1908 in New Zealand

• Head of State – Edward VII
• Governor – The Lord Plunket GCMG KCVO[1]

• Leader of the Opposition – William Massey, (Independent).[2]

• Mayor of Auckland – Arthur Myers
• Mayor of Wellington – Thomas Hislop
• Mayor of Christchurch – George Payling then Charles Allison
• Mayor of Dunedin – John Loudon then John McDonald

• 7 August: First through passenger train on the North Island Main Trunk railway, over temporary track north of Taonui, the 11-car Parliamentary Special carrying the Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward and other parliamentarians north to see the American Great White Fleet at Auckland (9 to 15 August).

• 6 November: The North Island Main Trunk railway linking Wellington and Auckland is completed, with the last spike driven in by Prime Minister Joseph Ward at Manganui-o-te-Ao.
• 9 November: A two-day NIMT rail passenger service starts, with an overnight stop at Ohakune.

• 2 December: Dunedin Public Library opens, aided by a grant from Andrew Carnegie.
• Late December: Wanganui (population 9000) became the first provincial town to introduce trams[3]

Undated

• Blackball, New Zealand coal miners strike for 11 weeks, an important step in the formation of the New Zealand Labour Party.
• Auckland. Three cultivars of the Feijoa are introduced into New Zealand.[4]

• The first Edmonds Cookery Book is published.

See: 1908 in music

See: 1908 in film, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1908 films

The welterweight division is included in the national championships for the first time.

National amateur champions

• Heavyweight – M. Ryan (Invercargill)
• Middleweight – J. Smith (Auckland)
• Welterweight – R. Mayze (Christchurch)
• Lightweight – T. Metcalfe (Auckland)
• Featherweight – W. Elliott (Timaru)
• Bantamweight – J. Parker (Christchurch)

The Auckland Sports Club, the national representative to the British Billiards Association, holds the first national championship.[5]

• National Champion: J. Ryan (Auckland)

• The 21st National Chess Championship was held in Wellington, and was won by of A.W.O. Davies of Wellington, his second title.[6]

• The second New Zealand Open championship was held at Balmacewen golf club and was won by 19-year-old professional J.A. Clements[7]
• The 16th National Amateur Championships were held in Otago[8]
  • Men: H.C. Smith (Otago)
  • Women: Miss ? Christie

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Durbar[9]
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Scotia[10]

• Auckland Cup – All Red

• New Zealanders compete at the Olympic Games for the first time, as part of the Australasian team. Harry Kerr becomes the first New Zealander to win an Olympic medal.

• New Zealand national rugby league team tour of Great Britain:
  • lost to Wales, 9–8
  • 1st test: lost to Great Britain 8–5 at Cheltenham
  • 2nd test: beat Great Britain 18–6 at Chelsea
  • 3rd test: beat Great Britain 14–6 at leeds

• Auckland defend the Ranfurly Shield against Marlborough (32–0), Wellington (24–3), Taranaki (9–0) and Otago (11–5)

Provincial league champions:[11]

• Auckland: Auckland Corinthians
• Canterbury: Christchurch Club
• Otago: Northern Dunedin
• Southland: Murihiku
• Taranaki: Hawera
• Wellington: Diamond Wellington

• Anthony Wilding pairs with Australian Norman Brookes, as the Australasian team, to win the Davis Cup, beating the United States 3-2. The final is held in Melbourne.
• Anthony Wilding, partnered with Norman Brookes, wins the men's doubles at the Wimbledon Championship