January[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 6 March
  • Ian Irvine, rugby union player, disability rights advocate (died 2013)
  • Ronald Trubuhovich, medical practitioner, critical care specialist
• 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[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 2 July – Hugh Morris, businessman (died 2010)
• 8 July – Vern Bakalich, rugby league player (died 2015)
• 18 July – Colin Moyle, politician
• 19 July – Renée, writer (died 2023)
• 23 July – Johnny Cooper, rock and roll musician (died 2014)
• 26 July – David Tompkins, judge (died 2023)

August[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 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
• 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[edit]

• 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[edit]

• Cuddle, Thoroughbred racehorse
• Jacqueline Fahey, painter, writer
• Brian McMahon, venereologist, army officer
• Alistair Paterson, writer, poet

January–March[edit]

• 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 c.1848)

April–June[edit]

• 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 – John Kissling, cricketer (born 1868)
• 19 June – Margaret Gardner, farmer, flour mill owner (born 1844)
• 20 June – Ann Wimperis, watercolour artist (born 1844)
• 24 June – Tupu Atanatiu Taingakawa Te Waharoa, Ngāti Hauā and Kīngitanga leader (born c.1844)
• 27 June – Maata Te Taiawatea Rangitūkehu, Ngāti Awa and Tuhourangi leader (born c.1848)

July–September[edit]

• 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[edit]

• 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)