Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – George V
• Governor-General – John Jellicoe, Viscount Jellicoe^[1]

• George V
• Viscount Jellicoe

Government

The 21st New Zealand Parliament begins. The Reform Party governs as a minority with the support of independents.

• Speaker of the House – Charles Statham (Independent)
• Prime Minister – William Massey
• Minister of Finance – William Massey
• Minister of External Affairs – Ernest Lee until 13 January, then Francis Bell from 7 June

• Charles Statham
• William Massey
• Ernest Lee
• Francis Bell

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Thomas Wilford (Liberal Party)^[2]

• Thomas Wilford

Judiciary

• Chief Justice – Sir Robert Stout

• Robert Stout

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – James Gunson
• Mayor of Wellington – Robert Wright
• Mayor of Christchurch – Henry Thacker, succeeded by James Flesher
• Mayor of Dunedin – James Douglas, succeeded by Harold Tapley

• James Gunson
• Robert Wright
• Henry Thacker
• James Flesher
• James Douglas
• Harold Tapley

Music

Production of the musical "Tutankhamen" by L.P.Leary at His Majesty's Theatre in Auckland. Music by Eric Waters.

See: 1923 in music

Radio

• A set of Broadcasting regulations are issued under the Post And Telegraph Act 1920. Under the new regulations the country is divided into four numerical transmission regions. The regulations also stipulate that the owner of a receiving set is to pay an annual licence of five shillings while permission to transmit costs two pounds.

See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

• The Romance of Sleepy Hollow

See: 1923 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1923 films

Chess

• The 32nd National Chess Championship is held in Christchurch, and is won by John Boyd Dunlop of Oamaru (his third title)^[5]

Cricket

• Plunket Shield

Football

• The inaugural competition for the Chatham Cup is won by Seacliff AFC (Otago)
• The New Zealand team tours Australia, playing 16 matches:^[6]
  • 24 May, at Granville – lose 1–3 vs Granville
  • 26 May, at Sydney – draw 2–2 vs New South Wales
  • 29 May, at Newcastle – lose 0–2 vs Newcastle
  • 2 June, at Ipswich – win 4–2 vs Ipswich / West Moreton
  • 4 June, at Brisbane – win 3–1 vs Queensland
  • 6 June, at Nambour – win 2–0 vs North Coast
  • 9 June, at Brisbane – lose 1–2 vs Australia
  • 13 June, at Cessnock – lose 1–2 vs South Maitland
  • 16 June, at Sydney – win 3–2 vs Australia
  • 20 June, at Sydney – win 3–4 vs Metropolis
  • 23 June, at Sydney – win 3–1 vs Granville
  • 25 June, at Sydney – draw 1–1 vs New South Wales
  • 30 June, at Newcastle – win 4–1 vs Australia
  • 3 July, at Weston – lose 1–4 vs South Maitland
  • 7 July, at Wollongong – lose 0–2 vs South Coast
  • 11 July, at Lithgow – win 4–0 vs Western Districts
• Provincial league champions:^[7]
  • Auckland – North Shore AFC (Devonport)
  • Canterbury – Sunnyside
  • Hawke's Bay – Whakatu
  • Nelson – Athletic
  • Otago – HSOB
  • South Canterbury – Albion Rovers
  • Southland – Nightcaps
  • Taranaki – Hawera
  • Wanganui – Eastown Workshops
  • Wellington – Waterside

Golf

• The 10th New Zealand Open championship is won by A. Brooks.^[8]
• The 27th National Amateur Championships are held in Wanganui:^[9]
  • Men – J. Goss (Wanganui)
  • Women – E. Vigor Brown (Napier)

Horse racing

Lawn bowls

The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Auckland.^[13]

• Men's singles champion – M. Walker (Ponsonby Bowling Club)
• Men's pair champions – W. McCallum, T. Edwards (skip) (Temuka Bowling Club)
• Men's fours champions – R.S. Somervell, J.F. Hosking, V.P. Casey, A. Parsons (skip) (Ponsonby Bowling Club)

Rugby union

• A New South Wales team tours New Zealand, playing three matches against the New Zealand team. New Zealand wins all three: 19–9, 34–6 and 38–11.^[14]
• Hawke's Bay defend the Ranfurly Shield for the full season, defeating Wairarapa (6–0), Wellington (10–6), Poverty Bay (15–0), Canterbury (9–8), Horowhenua (38–11), and Auckland (20–5).^[14]