The following lists events that happened during 1941 in New Zealand. Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,631,200 Increase since 31 December 1940: -2400 (-0.15%) Males per 100 females: 96.1 The scheduled New Zealand census was not held due to World War II. Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State - George VI Governor-General - The Viscount Galway GCMG DSO OBE PC, succeeded same year by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Cyril Newall GCB OM GCMG CBE AM Government The 26th New Zealand Parliament continued with the Labour Party in government. 1941 should have been an election year, but because of World War II the election was deferred until 1942. Speaker of the House - Bill Barnard (Democratic Labour Party) Prime Minister - Peter Fraser Minister of Finance - Walter Nash Minister of Foreign Affairs - Frank Langstone 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 - Ernest Davis then John Allum Mayor of Hamilton - Harold Caro Mayor of Wellington - Thomas Hislop Mayor of Christchurch - Robert M. Macfarlane then Ernest Andrews Mayor of Dunedin - Andrew Allen Events 16 January: formation of the New Zealand Women's Auxiliary Air Force March: 2NZEF deployed to northern Greece and were soon involved in the Battle of Greece. 24–30 April: New Zealand forces evacuated from mainland Greece to Crete. 14 May: The minesweeper was sunk by a mine while sweeping in the Hauraki Gulf, and sank with the death of five of her crew. 20 May - 1 June: Battle of Crete - New Zealand forces suffer heavy losses: 671 dead, 967 wounded, 2,180 captured. On the first day of the German invasion, Charles Upham wins the V.C 8 October: four police officers and three civilians are shot and killed at Kowhitirangi, near Hokitika, by Stanley Graham 7 December: Hawaii bombed in a surprise attack by Japanese carrier forces on the US Navy. 8 December: New Zealand declares war on Japan in response to Japanese attack on the United States. 10 December: British battlecruiser and battleship sunk by Japanese torpedo planes, effectively taking Britain out of the sea war in the Pacific. 15 December: A RNZAF Lockheed Hudson bomber returning to Nelson from a coastal patrol hit the top of a limestone bluff near Collingwood in thick fog, killing