A census was held in March 1926.
Regal and viceregal
Head of state - George V
Governor-General - General Sir Charles Fergusson Bt GCMG KCB DSO MVO
The 22nd New Zealand Parliament continued with the Reform Party governing.
Speaker of the House - Charles Statham (Reform Party)
Prime Minister - Gordon Coates.
Minister of Finance - William Nosworthy, succeeded by William Downie Stewart
Minister of Foreign Affairs - William Nosworthy (Reform)
Leader of the Opposition - Vacant until 26 June, then Harry Holland (Labour Party)
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland - George Baildon
Mayor of Hamilton - John Robert Fow
Mayor of Wellington - Charles Norwood
Mayor of Christchurch - John Archer
Mayor of Dunedin - Harold Livingstone Tapley
Writer and adventurer Zane Grey first visited New Zealand, helping to popularise big-game fishing
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research established
Pavlova reportedly created by a Wellington hotel chef in honour of the visit of Anna Pavlova
Ash eruption of Red Crater, Mount Tongariro
Dr Leonard Cockayne publishes the first part of Monograph on New Zealand beech forests, which argued that the forests could be managed with a rotation of 80–120 years, but warned about overgrazing by deer.
15 April: By-election in Eden, won by Rex Mason (Labour). As a result, Labour became the dominant party in opposition, with 12 seats compared to the Liberals' 11.
15 November: The Balfour Declaration asserts the right of New Zealand and other dominions to exist as an independent country.
3 December: Nine miners died in an explosion in the Dobson coal mine near Brunner
Arts and literature
See 1926 in art, 1926 in literature, Category:1926 books
See: 1926 in music
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
See: 1926 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1926 films
The 35th National Chess Championship was held in Dunedin, and was won by S. Crakanthorp of Sydney, his second title.
New Zealand, along with India and the West Indies, is admitted to the Imperial Cricket Conference, increasing the number of test playing nations to six.
The 16th New Zealand Open championship was won by Andrew Shaw after a playoff with Ernie Moss.
The 8th National Amateur Championships were held at Mirimar Men: Arthur Duncan (Wellington) - 9th title
Women: Mrs E.G. Kerr
New Zealand Trotting Cup: Ahuriri - 2nd win
Auckland Trotting Cup: Talaro
1926 New Zealand rugby union tour of Australia
Ranfurly Shield - held by Hawkes Bay for the full season.
The New Zealand national rugby league team toured Britain, losing all three tests against Great Britain and one test against Wales
The NZRU took legal action to prevent the NZRL from using the name "All Blacks" for the national Rugby League team.
1926 Chatham Cup won by Sunnyside (Christchurch)
Provincial league champions: Auckland: Tramways
Canterbury: Sunnyside
Hawke's Bay: Whakatu
Nelson: Athletic
Otago: HSOB
South Canterbury: Colmoco
Southland: Ohai
Taranaki: Auroa
Waikato: Huntly Thistle
Wanganui: Woollen Mills
Wellington: Hospital
