British Billiards Association, holds the first national championship. National Champion: J. Ryan (Auckland) Chess The 21st National Chess Championship was held in Wellington, and was won by of A.W.O. Davies of Wellington, his second title. Golf The second New Zealand Open championship was held at Balmacewen golf club and was won by 19-year-old professional J.A. Clements The 16th National Amateur Championships were held in Otago Men: H.C. Smith (Otago) Women: Miss ? Christie Horse racing Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup: Durbar Auckland Trotting Cup: Scotia Thoroughbred racing Auckland Cup – All Red Olympic Games 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. Rugby league 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 Rugby union Auckland defend the Ranfurly Shield against Marlborough (32–0), Wellington (24–3), Taranaki (9–0) and Otago (11–5) Soccer Provincial league champions: Auckland: Auckland Corinthians Canterbury: Christchurch Club Otago: Northern Dunedin Southland: Murihiku Taranaki: Hawera Wellington: Diamond Wellington Tennis 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 Births 12 March: Rita Angus, painter. 2 June: Lindsay Weir, cricketer. 5 June: Les George, rugby player. 19 June: Fred Baker, soldier. 18 August: Bill Merritt, cricketer. 21 September: Charles Upham, double Victoria Cross winner. 25 September: Herbert Dudley Purves, medical researcher. 26 September: John Pascoe, photographer and mountaineer 17 December: Sylvia Ashton-Warner, writer and educator. :Category:1908 births Deaths April: Charles Rous-Marten, journalist and railway writer (b. 1842 in England) 20 May: Albert Henry Baskerville, rugby league pioneer (b. 1883) 3 August: Henry Feldwick, politician (b. 1844) 2 October: Charles Kidson, art teacher, artist, craftsman and sculptor (b. 1867) 8 November: Edward Connolly, politician (b. 1822) :Category:1908 deaths See also History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Military history of New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica Timeline of the New Zealand environment References External links