The event was officially opened on January 10 at the championship headquarters at the St Kilda Bowling Club.
A large crowd gathered for the official opening with the players dressed in brightly coloured blazers and boaters and the crowd dressed in dark suits and hats.
There was much public interest in the championships, with high spectator numbers at most greens.
The first New Zealand champion in the singles was J.S. Kilgour, of the Carlton Club in Auckland. The pairs winners were .J Johnson and E. Harraway, of the Dunedin club. Green Island brothers W. and A. Smellie finished runner-up. The fours title was won by the Wellington club team of W. Greenfell, A. Erskine, W. Thompson and J. Porteous.
The championships have been held annually since that time with the exception of two years during World War 2.
The centenary championships will be in Dunedin in 2014.
