Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,633,600
Increase since 31/12/1939: -8000 (-0.49%)
Males per 100 females: 99.1
Regal and viceregal
Head of State - George VI
Governor-General - The Viscount Galway GCMG DSO OBE PC
The 26th New Zealand Parliament continued with the Labour Party in government.
Speaker of the House - Bill Barnard (Labour Party)
Prime Minister - Michael Joseph Savage then Peter Fraser
Minister of Finance - Walter Nash
Minister of Foreign Affairs - Michael Joseph Savage then Frank Langstone
Attorney-General - Rex Mason
Leader of the Opposition - Adam Hamilton (National Party) until 26 November, then Sidney Holland (National).
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland - Ernest Davis
Mayor of Hamilton - Harold David Caro
Mayor of Wellington - Thomas Hislop
Mayor of Christchurch - Robert M. Macfarlane
Mayor of Dunedin - Andrew Henson Allen
25 March: John A. Lee is expelled from the governing Labour caucus following his outspoken criticism of dying leader Michael Joseph Savage
27 March: New Zealand's first Labour Prime Minister, Michael Joseph Savage dies from cancer in Wellington.
12 July: Pan American Airways flying boat service from Hawaii to Auckland via Canton Island (not Kingman Reef) commences.
Arts and literature
See 1940 in art, 1940 in literature, Category:1940 books
See: 1940 in music
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Rewi's Last Stand (1940)
One Hundred Crowded Years
See: Category:1940 film awards, 1940 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1940 films
The 49th National Chess Championship was held in Wellington, and was won by J.B. Dunlop of Dunedin (his 6th and last title).
New Zealand Trotting Cup: Marlene
Auckland Trotting Cup: Ned Worthy
The Chatham Cup is won by Waterside who beat Mosgiel 6—2 in the final.
Provincial league champions: Auckland: Comrade
Canterbury: Western
Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB
Nelson: No competition
Otago: Mosgiel
South Canterbury: No competition
Southland: No competition
Taranaki: RNZAF
Waikato: No competition
Wanganui: Technical College Old Boys
Wellington: Waterside
12 January: Dick Motz, cricketer
17 February: James Laurenson, actor
23 March: Brian Hastings, cricketer
14 April: Robin Tait, discus thrower (d. 1984)
7 June: Felicity Riddy, author and academic
10 June (in the USA): Augie Auer, meteorologist
23 June: Mike Shrimpton, cricketer
1 July (in Australia): Judith Binney, historian
15 July: Ian Athfield, architect
11 August: Glenys Page, cricketer (d. 2012)
31 August: Maurice (John) Belgrave, public servant and chief ombudsman
3 September: Brian Lochore, rugby player
18 September
Bruce Murray cricketer
Jon Trimmer, ballet dancer.
24 September: Don Brash, Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, politician
6 October: Merv Wellington, politician
24 October: Martin Campbell, film and TV director
date unknown
David Baragwanath, High Court judge.
Robyn Donald, writer.
Tessa Duder, writer.
Joe Hawke, politician.
Category:1940 births
12 January: Taurekareka Henare, politician.
27 March: Michael Joseph Savage, Prime Minister.
28 May: Florence Young, missionary.
6 June: F.O. Edgar "Cobber" Kain, first RAF ace of WWII.
Category:1940 deaths
