The following lists events that happened during 1942 in New Zealand. Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,636,400 Increase since 31 December 1941: 5200 (0.32%) Males per 100 females: 94.2 Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State – George VI Governor-General – Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Cyril Newall GCB OM GCMG CBE AM Government The life of the 26th New Zealand Parliament was extended for a further year (to 1942) due to World War II, with the Labour Party in government. Speaker of the House – Bill Barnard (Democratic Labour Party) Prime Minister – Peter Fraser Minister of Finance – Walter Nash Minister of Foreign Affairs – Frank Langstone then Peter Fraser Attorney-General – Rex Mason Chief Justice — Sir Michael Myers Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition – Sidney Holland (National Party). Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – John Allum Mayor of Hamilton – Harold Caro Mayor of Wellington – Thomas Hislop Mayor of Christchurch – Ernest Andrews Mayor of Dunedin – Andrew Allen Events January–March 8 March – Japanese Warrant Officer Nobuo Fujita of the Imperial Japanese Navy conducts aerial reconnaissance of Wellington. His Yokosuka E14y reconnaissance plane had been catapulted into the air from the Japanese submarine which stored the plane in a sealed foredeck hangar. After a successful daylight tour the submarine and plane headed north to make an inspection of Auckland on 13 March. April–June 27 April – Rationing on sugar and women's stockings is introduced. The allowance per person is of sugar per week, and one pair of women's stockings every three months. 24 May – briefly operated off northern New Zealand in May 1942. I-21s floatplane flown by Lt Ito Isuma conducted a reconnaissance flight over Thames and then Auckland on 24 May. 29 May – Rationing on clothing, footwear and linen is introduced, with an allowance of 52 coupons per year. 1 June – Tea rationing is introduced, with an allowance of per person per week. 12 June First US Troop arrived 1942 at Waitematā Harbour in Auckland. 24 June – A severe earthquake, the 1942 Wairarapa earthquake struck the lower North Island, followed by a severe aftershock on 2 August. Considerable damage resulted in Masterton, other parts of the Wairarapa, Palmerston North and Wellington. July–September October–December 9 December – 37 of the 39 female patients in Ward 5 at Seacliff Lunatic Asylum (psychiatric hospital) are killed