After the name of the men’s Centre was changed from the North Canterbury Bowling Centre to the Christchurch Bowling Centre of the New Zealand Bowling Association, the first Meeting was held on the 30th October 1907.  Mr F J Barlow had been the Chairperson of the steering committee, and Dr Walter Thomas was elected President.

It is interesting to note that the New Zealand Bowling Association was instituted in 1886.
The Centre set the club subscription at two Guineas for up to 40 members, four Guineas for 40-60 members and six Guineas for over 60 members, and two Delegates from each club were allowed.

The first Annual General Meeting was held on the 13th July 1908 with eighteen attendees, and Mr W Johnston was elected as President.  The Annual Accounts show receipts of 87 pounds 10 shillings, with expenditure of 61 pounds 9 shillings and 9 pence.
The initial clubs involved were Ashburton, Canterbury, Christchurch, Dunsandel, Kaiapoi, Leeston, Rangiora, St Albans, Southbridge, Sydenham and United.
Pennants were the first interclub competition, which consisted of Rinks, Doubles and Singles and no driving or burnt heads were allowed!

The rate of the levy gradually increased from that set at the AGM on the 14th July 1911 of threepence for the council and ninepence for the Centre, to two shillings and sixpence in 1934, three shillings and sevenpence in 1957 and $14.50 some fifty years later.

The Centre membership in the 1911/12 season showed 17 clubs with 920 members, and that year’s Annual Report shows finances (current and savings) of just under 115 pounds.
The Minutes of the Delegates’ Meeting in September 1940 shows that 85 pounds was paid by seven clubs into Patriotic Funds.

In those days, each club had a bright striped blazer in its colours.  When you saw members going to their different clubs it looked as if they were off to an English garden party, but without the boaters.  1941 was the year that changed so much – not only for Bowling Clubs but all sporting associations throughout New Zealand.  Our woolclip was being used for the Forces.  Mosgiel and other woollen mills were only permitted to make a choice of three different suitings – grey, fawn and navy blue.  A plain grey material for slacks (no white) and black blazer cloth was permitted to be manufactured.  It was agreed by the Centre that grey trousers and black blazer be the new uniform for clubs with a pocket monogram in the club colours with Centre and Club name included.  It was the death knell of the Coat of Many Colours.  Wartime also affected retail trading conditions, and the working week was reduced from six days to five.  This opened up the gates for all sporting bodies to have a weekend of sport and, of course, an influx of members.

The first available Centre Annual Report, printed in 1933, shows there were 42 clubs (including Aulsebrooks) with 1,605 members.

By July 1957 there were 62 clubs with a membership of 4,500, up from 4,149 the previous year.  Clubs then included Avon, Imperial, Mayfield, Mona Vale, RSA, Springfield and Sunnyside – none of which exists today.

In the 1982/83 season there were 76 clubs with 6,772 members and in 1985 the 85 clubs reached a peak membership of 6,782. The latest figures (as at 31st December 2004) are 81 clubs and 6,722 members.  (However, it must be remembers that these latest figures relate to the amalgamated Centre - not just the men's Centre.)

In 1957/58 an Official Opening Day was held – “to avoid attendance at Club Openings’!  Also an “offer from a broadcasting station (not named) to provide  broadcasts of results if they are made available” was received.  It is not detailed as to whether this offer was accepted and used.
The Christchurch Women’s Bowling Centre was started in 1933 with the first AGM being held at the Beckenham Bowling Club, and Mrs W (Ella) Rowntree was the first President.  There were only four original clubs – Beckenham, Linwood, Spreydon and Sydenham.  The first interclub competition was the Rowntree Cup.

The uniform in the early days was very long frocks and always hats, of course.  Stockings (lisle) had to be worn at all times.  No jewellery was allowed apart from rings on fingers, and you could wear as many as you liked!  The dress code was very strict and lengths of dresses were often measured to make sure they were right.

On Sunday 1st July 2001 the men’s and women’s Centres amalgamated and the first meeting of the amalgamated Executive was held three days later.
In the Illustrated Encyclopedia of New Zealand published in the 1980s (page 149) there is mention of the game of bowls in New Zealand:
“Women in this enlightened age are no longer the outcasts they were in the sport which prided itself in its Lord-like chauvinistic outlook.  Today, often through financial necessity, clubs unashamedly pool their male and female resources in a combined set-up.”
Although it appears from available records that nothing special was done to mark the Centre’s 50th or 75th Jubilee, we celebrated its Centenary in the 2007/08 season.