RSAs on the Rise

From Raglan and Ruatoria in the north to Tuatapere in the far south local RSAs are on the rise, including a massive multi-million dollar development in Marlborough…

Marlborough RSA

Ruatoria RSA

Raglan RSA

Tuatapere RSA

The Clubs of Marlborough building with the Marlborough RSA occupying the top left of the building.

Marlborough RSA: The Biggest Night of the Week

There’s been an RSA by the Taylor River in Blenheim for almost 90 years, but none as beautiful, comfortable and flexible as the Clubs of Marlborough building that opened on 3 October 2007. RSA Review editor BARRY ALLISON visited Marlborough RSA on Thursday, 25 October 2007: 'The Biggest Night of the Week'!

That Clubs of Marlborough is a success cannot be doubted and that success is rubbing off on Marlborough RSA.

President Royd Woolf said overall membership had grown at 100 per day since opening, of which the RSA is “getting a steady stream”

Clubs of Marlborough comprises the former Blenheim Working Men’s Club (BMWC) the Marlborough Club, Marlborough RSA and the Blenheim Bridge Club.

	Marlborough RSA Vice President Peter Callahan (left) and President Royd Woolf stand by the carved doorway which was moved from the RSA's previous premises.

RSA Vice President Peter Callahan said the Club operated under the BMWC charter because it was a “Victorian charter” and as such carried certain advantages in respect of opening hours. Amalgamation had been mooted two or three times previously but there had been resistance from the Marlborough Club. Then the BMWC bought the Marlborough Club building and the two eventually became one on the present site.

Marlborough RSA had been 50 years in its former premises and before that was housed in a former boarding house on the same site. It has branches at Kaikoura, Awatere (Seddon), Renwick and Havelock. It gets good support from Woodbourne Air Force Base and from the army cadre staff based there.

The RSA buildings in Blenheim were getting old and need upgrading. The committee wrote to all members supporting amalgamation, which a majority supported.

THEN: The first Marlborough RSA clubrooms housed in a former boarding house on the Taylor River in Blenheim, c. 1920.		AND NOW: Almost 90 years later Marlborough RSA on the same site but in accommodation befitting the 21st century.

The wider community became involved with a decision by Marlborough District Council to contribute to the building by adding a 750 seat convention centre.

The 16 million dollar, two-storey building, the Clubs of Marlborough share was $12M was built within budget and opened on schedule. It includes every facility that the three Clubs had previously and is run by a combined clubs committee. The RSA has two seats as of right but more RSA members could stand if they wished.

Although every part of the building “belongs” to every member, each component club has its “own” bar. No barriers exist between sections but they can be closed off desired. The RSA section has seating for 123. As yet no RSA memorabilia is on the walls but Peter Callahan said there’s no restrictions. “We’ll put some up as soon as we work out where and we do have a memorabilia room already”. A howitzer gate guardian stands outside and will soon be joined by a large RSA badge on the front of the building. Remembrance is observed on Thursday and Saturday at 6pm. The observance is broadcast throughout the building and everyone takes part, Peter Callahan said.

	Part of the RSA area in the Clubs of Marlborough building.

The facilities are brilliant. A 100 seat fine dining, table service restaurant and a carvery service kitchen that caters to all diners seven days a week with adjacent seating for hundreds. So popular is the carvery that it served 1050 meals on a recent Saturday.

A total 70 staff, some part time, cleaners caterers and bar staff look after members’ needs. There’s a downstairs reception area, lift, up and down escalators and stairs for those who want them. Club Entertainments and Promotions Manager Kelly Stove said the Club has had live entertainment at least once a week since opening but is building up to three times a week. “Sometimes though that once a week can be three places at the same time,” she said.

The games room has six pool tables, six snooker tables and too many dartboards to count in one go. Downstairs there’s gym, a dance hall that doubles as an indoor bowls arena, a .22 rifle range and even a place for fishing section members to fill dive bottles. There’s also a children’s play room.

If you’re an RSA or other affiliated club member and you’re passing through Blenheim make sure you pay Clubs of Marlborough a visit. You won’t be disappointed!

Ruatoria Committee members and ladies display the work they have done in their Maori art wananga fundraiser. From left are Secretary Alex Reedy, left, President Eru Paenga, Jewel Goldmsith, Taffy Reedy, Treasurer Tony “Muldoon” Goldsmith, Brenda Fuller, Welfare Officer Henry Banks and Vice President Jim Fuller.

Ruatoria RSA rises from the Ashes

Ruatoria RSA is rising from the ashes, not because it burned down but because its old clubrooms began life many years ago as a blacksmith’s workshop and forge.

Ruatoria’s rebirth includes rebuilding and striking out as a stand alone association. Construction is in the final stages and in a few months the Ruatoria Returned Services Association will open brand new, wheelchair accessible clubrooms with a new kitchen, toilets and bar and able to seat 250 people at one time.

Secretary Alex Reedy said the members decided they needed something new about five years ago. “We all think the same. We want something better, something for the long term. We’re confident, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing this.” He said the RSA has community support but fundraising is hard in a small community. “We’ve received donations from other RSAs (they know who they are) and people can “buy” a concrete building block for $300. The Eastland Community Trust, the Lotteries Board and the Lion Foundation have been tapped into and members have also tapped into the sweat off our brows,” he said

The RSA has also come up with a uniquely Maori way of fundraising. Under the auspices of various local marae committee members are attending wananga (learning sessions) in the arts of kowhaihai painting and tukutuku weaving and paying a koha for the privilege, which goes into the building fund. Taffy Reedy said “We’d like to have others come and learn with us in groups of 12-16. It’s an investment of time.”

Mrs Reedy said the weaving began two years ago with harakeke (flax), kite (baskets) then advanced to kakahu garments. “Then we thought why don’t the men themselves do something to put on the walls of the new building? We work at home as well as here, two people at a time on the big panels,” she said.

The results of the wananga will be displayed in the RSA. In addition master carver Hone McClutchie is carving a pare (lintel) and whakawae (door posts) for the clubrooms using centuries old totara recovered from the river. These will be revealed when the RSA is opened.

Ruatoria RSA is looking to buy kitchen and bar equipment. If you can help please contact: adandtreedy@gmail.com or call (06) 864 8228.

Raglan RSA published this book to mark its 75th anniversary.

Raglan RSA Strikes Out on its Own

Raglan RSA struck out on its own earlier this year after 75 years as a branch of Hamilton RSA.

Club Secretary Heather Robb said, “We decided to become a stand-alone association to be in control of our own organisation, especially our finances. We were down to about 30 members but we are now over 100 including 50-55 service and returned members.

“Also our welfare money, the money we raise in our community now stays in our community. We have no premises but we can and do use the Raglan Club, the bowling club and the fire station for functions. We can go where we like,” she said.

Raglan had 5000 people turn out for ANZAC Day this year, which, Mrs Robb said, wasn’t bad for a community of 3500, “we were boosted by holiday makers and supported by 70 or so soldiers from 161 Battery, 16th Field Regiment, which has the freedom of the town.”

She said the RSA has good relations with the community including the four local schools. “We sponsor a $300 prize for the best wreath each ANZAC Day. The children make their own wreath and lay it at the war memorial. There’s great community support t here.” She also said the Council was looking at erecting a vandal-proof flagpole at the Cenotaph so the New Zealand flag could be flown all the time and a half mast to signal an RSA member’s death.

Association President Vince Hill said Raglan would not be acquiring clubrooms in the foreseeable future because it didn’t fancy the financial burden of owning property. He said the RSA has been welcome to use diverse facilities, even the town hall, in which they hosted the RNZRSA Waikato–King Country-Bay of Plenty District AGM. “The District Council is a very helpful sponsor. Basically anything we ask for they’ll give us. Watch this space, there’s all sorts of things in the pipeline for Raglan RSA,” he said.

'It was an Upside Down World': Raglan and District RSA 1932–2007 by Fiona Craig and Tony Kay is available at $40.00 per copy from Raglan RSA, PO Box 173, Raglan 3265 or contact Heather Robb (07) 8258985.

Image: Jock Phillips and Chris Maclean

Memorial Library at Tuatapere

Tuatapere RSA Going it Alone and Going Well

After many years as an Invercargill branch Tuatapere RSA has been “going it alone” for three years.

“We are financially better off and have increased our numbers through associate members. Very few local people are not connected with a serviceman, that’s what’s keeping the thing alive in the district,” said President Sid Harvey.

Tuatapere has no clubrooms but has the use of a room in the local hall, that has “always been RSA”, for meetings and socialising. ANZAC Day commemorations consist of a Dawn Service at Orawia, about 10km from town, and a Citizen’s Service in the World War II Tuatapere Memorial Hall followed by a parade to the WWI Memorial Library. Despite having no subscription increases for 19 years Tuatapere has created a bursary supporting tertiary education for local secondary pupils. Financially supported by local donations, sufficient funds have been put aside to ensure it will continue into the future, Mr Harvey said.

Himself a WWII Pacific veteran Mr Harvey has been President for 19 years but gladly admits he has always had “a very good committee behind me”.