National Service Club Inc.

The naming of the club began way back in approximately 1919-1920 by a number of returned service men from the Great War to have a place for companionship and to socialise with a smoke and pint of their favourite tipple.

In naming of the club if my memory serves me correctl by some of the aged members have passed on but not forgotten they did not want to be called by their British name the Royal British Legion and so the N.S.C. or the National Service Club came into being.  A few years later a break away group formed, the now known R.S.A. (The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association).  In order to retain the suggested N.S.C. name the government of the day would have discounted the patriotic fund.  The patriotic fund was to support all servicemen plus personnel who were drafted to stay and defend our country i.e. railwaymen, fire brigade men, Post Office, Public Works and Freezing work employees.

Our first president was Sir Andrew Russell whose name appears at the top of the honours board and from those early days the club has gone from strength to strength.  My recollection of Sir Andrew Russell was his photo and frame that hung above the sliding doors - entry to the snooker room with the brass plaque in honour of him and the fire place to the left as it was those years ago.

In 1934 they opened the outdoor bowling club where the leaners and pokies are now and in later years a membership of 100 this I remember well as I wanted to join but was informed that I would have to await a vacancy of which three years passed before I became a member of which I am still a proud member.

Over the years a number alterations have been done and I can remember each time these alterations were done a substantial amount of money was passed over by the bowling club those days we had our pavillion with bar and the entry was off Avenue Road where their is a gate that led down the alleyway to the bike shed and the pavillion.

Sundays were club days and these were most enjoyable with 50 or so to participate with a number away at other clubs, centre champs or by invitation.  There are still a number of the older generation that would remember these days with fond memories.  The club had and still has a number of members who won centre championships and this has to include women members.  Women were permitted to apply for membership to the mother club in the early 1990's when the constitution was amended for women to become members instead of men only.

In those early years we were able to have an excellent bank balance during those years until the early 80s when the mother club in their wisdom removed our bar and our assets which at the time left the club broke and through a very kind benefactor of the bowls club a considerable amount of money was loaned interest free.