1929 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,486,100
• Increase since previous 31 December 1928: 18,700
• Males per 100 females: 104.1

  Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of state – George V
• Governor-General – General Sir Charles Fergusson Bt GCMG KCB DSO MVO

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Charles Statham
• Prime Minister – TBD
• Deputy Prime Minister – TBD
• Minister of Finance – Joseph Ward
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – TBD
• Chief Justice – Sir Charles Skerrett then Sir Michael Myers

  Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Gordon Coates

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – George Baildon
• Mayor of Hamilton – John Robert Fow
• Mayor of Wellington – George Troup
• Mayor of Christchurch – John Archer
• Mayor of Dunedin – William Burgoyne Taverner, succeeded by Robert Black

  Events

• 9 March: 1929 Arthur's Pass earthquake: A quake of Richter Magnitude 7.1 in the Arthur's Pass area causes extensive landslips and damage to roads and railways. There are no injuries.
• 17 June: 1929 Murchison earthquake: An earthquake of surface wave magnitude 7.8 causes the deaths of 17 people and causes great damage in Murchison and surrounding areas
• 29 October: Black Tuesday. Wall Street crash triggers the 10-year Great Depression.

  Arts and literature

Music

Radio

Film

Sport

Badminton

• National Champions
• *Men's singles: J. Southon
• *Women's singles: A. Ellett
• *Men's doubles: T. Kelly and J. McLean
• *Women's doubles: E. Hetley and F. Harvey
• *Mixed doubles: T. Kelly and A. Ellett

  Chess

Golf

• The 19th New Zealand Open championship was won by Andrew Shaw.
• The 33rd National Amateur Championships were held in Wanganui
• * Men: Sloan Morpeth – 3rd title
• * Women: Mrs P.L. Dodgshun.

  Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Peter Bingen
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Gold Jacket

  Thoroughbred racing

• New Zealand Cup – Chide
• Avondale Gold Cup – Historic
• Auckland Cup – Concentrate
• Wellington Cup – Vertigern
• New Zealand Derby – Honour

  Lawn bowls

• Men's singles champion – A.R. Coltman
• Men's pair champions – A.G. Kinvig, F. Laurenson
• Men's fours champions – C.E. Hardley, F. Needham, I. Clarke, Bill Bremner

  Rugby

• Ranfurly Shield

  Rugby league

Soccer

• 1929 Chatham Cup won by Tramways
• Provincial league champions:
• * Auckland: Tramways
• * Canterbury: Thistle
• * Hawke's Bay: Napier YMCA
• * Nelson: Thistle
• * Otago: Seacliff
• * South Canterbury: Albion Rovers
• * Southland: Corinthians
• * Taranaki: Stratford
• * Waikato: Claudelands Rovers
• * Wanganui: Thistle
• * Wellington: Diamond

  Births

January

• 7 January – Peter Bartlett, architect and academic
• 10 January – Grahame Jarratt, rower
• 13 January – James Beal, boxer
• 19 January – Brian Steele, rugby union player
• 24 January – Stuart Jones, cricketer

  February

• 6 February
• * Maurice Dixon, rugby union player
• * Noel Hilliard, author and novelist
• * Colin Murdoch, pharmacist, veterinarian, inventor
• 12 February – Kevin Dwyer, cricketer
• 16 February – Venn Young, politician

  March

• 6 March
• * Ian Irvine, rugby union player, disability rights advocate
• * Ronald Trubuhovich, medical practitioner, critical care specialist
• 7 March
• * Ian McKay, jurist
• * Tom Weal, politician
• 12 March – William Liley, perinatal physiologist
• 21 March
• * Lesley Rowe, athlete
• * Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi, Māori language advocate
• 22 March – Dennis Copps, cricket umpire
• 24 March
• * Hugh Templeton, diplomat, politician
• * Ian Templeton, journalist, writer
• 27 March
• * Shona McFarlane, artist, writer, broadcaster
• * Hallard White, rugby union player, coach and administrator

  April

• 1 April – Te Huirangi Waikerepuru, Māori language advocate, trade unionist
• 2 April – Robert Ellis, artist
• 6 April – Pat Goodman, businessman, philanthropist
• 9 April
• * Aubrey Begg, politician
• * Fred Hollows, eye surgeon
• * Denford McDonald, businessman
• 21 April
• * Bevin Hough, rugby league player, field athlete
• * Ross Smith, rugby union player
• 25 April – Yvette Williams, athlete
• 30 April – Keith Smith, cricketer

  May

• 2 May – Graham Gedye, cricketer
• 15 May – Angela Annabell, musicologist
• 19 May – Mavis Rivers, jazz singer
• 26 May – Fraser Bergersen, plant biologist

  June

• 3 June – Les Lock, racing cyclist
• 6 June – June Sutor, crystallographer
• 7 June – Colin Graham, cricketer
• 30 June
• * Ed Dolejs, softball coach
• * David Perry, cricketer

  July

• 2 July – Hugh Morris, businessman
• 8 July – Vern Bakalich, rugby league player
• 18 July – Colin Moyle, politician

  August

• 1 August – Phyllis Guthardt, Methodist minister, university chancellor
• 5 August – Arthur Woods, rugby union player
• 10 August
• * Eric Dunn, cricketer
• * Brian Pickworth, fencer
• * Ross Wightman, rugby union player
• 23 August – Bob Bell, politician
• 24 August – Oliver Jessel, businessman
• 25 August – John Hippolite, political activist

  September

• 1 September – Indianapolis, Standardbred racehorse
• 3 September – Steve Rickard, professional wrestler, trainer and promoter
• 4 September – Howard Charles Clark, chemist, university administrator
• 5 September – Margaret Loutit, microbiologist
• 9 September
• * Graham Avery, racing cyclist
• * Pat Booth, journalist
• 19 September – Phil Bygrave, field hockey player
• 26 September – Tim Raphael, Anglican clergyman
• 28 September – Bill Hunt, alpine skier
• 30 September – Yvonne du Fresne, writer

  October

• 8 October – Ron Crocombe, Pacific studies academic
• 9 October – Peter Button, helicopter pilot
• 11 October
• * Annette Baier, philosopher
• * Augusta Wallace, jurist
• 20 October – William Gough, cricketer
• 28 October – Tom Puna, cricketer

  November

• 8 November – Trevor McMahon, cricketer
• 13 November – Brian Sorenson, cricketer
• 16 November – Bill Clark, rugby union player
• 18 November – Bill Alington, architect
• 19 November – Basil Meeking, Roman Catholic bishop
• 20 November – Pat Kelly, trade unionist
• 23 November – Felix Donnelly, Roman Catholic priest, social activist, writer, broadcaster
• 26 November – Brian Coote, legal academic
• 28 November – Ray Hitchcock, cricketer, racehorse breeder

  December

• 7 December – John Hotop, rugby union player
• 14 December – Ron Jarden, rugby union player, sharebroker
• 15 December – Noel Scott, politician
• 19 December – Michael Fowler, architect, politician
• 27 December – Elizabeth Edgar, botanist

  Exact date unknown

• Cuddle, Thoroughbred racehorse
• Jacqueline Fahey, painter, writer
• Jack Manning, architect
• Alistair Paterson, writer, poet
• Alison Quentin-Baxter, lawyer
• Renée Taylor, feminist writer and playwright
• Miles Warren, architect

  Deaths

January–March

• 21 January – Alexander William Bickerton, chemistry academic
• 7 February – Sir Douglas Maclean, farmer, politician
• 13 February – Sir Charles Skerrett, jurist
• 28 February – George Allen, architect, surveyor, tourist guide
• 7 March – Henare Uru, politician
• 11 March – Harry Diddams, politician
• 23 March – Niniwa Heremaia, editor, Ngāti Kahungunu leader
• 26 March – Waitaoro, Ngāti Tama leader

  April–June

• 7 April – Alfred Whitehouse, motion picture exhibitor and producer
• 19 April – Alfred Fitchett, Anglican clergyman
• 3 May
• * Charles Mackay, lawyer, politician, mayor of Wanganui
• * Sir James Wilson, politician
• 5 May – Maria Williams, schoolteacher
• 11 May – John Kissling, cricketer
• 19 June – Margaret Gardner, farmer, flour mill owner
• 20 June – Ann Wimperis, watercolour artist
• 24 June – Tupu Atanatiu Taingakawa Te Waharoa, Ngāti Hauā and Kīngitanga leader
• 27 June – Maata Te Taiawatea Rangitukehu, Ngāti Awa and Tuhourangi leader

  July–September

• 10 July – James Arnold, trade unionist, politician
• 12 July – Alex Lithgow, composer and bandleader
• 24 July – Albert Bates, architect
• 15 August – Carl Dahl, businessman, importer, community leader
• 20 August – Arnold Williams, cricketer
• 29 August – Arthur Riley, artist, educationalist, businessman
• 30 August – Sarah Cryer, farmer, community leader
• 31 August – Henry Baigent, timber miller, politician
• 1 September – Mary Gibson, schoolteacher
• 5 September – Mariano Vella, seaman, fisherman, farmer
• 8 September – Robert Wynn Williams, politician
• 18 September – John Bollons, mariner, naturalist, ethnographer
• 23 September – Sir George Fenwick, newspaper editor and proprietor
• 27 September – Nisbet McRobie, rugby union player, newspaper proprietor, politician

  October–December

• 25 October – Charles Chilton, zoologist
• 13 November – Richard Henry, conservationist
• 29 November – Albert Turnbull, cricketer
• 7 December – Sir John Findlay, politician
• 9 December – Henry Cleary, Roman Catholic bishop
• 19 December – William Maslin, politician
• 28 December – Mads Christensen, Lutheran pastor
• 30 December – Charles Tuke, cricketer