New Zealand on 4 February 1841. His mother was Te Aitu-o-te-rangi Jury and his ...

, Ngāti Kahungunu scholar, recorder, interpreter (born 1841)

October–December

* 8 October –

Angus Stuart Angus John Stuart (10 June 1858 – 8 October 1923) also known as Angus Stewart was a Scottish-born rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and Dewsbury. Although never capped at international level in his own country, in 1888 St ...

, rugby union player (born 1858) * 15 October –

Thomas Frederic Cheeseman Thomas Frederick Cheeseman (8 June 184515 October 1923) was a New Zealand botanist. He was also a naturalist who had wide-ranging interests, such that he even described a few species of sea slugs (marine gastropod molluscs). Biography Che ...

, botanist (born 1846) * 17 October – William Meares, cricketer (born 1848) * 10 November –

John Stallworthy John Stallworthy (1854 – 10 November 1923) was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand. He was a teacher, newspaper editor, and sawmiller's trade union leader. Biography He was born in Samoa in 1854; his father George was a member ...

, politician (born 1854) * 11 November – Robert Murdoch, malacologist (born 1861) * 25 November –

Sydney Callaway Sydney Thomas Callaway (6 February 1868 – 25 November 1923) was an Australian cricketer who played in three Test matches, all of them against England in Australia in the 1890s. He was born at Redfern, New South Wales in 1868. In 1891/92 he pl ...

, cricketer (born 1868) * 29 November – Gilbert Mair, soldier, interpreter, public servant (born 1843) * 11 December – Joseph Maddison, architect (born 1850) * 14 December – Michael Godby, cricketer (born 1850)

References

External links

Events of the Past Year
as compiled by ''

The New Zealand Herald ''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation in New Zealand, ...

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