Southland – No competition Wanganui – Eastbrooke Wellington – YMCA Golf The ninth New Zealand Open championship is won by Ted Douglas (his third victory) after a playoff against Sloan Morpeth. The 23rd National Amateur Championships are held in Napier Men – H. E. Crosse (Napier) (second title) Women – N. E. Wright Horse racing Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup – Trix Pointer Auckland Trotting Cup – Creina Thoroughbred racing New Zealand Cup – Vagabond Auckland Cup – Karo Wellington Cup – Red Ribbon / Rewi Poto (dead heat) New Zealand Derby – Rossini Lawn bowls The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland. Men's singles champion – M. Walker (Ponsonby Bowling Club) Men's pair champions – J.B. Rosmon, W.J. Hueston (skip) (Gisborne Bowling Club) Men's fours champions – A.J. Andrew, W. Given, O. Gallagher, Ernie Jury (skip) (Karangahake Bowling Club) Rugby union Wellington defend the Ranfurly Shield against six challengers; (21–8), (18–10), Canterbury (in Christchurch) (23–9), (24–3), and (30–3). Rugby league New Zealand national rugby league team Births January–February 4 January – Joseph Collins, boxer 23 January – Dorothy Winstone, educationalist and academic 26 January Les Gandar, politician Hepi Te Heuheu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa leader 4 February – Sam Cusack, community character 5 February – William R. Newland, potter 10 February – Dorothy Freed, author, composer, music historian 12 February – Bob Miller, surveyor, Antarctic explorer, conservationist 25 February – Jack Tizard, psychologist March–April 3 March – Henry Lang, public servant, economist 6 March – Jim Knox, trade union leader 7 March – John Wyatt, cricketer 29 March – Lorrie Pickering, politician 30 March – Robin Williams, mathematical physicist, university administrator, public servant 5 April – Les Munro, World War II bomber pilot 14 April – Lester Harvey, rugby union player 16 April – Jan Nigro, artist 29 April – Jack Ridley, civil engineer, politician May–June 10 May – Eric Godley, botanist, academic biographer 16 May – Frank Callaway, music academic and administrator 19 May – Peter Hooper, writer, conservationist 28 May – Alex Lindsay, violinist, orchestral conductor and leader 1 June – Michael Miles, television presenter 2 June – Bert Walker, politician 4 June – Alister McLellan, mathematician, physicist 8 June – Guy Overton, cricketer 13 June – Phyl Blackler, cricketer 14 June – James Ward, World War II bomber pilot, Victoria Cross recipient 15 June – Doug Harris, athlete 16 June – Ces Mountford, rugby