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1939
- February 17
- New Millers Department Store building (now the Civic Offices) opens. Designed by G. A. J. Hart, the building contained the South Island’s first escalator.
- March 3
- Statue of J. E. FitzGerald in Rolleston Avenue 'unveiled' as a student prank. The statue, a gift from R. E. Green, had been offered to the City Council in 1934 and to the Beautifying Association in 1936, but had been declined by both because of legal diputes between Mr Green and his family. The statue was finally accepted by the Domains Board in 1938, but was never officially unveiled.
- May 6
- New Municipal Electricity Department building opens.
- August 26
- Official opening of City Council’s pensioner housing project in Barnett Avenue, Sydenham; the first local body pensioner housing in New Zealand.
- October 12
- Battery point guns in Lyttelton Harbour accidentally sink fishing boat "Dolphin". 1 man killed.
- (no date)
- First Primary Schools music festival.
