1915 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1915 in New Zealand.
World War I and New Zealand's participation in it dominate the year. Most notably, New Zealand troops take part in the landings at ANZAC cove, Gallipoli on 25 April, and the ensuing campaign.
The various political parties agree to form a wartime coalition in August, even though the Reform Party has an absolute majority in parliament.
Many sporting events are put on hold for the duration of the war, due to the number of men serving in the armed forces and the drive to conserve resources for the war effort.

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

Government

The 19th New Zealand Parliament commenced, initially with the Reform Party in power, but in August a wartime coalition government was formed, with Liberal party leader Joseph Ward becoming finance minister.

Speaker of the House – Frederic Lang
Prime Minister – William Massey
Minister of Finance – James Allen until 12 August, then Joseph Ward

Parliamentary opposition

Leader of the Opposition – Joseph Ward. Ward retained the title even though he became part of the coalition government.

Judiciary

Chief Justice – Sir Robert Stout

Main centre leaders

Mayor of Auckland – James Parr then James Gunson
Mayor of Wellington – John Luke
Mayor of Christchurch – Henry Holland
Mayor of Dunedin – John Shacklock then James Clark

Events

1 January – First flight of the Walsh Brothers' Curtiss-type flying boat. The flight takes place at Bastion Point and it is the first such aircraft built and flown in the Southern Hemisphere.
14 February – The first contingent of 500 Māori soldiers sails for Egypt aboard SS Warrimoo. Earlier policy had been against 'native peoples' fighting in a European war.
25 April – New Zealand troops participate in the landings at Gallipoli.
23 October – Sinking of SS Marquette with 32 New Zealand deaths; mainly nurses and medical staff
October – The New Zealand Flying School is started by the Walsh Brothers at Ōrākei. Its primary purpose is to train pilots for the Royal Flying Corps.
November – The New Zealand Flying School moves to Kohimarama.
20 December – The last New Zealand troops are evacuated from Gallipoli.

;Undated

The Waikato Argus, established in 1896, merges into the Waikato Times.

Arts and literature

See 1915 in art, 1915 in literature, :Category:1915 books

Music

See: 1915 in music

Film

See: :Category:1915 film awards, 1915 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1915 films

Sport

Chess

The 28th New Zealand Chess Championship is held in Christchurch, and is won by Fedor Kelling of Wellington, his second title.

Golf

The New Zealand Open championship and National Amateur Championships are not held due to the war.

Horse racing

Harness racing

New Zealand Trotting Cup – Country Belle
Auckland Trotting Cup – Cathedral Chimes

Thoroughbred racing

Lawn bowls

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.

Men's singles champion – M. Walker
Men's pair champions – G.A. Blackwood, A. Smellie
Men's fours champions – N.H. Nash, S. Dixon, F.J. Tasker, J.A. Nash

Rugby union

The Ranfurly Shield is not contested as interprovincial matches are cancelled due to the war.

Soccer

Provincial league champions:
* Auckland – Brotherhood
* Canterbury – Christchurch Club
* Hawke's Bay – Waipukurau
* Otago – HSOB
* Southland – No competition
* Wanganui – No competition
* Wellington – Wellington Thistle

Births

January–March

3 January – Robert Hurst, nuclear chemist
7 January – Mary Martin, netball player
22 January
* Tom Burtt, cricketer and field hockey player
* Mona Leydon, swimmer
13 February – Raniera Ellison, fishing company manager
15 February – Jimmy James, dancer, dance teacher and cabaret proprietor
22 February
* James Pirret, lawn bowler
* John Scandrett, cricketer
2 March – Bill Crawford-Crompton, air force pilot and commander
5 March – Hardy Browning, potter, local politician
11 March – Amelia Batistich, writer
22 March – Fen Cresswell, cricketer
23 March – Cecil Devine, Standardbred racehorse driver
28 March – Ray Emery, cricketer

April–June

3 April – Philip Blakeley, electrical engineer and engineering administrator
14 April – Leonard Trent, air force pilot, Victoria Cross recipient
22 April – Geoff Moon, naturalist, photographer and veterinarian
30 April – Helen Mason, potter
5 May – Snow Bowman, rugby union player
19 May – Wal Chisholm, athletics coach
25 May – James Austin, meteorology academic
26 May – Terence Vaughan, pianist, conductor, composer and performing arts administrator
27 May – Alan McKenzie, disabled artist, entertainer
2 June – Jim Newhook, veterinary science academic
3 June – Jack Lewin, public servant and unionist
4 June – Walter Hadlee, cricketer and cricket administrator
10 June – Inia Te Wiata, opera singer, actor, carver and artist
27 June – Graham Botting, cricketer
30 June – Gordon Rowe, cricketer and cricket umpire

July–September

10 July – Jack Parker, boxer
29 July – Tristan Hegglun, rower, rugby union player, politician
31 July – Theo Schoon, artist, photographer and carver
3 August – Harold Tyrie, athlete and athletics coach
8 August – John Kennedy-Good, politician and dentist
11 August – Jack Skinner, association football player
18 August – Fred Lucas, air force and commercial pilot, tourism operator
21 August – Lena Manuel, community leader
1 September – Allan Dick, politician
4 September – Ethel Divers, netball player
5 September – Peter Tait, politician
15 September – Jimmy Ell, cricketer
19 September – Ron Moore, soldier
23 September – Has Catley, rugby union player

October–December

1 October – Jim Davidson, historian
9 October – John Rodgers, Roman Catholic bishop
22 October – Pat Twohill, actor and radio announcer
26 October – Sydney Goodsir Smith, poet, artist, dramatist and novelist
31 October – Muriel Boswell, netball player
1 November – Harry Lapwood, soldier and politician
2 November – Douglas Lilburn, composer
5 November – Toby Hill, watersider and trade unionist
9 November – Florence Humphries, trade unionist and consumer advocate
10 November – Duncan MacIntyre, soldier and politician
11 November – Ben Gascoigne, astronomer
14 November – David Thomson, soldier and politician
30 November – Peter Hanan, swimmer
6 December – Alan Sayers, athlete, journalist and writer
10 December – Nicky Barr, rugby union player and World War II fighter ace
15 December – Joy Lamason, cricketer
17 December – Philip Adams, diplomat
22 December – Dorothy Neal White, librarian

Deaths

January–March

15 January – William Shepherd Allen, politician
26 January – Frank Lethbridge, politician
25 February – Ann Alabaster, schoolteacher
26 February – Edward Richardson, engineer, politician
1 March – Francis Arkwright, politician
13 March – George Parker, politician
15 March – John Grimes, Roman Catholic bishop
23 March – John Bollard, politician
31 March – Allan Marshall, river captain and engineer

April–June

6 April – Felix McGuire, politician
18 April – Francis St Omer, baker, restaurateur, politician
25 April
* George Chamier, novelist
* Nat Williams, cricketer
27 April – William Rhodes-Moorhouse, pilot, Victoria Cross recipient
7 May – James Livingston, soldier, community leader
8 May – Charles Savory, rugby league player, boxer
9 May – Anthony Wilding, tennis player
17 May – Alexander McNeill, politician
21 May – William Henry Skinner, architect
2 June – Te Hapimana Tauke, Ngāti Ruanui leader, mission teacher, historian
6 June – Edward Cephas John Stevens, land agent, cricketer, politician
11 June – James Williams, runholder, orchardist

July–September

15 July – Wiremu Kerei Nikora, politician
30 July – William Burn, military pilot
8 August – William Malone, soldier
9 August – Norman Hastings, soldier
11 August – Alfred Shout, soldier, Victoria Cross recipient
20 August – George Beetham, politician, alpinist
2 September – Richard Twopeny, journalist, newspaper editor
11 September – John McLachlan, politician
25 September – Hugh Butterworth, cricketer, schoolteacher

October–December

8 October – Thomas Cawthron, businessman, philanthropist
14 October – John Duthie, politician, mayor of Wellington
15 October – John A. Millar, politician
27 October – Leonard Harper, politician
29 October – Mrs Chippy, cat
3 November – Thomas Kempthorne, manufacturing chemist, philanthropist
12 November – James Ogilvie-Grant, 11th Earl of Seafield, nobleman
13 November – Alfred Dillon, politician
9 December – Wi Pere, politician
13 December – David Boyle, 7th Earl of Glasgow, Governor of New Zealand
15 December – William Crawford, brewer, politician, photographer
18 December – Matilda Lo Keong, storekeeper, first known Chinese female immigrant to New Zealand
22 December – Sir Joshua Williams, politician, jurist
27 December – Charles Christie Graham, politician
29 December – Frank Buckland, politician