The following lists events that happened during 1947 in New Zealand.
Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,817,500. Increase since 31 December 1946: 36,300 (2.04%). Males per 100 females: 100.3.
Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State – George VI Governor-General – Lieutenant-General The Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSOStatistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
Government The 28th New Zealand Parliament continued, with the Labour Party in government.
Speaker of the House – Robert McKeen (Labour) 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 (National Party).
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 19 January –The TSMV , completing her first trans-tasman crossing since World War II, runs aground on Barrett Reef at the entrance to Wellington Harbour. All 400 passengers are safely evacuated. The ship is refloated on 6 February but is out of service for a further 22 months.nzhistory.net.nz 6 February – First annual Waitangi Day ceremony held by New Zealand Navy in grounds of Treaty house, Waitangi. 6 March – The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra performs for the first time 26 March – A magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes east of Gisborne, causing a tsunami with a maximum run-up height of 10 metres. 1–29 April – A series of non-violent mutinies occur aboard ships and bases of the Royal New Zealand Navy 4 April – Horahora Power Station is decommissioned as the filling of Lake Karapiro floods the station. 21 April – The first generator at Karapiro Power Station is commissioned. 26 March – Another magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes east of Gisborne, causing a tsunami with a maximum run-up height of 6 metres. 18 November – 41 people die in a fire in the Ballantyne's department store in Christchurch.
25 November – The Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947 was passed making New Zealand politically independent from the United Kingdom 1 December – Clothing rationing, introduced in May 1942, is abolished.
Arts and literature
See 1947 in art, 1947 in literature
Music
See: 1947 in music
Radio
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film
See: :Category:1947 film awards, 1947 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1947 films
Sport
Archery National champions (Postal Shoot)In a postal shoot clubs compete on specified dates and the results are posted to the Association. Open Men – W. Burton (Gisborne) Open Women – G. Norris (Dunedin)
Athletics George Bromley wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:58:54 in Auckland.
Basketball The first interprovincial championship for women is held.Todd, S. (1976) Sporting Records of New Zealand. Auckland: Moa Publications.
Interprovincial champions Men – Auckland Women – Wellington
Chess The 54th National Chess Championship was held in Palmerston North, and was won by T. Lepviikman of Wellington (his 2nd win).List of New Zealand Chess Champions
Cricket
Horse racing
Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup – Highland Fling Auckland Trotting Cup – Single DirectAuckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
Lawn bowls The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Wellington. Men's singles champion – S. Vella (Onehunga Bowling Club) Men's pair champions – W.R. Hawkins, Phil Exelby (skip) (Frankton Bowling Club) Men's fours champions – E.H. Crowley, E. Crowley, V.F. Hurlstone, G.A. Crowley (skip) (Tolaga Bay Bowling Club)
Rugby
Rugby league New Zealand national rugby league team beat Wales 28-20
Soccer A South African team visited New Zealand and played four internationals:List of New Zealand national soccer matches 28 June, Christchurch: NZ 5–6 South Africa 5 July, Dunedin: NZ 0–6 South Africa 12 July, Wellington: NZ 3–8 South Africa 19 July, Auckland: NZ 1–4 South Africa The Chatham Cup is won by Waterside of Wellington who beat Technical Old Boys of Christchurch 2–1 in the final.Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com Provincial league champions: Auckland: North Shore United Canterbury: Western Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB Nelson: Nelson United Otago: Mosgiel AFC South Canterbury: Northern Hearts Southland: Invercargill Thistle Taranaki: Albion Waikato: Claudelands Rovers Wanganui: Technical College Old Boys Wellington: Wellington Marist
Births 8 January: Luke Williams, wrestler 16 January: Gavan Herlihy, politician. 19 February: Tim Shadbolt, politician. (died 2026) 9 March Keri Hulme, writer. (died 2021) John Lister, golfer. 6 May: Alan Dale, actor. 6 May (in United Kingdom): Carl Doy, musician and composer. 6 May: Andrew Roberts, cricketer. (died 1989) 20 May: Margaret Wilson, politician. 27 May: Glenn Turner, cricketer. 1 June: Gaylene Preston, filmmaker 6 June: Patrick Power, tenor. 22 June: Murray Webb, cricketer and caricature artist. 27 August: John Morrison, cricketer. 2 September: Jim Richards, motor racing driver. 13 September: Annette King, politician. 14 September (in United Kingdom): Sam Neill, actor. (died 2026) 22 September: David Trist, cricket player and coach. (died 2025) 11 December (in United Kingdom): David McGee, lawyer and public servant (died 2023) 18 December: Marian Hobbs, politician. Bill Hammond, painter. (died 2021) Michael Wintringham, public servant. :Category:1947 births
Deaths 17 January: Kahupāke Rongonui, tribal leader. 10 February: Winter Hall, silent movie actor. 11 March: Duncan McGregor, rugby player. 24 April: Patrick O'Regan, lawyer, politician and judge. 13 May: Frances Hodgkins, painter. 17 May: George Forbes, 22nd Prime minister of New Zealand. 30 June: Robert Frederick Way, trade unionist and activist. 21 July: Agnes Fabish, domestic servant, farmer and homemaker. 4 December: Margaret Butler, sculptor and artist. 6 December: Robert Wright, mayor of Wellington and politician.
See also History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Military history of New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica Timeline of the New Zealand environment
References
External links