The following lists events that happened during 1916 in New Zealand.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Head of State – George V
Governor – Arthur Foljambe, 2nd Earl of Liverpool
Government
The 19th New Zealand Parliament continued as a grand coalition led by the Reform Party. Speaker of the House – Frederic Lang (Reform Party) Prime Minister – William Massey (Reform Party) Minister of Finance – Joseph Ward
Parliamentary opposition
Leader of the Opposition – Joseph Ward (Liberal Party). Ward retained the title even though he was part of the coalition government.
Judiciary
Chief Justice – Sir Robert Stout
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – James Gunson
Mayor of Wellington – John Luke
Mayor of Christchurch – Henry Holland
Mayor of Dunedin – James Clark
Events
January – The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) becomes the New Zealand Division. April – The New Zealand Division leaves Egypt and travels via Marseilles to northern France. 12 May – First patrol by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade in the Sinai desert. 13 May – New Zealand Division moves into front-line trenches at Armentières. 7 July – The New Zealand Labour Party is founded in Wellington. 13 July – Vivian Walsh is the first New Zealander to obtain a pilot's licence while resident in New Zealand. 15 September – First major action by New Zealand Division in France, at Flers in the Somme. Over the following 23 days, 1560 New Zealanders are killed and 5440 wounded. 16 September – William Jolliffe is appointed New Zealand's first censor (on his birthday) 20 September – The Canterbury (NZ) Aviation Company is established in Christchurch. Henry Wigram is the main instigator. The Company's aims are to train pilots for the war, promote local aviation defence and pioneer commercial aviation. 15 October – The 16th New Zealand national census is taken. October – The Canterbury (NZ) Aviation Company purchases land at Sockburn near Christchurch. The first planes will not arrive until the following year. 16 November – First ballot held for reinforcements for the NZEF.
Arts and literature
See 1916 in art, 1916 in literature, :Category:1916 books
Music
See: 1916 in music
Film
The Mutiny of the Bounty
See: 1916 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1916 films
Sport
Golf
The New Zealand Open championship and National Amateur Championships are not held due to the war.
Horse racing
Harness racing
New Zealand Trotting Cup – Cathedral Chimes
Auckland Trotting Cup – Admiral Wood
Thoroughbred racing
New Zealand Cup – Ardenvhor
Auckland Cup – Depredation
Wellington Cup – Bee
New Zealand Derby – The Toff
Lawn bowls
The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Christchurch. Men's singles champion – E.H. Fountain (Roslyn Bowling Club) Men's pair champions – V. Dimock, Charles Parata (skip) (Thorndon Bowling Club) Men's fours champions – C.W. Davis, A. E. Davis, A.B. Duff, J. Laughton (skip) (Newtown Bowling Club)
Rugby union
The Ranfurly Shield (held by ) is not contested as interprovincial matches are cancelled due to the war.
Soccer
Provincial league champions: Auckland – North Shore Canterbury – Christchurch Rangers Hawke's Bay – Waipukurau Otago – Mornington Southland – No competition Wanganui – No competition Wellington – No competition