Although the game of table tennis was evolved in the 1890s, when it was known variously as indoor tennis, gossima, and ping pong, it did not attract a wide following until the 1920s. The New Zealand Table Tennis Association was formed in 1933 and the first national championships were held in 1934.
The New Zealand Table Tennis Association fosters and controls the game in New Zealand. It lays down uniform rules for the control and organisation of the game, encourages inter-association contests, organises the annual national championships, promotes visits by overseas players, and arranges overseas tours.
In 1964 the association comprised 28 affiliated regional associations including 698 clubs representing an estimated 13,998 players. The Canterbury association showed the largest membership with 264 teams taking part in winter interclub competitions and 91 teams in the summer interclub competition. Otago (198 teams), Wellington (193 teams), and Auckland (132 teams) are the next largest associations; while South Canterbury, Hamilton, Franklin, North Taranaki, and Hutt Valley each have more than 70 teams in regular competitions.
The New Zealand Table Tennis Association is affiliated to the International Table Tennis Federation and is eligible to compete in the World Championships. In 1963, at the 27th World Championships, held in Prague, an unofficial New Zealand women's team earned fourth place in its section. New Zealanders abroad have taken part in overseas championships on many occasions and three players – J. S. Crossley (1950), G. A. J. Frew (1954), and A. R. Tomlinson (1963) – have won the Scottish Men's Singles Championship.
New Zealand teams compete regularly in the Australian Open and in the New South Wales Championships, and representative teams visit at two-year intervals. On 16 September 1963 the first international women's contest between Australia and New Zealand was played at Sydney when Australia won by four matches to one.
Since the war the New Zealand association has arranged visits by famous overseas players. Among these may be mentioned Szabados and Anderson, Barna and Bergman (1948); Haegenaur and Leach (1952); the popular Rowe twins (1953); the Japanese world champions Tanaka and Ogimura (1957); and the Japanese women's team – Matsuzaki and Yamaizumi (1960).
The New Zealand National Table Tennis Championships have been held annually since 1934, except for an interval (1941–44) during the Second World War. The championships include the following events: Men's and Women's Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. Within this framework there are also championship divisions for boys and girls (under 18 years), junior boys and junior girls (under 16 years), and senior men and women (25 to 45 years), and veteran men and women (40 years of age and over). In addition, since 1953, the Arthur Meachen Memorial Cup has been awarded to the association whose players win the most points in the final events at the national championships. Since 1940 there has been a New Zealand Associations' Teams Championship competition in which men's teams compete for the Kean Shield, while the women's teams compete for the Herbert G. Teagle Memorial Challenge Shield. Since 1950 the Victor Barna Cup has been awarded annually in recognition of those qualities by which, in addition to technical skill, the prestige and reputation of table tennis are established. The cup is awarded to the association whose team competing in the annual teams championship satisfies the Barna Cup Judging Committee that it excels in the qualities of table etiquette, sportsmanship, appearance, and punctuality.
The following are the winners of the principal table tennis national championship events:
| Men's Singles Championship – Donald Cup | |
| 1934 | A. E. B. Cheal (Auckland) |
| 1935 | F. R. Paton (Auckland) |
| 1936 | K. G. Cantlay (Auckland) |
| 1937 | K. G. Cantlay (Auckland) |
| 1938 | H. F. Boys (Auckland) |
| 1939 | R. A. Algie (Otago) |
| 1940 | R. A. Algie (Otago) |
| 1941–44 | No competition |
| 1945 | R. A. Algie (Otago) |
| 1946 | K. G. Cantlay (Auckland) |
| 1947 | R. A. Algie (Otago) |
| 1948 | W. J. Fogarty (Otago) |
| 1949 | R. A. Algie (Auckland) |
| 1950 | R. V. Jackson (Auckland) |
| 1951 | R. A. Algie (Auckland) |
| 1952 | K. Stanley (England) |
| 1953 | R. V. Jackson (Auckland) |
| 1954 | R. V. Jackson (Auckland) |
| 1955 | R. V. Jackson (Auckland) |
| 1956 | R. V. Jackson (Auckland) |
| 1957 | R. V. Jackson (Auckland) |
| 1958 | R. V. Jackson (Auckland) |
| 1959 | A. R. Tomlinson (Auckland) |
| 1960 | M. L. Dunn (Wellington) |
| 1961 | M. L. Dunn (Wellington) |
| 1962 | M. L. Dunn (Wellington) |
| 1963 | M. L. Dunn (Wellington) |
| 1964 | A. R. Tomlinson (Auckland) |
| 1965 | C. C. McDonald (Australia) |
| Women's Singles Championship – Donald Cup | |
| 1934 | E. Masters (Wellington) |
| 1935 | I. Dove (Auckland) |
| 1936 | I. Dove (Auckland) |
| 1937 | A. Wilkinson (Auckland) |
| 1938 | L. M. Hughes (Manawatu) |
| 1939 | M. Fogarty (Otago) |
| 1940 | M. G. Valk (Hutt Valley) |
| 1941–44 | No competition |
| 1945 | M. Tracey (Wellington) |
| 1946 | J. L. Strange (Auckland) |
| 1947 | A. M. Hughes (Wellington) |
| 1948 | M. M. Hoar (Wairarapa) |
| 1949 | M. M. Hoar (Wellington) |
| 1950 | M. M. Hoar (Wellington) |
| 1951 | J. M. Williamson (Canterbury) |
| 1952 | M. M. Hoar (Auckland) |
| 1953 | M. M. Hoar (Auckland) |
| 1954 | J. M. Williamson (Canterbury) |
| 1955 | J. E. Magorian (Otago) |
| 1956 | M. M. Hoar (Auckland) |
| 1957 | M. M. Hoar (Auckland) |
| 1958 | T. E. Hale (North Taranaki) |
| 1959 | P. M. Purdon (Canterbury) |
| 1960 | Miss N. Davis (Northland) |
| 1961 | Miss N. Davis (Northland) |
| 1962 | Miss N. Davis (Northland) |
| 1963 | Miss N. Davis (Northland) |
| 1964 | Miss A. Mutch (Auckland) |
| 1965 | Mrs N. Traill (Northland) |
| Men's Doubles Championship – H. N. Ballinger Cups | |
| 1934 | H. D. Kennedy and C. F. Williams (Wellington) |
| 1935 | G. Bell and H. Pyle (Wellington) |
| 1936 | K. G. Cantlay and H. F. Boys (Auckland) |
| 1937 | F. R. Paton and I. Drabble (Auckland) |
| 1938 | K. G. Cantlay and H. F. Boys (Auckland) |
| 1939 | R. A. Algie and A. R. Algie (Otago) |
| 1940 | R. A. Algie and A. R. Algie (Otago) |
| 1941–44 | No competition |
| 1945 | F. R. Paton and W. O. Jaine (Auckland) |
| 1946 | K. G. Cantlay and A. E. B. Cheal (Auckland) |
| 1947 | M. T. J. Gosling and L. M. Wilson (Wellington) |
| 1948 | W. J. Fogarty and J. J. Borough (Otago and Canterbury) |
| 1949 | H. Chapman and H. Lauder (Wellington) |
| 1950 | J. S. Crossley and V. N. Brightwell (Wellington and Otago) |
| 1951 | J. S. Crossley and V. N. Brightwell (Wellington and Otago) |
| 1952 | K. Stanley and M. L. Dunn (England and Wellington) |
| 1953 | R. V. Jackson and W. O. Jaine (Auckland) |
| 1954 | J. S. Crossley and M. L. Dunn (Wellington) |
| 1955 | R. V. Jackson and A. R. Tomlinson (Auckland) |
| 1956 | R. V. Jackson and A. R. Tomlinson (Auckland) |
| 1957 | R. V. Jackson and A. R. Tomlinson (Auckland) |
| 1958 | R. V. Jackson and A. R. Tomlinson (Auckland) |
| 1959 | R. V. Jackson and A. R. Tomlinson (Auckland) |
| 1960 | M. L. Dunn and G. A. J. Frew (Wellington and Northland) |
| 1961 | M. L. Dunn and G. A. J. Frew (Wellington and Northland) |
| 1962 | A. R. Tomlinson (Auckland) and G. J. Jennings (Wellington) |
| 1963 | M. L. Dunn (Wellington) and G. A. J. Frew (Northland) |
| 1964 | M. L. Dunn (Wellington) and G. A. J. Frew (Northland) |
| 1965 | M. L. Dunn (Auckland) and G. A. J. Frew (Northland) |
| Women's Doubles Championship – Vern Mitchell Rose Bowls | |
| 1934 | M. Williams and M. Hollis (Wellington) |
| 1935 | D. McAdam and A. Carter (Auckland) |
| 1936 | K. Tustin and M. Walsh (Hutt Valley) |
| 1937 | D. McAdam and A. Wilkinson (Auckland) |
| 1938 | D. McAdam and A. Carter (Auckland) |
| 1939 | E. Lock and R. Hayward (Otago) |
| 1940 | L. M. Kennedy and D. R. Croxton (Wellington) |
| 1941–44 | No competition |
| 1945 | J. L. Strange and M. E. Haymes (Wellington) |
| 1946 | J. L. Strange and M. E. Haymes (Auckland and Wellington) |
| 1947 | D. Leathley and J. Leathley (Otago) |
| 1948 | A. M. Hughes and A. P. Knight (Wellington) |
| 1949 | M. M. Hoar and T. E. McGregor (Wellington) |
| 1950 | M. M. Hoar and T. E. McGregor (Wellington) |
| 1951 | M. M. Hoar and J. M. Williamson (Wairarapa and Canterbury) |
| 1952 | M. M. Hoar and T. E. McGregor (Auckland and Wellington) |
| 1953 | T. Evans and J. M. Williamson (Waikato and Canterbury) |
| 1954 | J. Cox and J. M. Williamson (Canterbury) |
| 1955 | J. E. Magorian and P.M. Quinn (Otago and Canterbury) |
| 1956 | M. M. Hoar and B. Packwood (Auckland) |
| 1957 | P. Smith and J. Bratton (Wellington) |
| 1958 | J. E. Magorian and P. M. Purdon (Otago and Canterbury) |
| 1959 | M. J. Anderson and V. M. White (Hutt Valley and Wellington) |
| 1960 | N. Davis and J. Green (Northland) |
| 1961 | N. Davis and J. Green (Northland) |
| 1962 | N. Davis (Northland) and J. Green (Canterbury) |
| 1963 | N. J. Attwood (Northland) and M. E. Bridson (Auckland) |
| 1964 | Miss V. E. Braumann (Otago) and Mrs T. May (Canterbury) |
| 1965 | Mrs N. Traill (Northland) and Miss J. F. Crosby (Franklin |
| Mixed Doubles Championship Wellington Cup and Rosebowl | |
| 1934 | R. L. Dennis and L. M. Hughes (Wanganui and Manawatu |
| 1935 | R. L. Dennis and L. M. Hughes (Wanganui and Manawatu) |
| 1936 | W. T. McFarlane and B. Strang (Wellington and Hutt Valley) |
| 1937 | I. Drabble and D. McAdam (Auckland) |
| 1938 | K. G. Cantlay and E. Smitheman (Auckland) |
| 1939 | W. T. McFarlane and J. Ingham (Wellington and Hutt Valley) |
| 1940 | M. T. J. Gosling and D. R. Croxton (Wellington) |
| 1941–44 | No competition |
| 1945 | G. Smith and D. R. Croxton (Wellington) |
| 1946 | M. T. J. Gosling and D. R. Croxton (Wellington) |
| 1947 | E. Boniface and B. I. Powell (Wellington) |
| 1948 | H. Chapman and E. McNeill (Wellington and Hutt Valley) |
| 1949 | R. A. Algie and A. M. Hughes (Auckland and Wellington) |
| 1950 | W. O. Jaine and M. M. Hoar (Auckland and Wellington) |
| 1951 | W. O. Jaine and M. M. Hoar (Auckland and Wairarapa) |
| 1952 | R. A. Algie and B. E. Williams (Auckland) |
| 1953 | V. N. Brightwell and J. L. Magorian (Canterbury and Otago) |
| 1954 | R. V. Jackson and M. M. Hoar (Auckland) |
| 1955 | R. V. Jackson and M. M. Hoar (Auckland) |
| 1956 | R. V. Jackson and M. M. Hoar (Auckland) |
| 1957 | R. V. Jackson and K. Lye (Auckland) |
| 1958 | G. A. J. Frew and N. Davis (Northland) |
| 1959 | G. A. J. Frew and N. Davis (Northland) |
| 1960 | G. A. J. Frew and N. Davis (Northland) |
| 1961 | M. L. Dunn and J. Brown (Wellington and Hutt Valley) |
| 1962 | M. L. Dunn (Wellington) and N. J. Attwood (Northland) |
| 1963 | M. L. Dunn (Wellington) and N. J. Attwood (Northland) |
| 1964 | M. L. Dunn (Wellington) and N. J. Attwood (Northland) |
| 1965 | G. A. J. Frew and Mrs N. Traill (Northland) |
| Arthur Meachen Memorial Cup Winners | |
| 1953 | Auckland |
| 1954 | Canterbury |
| 1955 | Auckland |
| 1956 | Auckland |
| 1957 | Auckland |
| 1958 | Northland |
| 1959 | Northland |
| 1960 | Northland |
| 1961 | Northland |
| 1962 | Northland |
| 1963 | Northland |
| 1964 | Northland |
| 1965 | Northland |