Mrs Annette Pearse, curator of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Peter Tomory, director of the Auckland City Art Gallery and Ernest Buckmaster (who began a tradition of established Australian artists judging the competition) awarded the sole prize of this inaugural competition to Summer in the Mokauiti Valley by Leonard Mitchell.

In an interview, Leonard Mitchell described this scene as "that part of New Zealand where the human heart is, on the grass where we build our wealth and our substance and our life".

1st: Mount Taratara by Arthur Hipwell
2nd: Karitane Coastline by Douglas Badcock
3rd: Rangitikei River by Peter McIntyre

Robert Johnson, a New Zealander who had become a prominent artist in Australia, was assisted in the judging by Stewart Maclennan, director of the National Art Gallery.

1st: Stormlight & Snow, Ruahine Mountains by Leonard Mitchell
2nd: Quiet Water, Hutt River by George Packwood

Judge: Mervyn Napier Waller, a Melbourne artist best known for his murals, selected 235 paintings from 296 submitted, to hang in the Academy Gallery. Third prize was dropped in favour of ten merit awards.

1st: Sunday in Dunedin by Peter McIntyre
2nd: Boat Harbour, Nugget Point by Douglas Badcock
3rd: Wellington by Paul Olds

Sir William Dargie made the first of his four trips from Melbourne to judge Kelliher competitions.

1st: Midsummer Haze, Waiwera Valley by Owen Lee
2nd: Beach Strays, Takatu by David Barker
3rd: The Manuherikia, Central Otago by Peter McIntyre

Sydney landscape artist, Rubery Bennett, selected 282 of the 382 entries for display.

More than 12,000 people visited the gallery during the two weeks of this exhibition.

1st: Summer, Hawke's Bay by Cedric Savage
2nd: Near Paekakariki by Don Neilson
3rd: Canterbury Shearing Shed by Peter McIntyre

Sir William Dargie viewed 428 paintings before hanging 195 in the main exhibition. A special prize was available for the "best painting submitted by an entrant under 21 years of age".

On the opening night, Sir Henry Kelliher announced the formation of the Kelliher Art Trust to ensure the continuation of the competition.

1st: Kea Hut and Mount Sefton by Austen Deans
2nd: Waiwera Valley by Emerson Porter
3rd: Mt Sefton, Winter Morning by Douglas Badcock

Sydney landscape painter Douglas Pratt was invited to judge more than 400 entries for this competition.

1st: Rakaia Headwaters by Austen Deans
2nd: Waterfront Scene by Peggy Spicer
3rd: Country Scene by Peter McIntyre

A frequent visitor to New Zealand on painting trips, John Loxton made his selection from 442 paintings, of which 174 were exhibited.

This was the last competition conducted by the New Zealand Fellowship of Artists; the Kelliher Art Trust now assumed control.

1964

The lack of a suitable venue prevented the competition from being held in 1964.

1st: Head of Lake Wakatipu by Douglas Badcock
2nd: Sluicing for Gold, Naseby by Colin Wheeler
3rd: Tokaanu, Lake Taupo by Rodger Harrison

Claude Muncaster, a prominent English artist, looked at 420 entries before choosing the prize winners.