▁New ▁Zealand ▁were ▁expanded ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁November , ▁three ▁new ▁brig ade ▁headquarters ▁were ▁raised ▁( t aking ▁the ▁total ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Army ▁to ▁seven ), ▁and ▁three ▁divis ional ▁headquarters ▁were ▁established ▁to ▁coordinate ▁the ▁units ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁Northern , ▁Central ▁and ▁Southern ▁Military ▁District s . ▁The ▁division ▁in ▁the ▁Northern ▁Military ▁District ▁was ▁designated ▁the ▁Northern ▁Division , ▁and ▁compr ised ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁and ▁ 1 2 th ▁Brigade ▁Gr oups . ▁Northern ▁Division ▁later ▁became ▁ 1 st ▁Division . ▁ 4 th ▁Division ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁Central ▁Military ▁District ▁( with ▁ 2 nd ▁and ▁ 7 th ▁brig ades ), ▁and ▁ 5 th ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁( with ▁ 3 rd , ▁ 1 0 th ▁and ▁ 1 1 th ▁brig ades ). ▁ ▁The ▁forces ▁station ed ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁were ▁consider ably ▁reduced ▁as ▁the ▁threat ▁of ▁invasion ▁passed . ▁During ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁home ▁defence ▁divisions ▁were ▁cut ▁from ▁ 2 2 , 3 5 8 ▁to ▁ 1 1 , 5 3 0 ▁men . ▁The ▁non - div is ional ▁units ▁suffered ▁even ▁greater ▁redu ctions . ▁The ▁New ▁Zealand ▁government ▁ordered ▁a ▁general ▁stand - down ▁of ▁the ▁def ensive ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁June , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁further ▁redu ctions ▁in ▁the ▁strength ▁of ▁units ▁and ▁a ▁lower ▁state ▁of