The following lists events that happened during 1931 in New Zealand. Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 1,522,800 Increase since previous 31 December 1930: 16,000 (1.06%) Males per 100 females: 103.8 Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of state - George V Governor-General - The Lord Bledisloe GCMG KBE PC Government The 23rd New Zealand Parliament continued with the coalition of the United Party and the Labour Party with the Reform Party in opposition. During the year the agreement between United and Labour collapsed due to differing opinions on how to counter the Great Depression. The Reform Party, fearing that the Depression would give Labour a substantial boost, reluctantly agreed to form a coalition with United to avert elections. By forming a coalition, United and Reform were able to blunt Labour's advantage, ending the possibility of the anti-Labour vote being split and the general election in December saw the United–Reform Coalition winning a majority. Speaker of the House - Charles Statham (Independent) Prime Minister - George Forbes Minister of Finance - George Forbes (United) until 22 September, then William Downie Stewart (Reform) Minister of Foreign Affairs - George Forbes Attor - Thomas Sidey until 22 September, then William Downie Stewart Chief Justice — Sir Michael Myers Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition - Gordon Coates (Reform) until 22 September, then Harry Holland (Labour). Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland - George Baildon, succeeded by George Hutchison Mayor of Wellington - George Troup, succeeded by Thomas Hislop Mayor of Christchurch - John Archer, succeeded by Dan Sullivan Mayor of Dunedin - Robert Black Events 7 January: Australian aviator Guy Menzies makes the first solo flight across the Tasman sea, starting from Sydney and ending 11 hours 45 minutes later with a crash landing in a swamp near Harihari on the West Coast 3 February: The Hawkes Bay earthquake, New Zealand's worst, kills 256 people, mainly in Napier and Hastings 8 February: A Desoutter aircraft of Dominion Airline crashed near Wairoa, killing all three people aboard. This is the first fatality on a scheduled air service in New Zealand. 27 February: Oscar Garden lands his Gipsy Moth aircraft at Horseshoe Bay on Stewart Island/Rakiura, the first aircraft to land on the island. Arts and literature See 1931 in art, 1931 in literature, :Category:1931 books Music See: 1931 in music Radio See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand Film See: :Category:1931 film awards, 1931