The following lists events that happened during 1929 in New Zealand.
Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,486,100. Increase since previous 31 December 1928: 18,700 (1.27%). 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 MVOStatistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
Government The 23rd New Zealand Parliament continued. Speaker of the House – Charles Statham (Independent) Prime Minister – TBD Deputy Prime Minister – TBD Minister of Finance – Joseph Ward (United) Minister of Foreign Affairs – TBD Chief Justice – Sir Charles Skerrett then Sir Michael Myers
Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition – Gordon Coates (Reform)
Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – George Baildon Mayor of Wellington – George Troup Mayor of Christchurch – John Archer Mayor of Dunedin – William 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.Murchison earthquake 1929 – Christchurch City Libraries 29 October: Black Tuesday. Wall Street crash triggers the 10-year Great Depression. 11 November: Edmonds Band Rotunda is formally opened in Christchurch.
Arts and literature
See 1929 in art, 1929 in literature, :Category:1929 books
Music
See: 1929 in music
Radio
See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film
See: :Category:1929 film awards, 1929 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1929 films
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 The 38th National Chess Championship was held in Wellington, and was won by J.A. Erskine of Melbourne.List of New Zealand Chess Champions
Golf The 19th New Zealand Open championship was won by Andrew Shaw. The 33rd National Amateur Championships were held in Wanganui Men: Sloan Morpeth (Maungakiekie) – 3rd title Women: Mrs P.L. Dodgshun (Dunedin).
Horse racing
Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup – Peter Bingen (2nd win) Auckland Trotting Cup – Gold Jacket (2nd win)Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
Thoroughbred racing New Zealand Cup – Chide Avondale Gold Cup – Historic Auckland Cup – Concentrate Wellington Cup – Vertigern New Zealand Derby – Honour
Lawn bowls The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Wellington. Men's singles champion – A.R. Coltman (Carlton Bowling Club) Men's pair champions – A.G. Kinvig, F. Laurenson (skip) (Linwood Bowling Club) Men's fours champions – C.E. Hardley, F. Needham, I. Clarke, Bill Bremner (skip) (West End Bowling Club, Auckland)
Rugby :Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, :Category:All Blacks Ranfurly Shield
Rugby league New Zealand national rugby league team
Shooting Ballinger Belt – William Masefield (Sounds)
Soccer 1929 Chatham Cup won by Tramways (Auckland) 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 (died 2019) 10 January – Grahame Jarratt, rower (died 2011) 13 January – James Beal, boxer (died 1996) 19 January – Brian Steele, rugby union player 24 January – Stuart Jones, cricketer (died 2015)
February 6 February Maurice Dixon, rugby union player (died 2004) Noel Hilliard, author and novelist (died 1996) Colin Murdoch, pharmacist, veterinarian, inventor (died 2008) 12 February – Kevin Dwyer, cricketer (died 2020) 14 February Noel Dellow, cricketer (died 2021) Jenny King, librarian (died 2021) 16 February – Venn Young, politician (died 1993)
March 6 March Ian Irvine, rugby union player, disability rights advocate (died 2013) Ronald Trubuhovich, medical practitioner, critical care specialist (died 2026) 7 March Ian McKay, jurist (died 2014) Tom Weal, politician (died 2016) 9 March – Les Rackley, boxing trainer (died 2021) 12 March – William Liley, perinatal physiologist (died 1983) 21 March Lesley Rowe, athlete (died 2011) Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi, Māori language advocate 22 March – Dennis Copps, cricket umpire (died 2020) 24 March Hugh Templeton, diplomat, politician Ian Templeton, journalist, writer 25 March – Allan Wright, farmer and businessman (died 2022) 26 March – Joye Evans, guiding leader (died 2021) 27 March Shona McFarlane, artist, writer, broadcaster (died 2001) Hallard White, rugby union player, coach and administrator (died 2016)
April 1 April – Te Huirangi Waikerepuru, Māori language advocate, trade unionist (died 2020) 2 April – Robert Ellis, artist (died 2021) 6 April – Pat Goodman, businessman, philanthropist (died 2017) 9 April Aubrey Begg, politician (died 1988) Fred Hollows, eye surgeon (died 1993) Denford McDonald, businessman (died 2020) 12 April – Ponty Reid, rugby union player (died 1994) 21 April Bevin Hough, rugby league player, field athlete (died 2019) Ross Smith, rugby union player (died 2002) 25 April – Yvette Williams, athlete (died 2019) 30 April – Keith Smith, cricketer (died 2016)
May 2 May – Graham Gedye, cricketer (died 2014) 10 May – Miles Warren, architect (died 2022) 15 May – Angela Annabell, musicologist (died 2000) 19 May – Mavis Rivers, jazz singer (died 1992) 26 May – Fraser Bergersen, plant biologist (died 2011) 31 May – Thelma Turner, netball player (died 2023)
June 3 June – Les Lock, racing cyclist (died 2003) 6 June – June Sutor, crystallographer (died 1990) 7 June – Colin Graham, cricketer (died 2020) 30 June Ed Dolejs, softball coach (died 2019) David Perry, cricketer (died 2007)
July 2 July – Hugh Morris, businessman (died 2010) 8 July – Vern Bakalich, rugby league player (died 2015) 18 July – Colin Moyle, politician (died 2024) 19 July – Renée, writer (died 2023) 23 July – Johnny Cooper, rock and roll musician (died 2014) 26 July – David Tompkins, judge (died 2023)
August 1 August – Phyllis Guthardt, Methodist minister, university chancellor (died 2023) 5 August Harry Atkinson, physicist and science administrator (died 2018) Arthur Woods, rugby union player (died 2015) 10 August Eric Dunn, cricketer Brian Pickworth, fencer (died 2020) Ross Wightman, rugby union player (died 2012) 19 August – David Levene, businessman, philanthropist (died 2021) 23 August – Bob Bell, politician (died 2011) 24 August – Oliver Jessel, businessman (died 2017) 25 August – John Hippolite, political activist (died 1993) 29 August – Helen Hughes, scientist
September 1 September – Indianapolis, Standardbred racehorse 3 September – Steve Rickard, professional wrestler, trainer and promoter (died 2015) 4 September – Howard Charles Clark, chemist, university administrator 5 September – Margaret Loutit, microbiologist (died 2020) 9 September Graham Avery, racing cyclist (died 2015) Pat Booth, journalist (died 2018) 19 September – Phil Bygrave, field hockey player (died 2012) 26 September – Tim Raphael, Anglican clergyman (died 2016) 28 September – Bill Hunt, alpine skier (died 2009) 30 September – Yvonne du Fresne, writer (died 2011)
October 8 October – Ron Crocombe, Pacific studies academic (died 2009) 9 October – Peter Button, helicopter pilot (died 1987) 11 October Annette Baier, philosopher (died 2012) Augusta Wallace, jurist (died 2008) 20 October Mary Earle, food technologist (died 2021) William Gough, cricketer (died 1978) 28 October – Tom Puna, cricketer (died 1996)
November 8 November – Trevor McMahon, cricketer 13 November – Brian Sorenson, cricketer (died 2009) 16 November – Bill Clark, rugby union player (died 2010) 18 November – Bill Alington, architect (died 2024) 19 November – Basil Meeking, Roman Catholic bishop (died 2020) 20 November – Pat Kelly, trade unionist (died 2004) 23 November – Felix Donnelly, Roman Catholic priest, social activist, writer, broadcaster (died 2019) 26 November – Brian Coote, legal academic (died 2019) 28 November – Ray Hitchcock, cricketer, racehorse breeder (died 2019)
December 7 December – John Hotop, rugby union player (died 2015) 14 December – Ron Jarden, rugby union player, sharebroker (died 1977) 15 December – Noel Scott, politician (died 2018) 19 December – Michael Fowler, architect, politician (died 2022) 26 December – Margaret Lawlor-Bartlett, artist 27 December – Elizabeth Edgar, botanist (died 2019) 28 December – Alison Quentin-Baxter, lawyer (died 2023)
Undated Cuddle, Thoroughbred racehorse Jacqueline Fahey, painter, writer Brian McMahon, venereologist, army officer Alistair Paterson, writer, poet
Deaths
January–March 21 January – Alexander William Bickerton, chemistry academic (born 1842) 7 February – Sir Douglas Maclean, farmer, politician (born 1852) 13 February – Sir Charles Skerrett, jurist (born 1863) 28 February – George Allen, architect, surveyor, tourist guide (born 1837) 7 March – Henare Uru, politician (born 1872) 11 March – Harry Diddams, politician (born 1864) 23 March – Niniwa Heremaia, editor, Ngāti Kahungunu leader (born 1854) 26 March – Waitaoro, Ngāti Tama leader (born 1848)
April–June 7 April – Alfred Whitehouse, motion picture exhibitor and producer (born 1856) 19 April – Alfred Fitchett, Anglican clergyman (born 1836) 3 May Charles Mackay, lawyer, politician, mayor of Wanganui (1906–1920) (born 1875) Sir James Wilson, politician (born 1849) 5 May – Maria Williams, schoolteacher (born 1839) 11 May – Herbert Kissling, cricketer and insurance executive (born 1868) 19 June – Margaret Gardner, farmer, flour mill owner (born 1844) 20 June – Ann (Jenny) Wimperis, watercolour artist (born 1844) 24 June – Tupu Atanatiu Taingakawa Te Waharoa, Ngāti Hauā and Kīngitanga leader (born 1844) 27 June – Maata Te Taiawatea Rangitūkehu, Ngāti Awa and Tuhourangi leader (born 1848)
July–September 10 July – James Arnold, trade unionist, politician (born 1859) 12 July – Alex Lithgow, composer and bandleader (born 1870) 24 July – Albert Bates, architect (born 1862) 15 August – Carl Dahl, businessman, importer, community leader (born 1856) 20 August – Arnold Williams, cricketer (born 1870) 29 August – Arthur Riley, artist, educationalist, businessman (born 1860) 30 August – Sarah Cryer, farmer, community leader (born 1848) 31 August – Henry Baigent, timber miller, politician (born 1844) 1 September – Mary Gibson, schoolteacher (born 1864) 5 September – Mariano Vella, seaman, fisherman, farmer (born 1855) 8 September – Robert Wynn Williams, politician (born 1864) 18 September – John Bollons, mariner, naturalist, ethnographer (born 1862) 23 September – Sir George Fenwick, newspaper editor and proprietor (born 1847) 27 September – Nisbet McRobie, rugby union player, newspaper proprietor, politician (born 1872)
October–December 25 October – Charles Chilton, zoologist (born 1860) 13 November – Richard Henry, conservationist (born 1845) 29 November – Albert Turnbull, cricketer (born 1866) 7 December – Sir John Findlay, politician (born 1862) 9 December – Henry Cleary, Roman Catholic bishop (born 1859) 19 December – William Maslin, politician (born 1850) 28 December – Mads Christensen, Lutheran pastor (born 1856) 30 December – Charles Tuke, cricketer (born 1858)
See also History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Military history of New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history