The following lists events that happened during 1908 in New Zealand. Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State – Edward VII Governor – The Lord Plunket GCMG KCVO Government The 16th New Zealand Parliament concluded but the Liberal Party retained in power following the 1908 General Election in November/December Speaker of the House – Sir Arthur Guinness Prime Minister – Joseph Ward Minister of Finance – Joseph Ward Attorney-General – John Findlay Chief Justice – Sir Robert Stout Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition – William Massey, (Independent). Main centre leaders 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 Events January February March April 8 April – The Invercargill Tragedy occurs, in which James Reid Baxter kills his family and then himself. June July August 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). September October November 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 and commemorated by the Last Spike Monument. 9 November: A two-day NIMT rail passenger service starts, with an overnight stop at Ohakune. December 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 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. Arts and literature See 1908 in art, 1908 in literature, :Category:1908 books Books The first Edmonds Cookery Book is published. Music See: 1908 in music Film See: 1908 in film, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1908 films Sport Boxing 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) Billiards The Auckland Sports Club, the national representative to the