Registration No. 333- 
===========================================================================
                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                          Washington, DC  20549
                        __________________________

                                 FORM S-8

                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT 
                                  UNDER
                        THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                        __________________________

                     New England Business Service, Inc.
          (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
        Delaware                                    04-2942374
 (State or other jurisdiction of                 (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                  Identification No)
                            500 Main Street
                      Groton, Massachusetts  01471
                 (Address of principal executive offices)

                  Stock Option Grant to Robert J. Murray
                        (Full Title of the Plan)

                           John F. Fairbanks
               Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
                 New England Business Service, Inc.
                          500 Main Street
                   Groton, Massachusetts  01471
              (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                           (978) 448-6111
      (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)


                   Copies of all communications to:

                      Terrence W. Mahoney, Esq.
              Hill & Barlow, a Professional Corporation
                      One International Place
                    Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                           (617) 428-3000

===========================================================================

<PAGE>


                      CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
                      -------------------------------
  Title of     Amount to be     Proposed        Proposed         Amount of
Securities to   Registered      Maximum          Maximum       Registration
be Registered                Offering Price     Aggregate           Fee
                               Per Share *   Offering Price *   
-------------  ------------  --------------  ----------------  ------------
Common Stock
($1.00 par      250,000        $18.25          $4,562,500        $1,345.94
  value) 

*  This amount was calculated pursuant to Rule 457 upon the basis of the 
price at which the options may be exercised.

    If, as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar 
transactions, the number of securities purported to be registered on this 
registration statement changes, the provisions of Rule 416 shall apply to 
this registration statement and this registration statement shall be deemed 
to cover the additional securities resulting from the split of, or the 
dividend on, the securities covered by this registration statement.


<PAGE>


                                    PART II

                INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

    Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

    The following documents have been filed by the Company with the 
Commission (File No. 1-11427) and are incorporated herein by reference:  
(i) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 
28, 1997; (ii) the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period 
ending September 27, 1997; (iii) the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K 
dated January 7, 1998 and (iv) the description of the Company's capital 
stock contained in the Company's Registration Statement under Section 12(b) 
of the Exchange Act on Form 8-A, filed on October 31, 1977, including any 
amendment or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.  
All reports and other documents filed by the Company after the date hereof 
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934, before the filing of a post-effective amendment which 
indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold, or which 
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be 
incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of 
the filing of such report or document.

    Item 4.  Description of Securities.

    Not applicable.   

    Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

    Not applicable.

    Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

    Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware 
provides for indemnification of officers and directors subject to certain 
limitations.  The general effect of such law is to empower a corporation to 
indemnify any of its officers and directors against certain expenses 
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in 
settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person to be indemnified 
in connection with certain actions, suits or proceedings (threatened, 
pending or completed) if the person to be indemnified acted in good faith 
and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the 
best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action 
or proceedings, if he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was 
unlawful.  The Company's by-laws provide that it shall indemnify its 
officers and directors to the extent permitted by law.

                                 II-1
<PAGE>


    The Company maintains insurance under which the insurers will reimburse 
the Company for amounts which it has paid to its directors, officers and 
certain other employees by way of indemnification for claims against such 
persons in their official capacities.  The insurance also covers such 
persons as to amounts paid by them as a result of claims against them in 
their official capacities which are not reimbursed by the Company.  The 
insurance is subject to certain limitations and exclusions.

    Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

    Not applicable.

    Item 8.  Exhibits.

    See Exhibit Index.

    Item 9.  Undertakings.

    A.  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

      (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being 
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

        (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the 
Securities Act of 1933;

        (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising 
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent 
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, 
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the 
registration statement; 

        (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the plan 
of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or 
any material change to such information in the registration statement.

    Provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if 
the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by 
those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished 
to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference 
in the registration statement.

      (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed 
to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered 
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed 
to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                                    II-2
<PAGE>


      (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective 
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the 
termination of the offering.

    B.  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of 
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of 
the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and each filing of the Plan's 
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall 
be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities 
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be 
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

    C.  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and 
controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, 
or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the 
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public 
policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the 
event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than 
the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, 
officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense 
of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or 
controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the 
registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been 
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate 
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against 
public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final 
adjudication of such issue.


                                     II-3
<PAGE>


                                 SIGNATURES
                                 ----------

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the 
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that its 
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused 
this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, 
thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Groton, Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts on January 23, 1998.

                                    NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS SERVICE, INC.


                                    By:/s/ John F. Fairbanks
                                       -------------------------------
                                       John F. Fairbanks, Vice President,
                                       Chief Financial Officer



                                     II-4
<PAGE>



                              POWER OF ATTORNEY
                              -----------------

    Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints 
Robert J. Murray, John F. Fairbanks and Terrence W. Mahoney, and each of 
them singly, as his lawful attorneys with full power to them and each of 
them singly to sign for him in his name in the capacity indicated below 
this registration statement on Form S-8 (and any and all amendments 
thereto), hereby ratifying and confirming his signature as it may be signed 
by his said attorneys to this registration statement (and any and all 
amendments hereto).

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this 
registration statement on Form S-8 has been signed below by the following 
persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Signature                         Title                        Date
---------                         -----                        ----

/s/ Robert J. Murray
---------------------      Chairman, President
Robert J. Murray           Chief Executive Officer
                           (principal executive 
                           officer),Director               January 23, 1998

/s/ John F. Fairbanks
---------------------      Vice President, Chief
John F. Fairbanks          Financial Officer (principal
                           accounting officer)             January 23, 1998

                   
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Peter A. Brooke

/s/ Robert L. Gable
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Robert L. Gable

/s/ Benjamin H. Lacy
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Benjamin H. Lacy

/s/ Herbert W. Moller
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Herbert W. Moller

/s/ Jay R. Rhoads, Jr.
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Jay R. Rhoads, Jr.

/s/ Richard H. Rhoads
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Richard H. Rhoads

/s/ Brian E. Stern
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Brian E. Stern

/s/ M. Anne Szostak
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
M. Anne Szostak


                                    II-5
<PAGE>




                              EXHIBIT INDEX
                              -------------

    Certain of the following exhibits (those marked with an asterisk) are 
filed herewith.  The remainder of the exhibits have heretofore been filed 
with the Commission and are incorporated herein by reference.  Inapplicable 
items have been omitted.

   Exhibit                                   Title
   -------                                   -----

  4.1     Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by 
          reference to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
          October 31, 1986).

  4.2     Certificate of Merger of New England Business Service, Inc. (a 
          Massachusetts corporation) and the Company, dated October 24, 
          1986, amending the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company by  
          adding Articles 14 and 15 thereto (incorporated by reference to 
          the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 31, 1986).

  4.3     Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Series A 
          Participating  Preferred Stock of the Company, dated October 27, 
          1989 (incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on 
          Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1995, filed 
          September 15, 1995).

  4.4     By-Laws of the Company, as amended (incorporated by reference to 
          the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly 
          period ended December 31, 1995, filed February 8, 1996).

  4.5     Specimen stock certificate for shares of Common Stock, par value 
          $1.00 per share, of the Company (incorporated by reference to the 
          Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 
          June 30, 1995, filed September 15, 1995).

  4.6     Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of October 27, 
          1989 as amended as of October 20, 1994, between the Company and 
          The First National Bank of Boston, National Association, as 
          rights agent, including as Exhibit B the forms of Rights 
          Certificate Election to Exercise (incorporated by reference to 
          Exhibit 4 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
          October 25, 1994).

  5.1*    Opinion of Hill & Barlow, a Professional Corporation.

  23.1*   Consent of Hill & Barlow, a Professional Corporation (included in 
          Exhibit 5.1).

  23.2*   Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

  23.3*   Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

  24.1*   Power of Attorney (included above at page II-4).
<PAGE>


II-






II-4



II-5
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS SERVICE INC", "cik": "0000205700", "assigned-sic": "2761", "irs-number": "042942374", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0627"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-44825", "film-number": "98512171"}, "business-address": {"street1": "500 MAIN ST", "city": "GROTON", "state": "MA", "zip": "01471", "phone": "5084486111"}}
Registration No. 333- 
===========================================================================
                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                          Washington, DC  20549
                        __________________________

                                 FORM S-8

                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT 
                                  UNDER
                        THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                        __________________________

                     New England Business Service, Inc.
          (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
        Delaware                                    04-2942374
 (State or other jurisdiction of                 (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                  Identification No)
                            500 Main Street
                      Groton, Massachusetts  01471
                 (Address of principal executive offices)

                  Stock Option Grant to Robert J. Murray
                        (Full Title of the Plan)

                           John F. Fairbanks
               Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
                 New England Business Service, Inc.
                          500 Main Street
                   Groton, Massachusetts  01471
              (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                           (978) 448-6111
      (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                   Copies of all communications to:

                      Terrence W. Mahoney, Esq.
              Hill & Barlow, a Professional Corporation
                      One International Place
                    Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                           (617) 428-3000

===========================================================================
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
                      -------------------------------
  Title of     Amount to be     Proposed        Proposed         Amount of
Securities to   Registered      Maximum          Maximum       Registration
be Registered                Offering Price     Aggregate           Fee
                               Per Share *   Offering Price *   
-------------  ------------  --------------  ----------------  ------------
Common Stock
($1.00 par      250,000        $18.25          $4,562,500        $1,345.94
  value) 

*  This amount was calculated pursuant to Rule 457 upon the basis of the 
price at which the options may be exercised.

    If, as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar 
transactions, the number of securities purported to be registered on this 
registration statement changes, the provisions of Rule 416 shall apply to 
this registration statement and this registration statement shall be deemed 
to cover the additional securities resulting from the split of, or the 
dividend on, the securities covered by this registration statement.
PART II

                INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

    Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

    The following documents have been filed by the Company with the 
Commission (File No. 1-11427) and are incorporated herein by reference:  
(i) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 
28, 1997; (ii) the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period 
ending September 27, 1997; (iii) the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K 
dated January 7, 1998 and (iv) the description of the Company's capital 
stock contained in the Company's Registration Statement under Section 12(b) 
of the Exchange Act on Form 8-A, filed on October 31, 1977, including any 
amendment or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.  
All reports and other documents filed by the Company after the date hereof 
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934, before the filing of a post-effective amendment which 
indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold, or which 
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be 
incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of 
the filing of such report or document.

    Item 4.  Description of Securities.

    Not applicable.   

    Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

    Not applicable.

    Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

    Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware 
provides for indemnification of officers and directors subject to certain 
limitations.  The general effect of such law is to empower a corporation to 
indemnify any of its officers and directors against certain expenses 
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in 
settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person to be indemnified 
in connection with certain actions, suits or proceedings (threatened, 
pending or completed) if the person to be indemnified acted in good faith 
and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the 
best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action 
or proceedings, if he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was 
unlawful.  The Company's by-laws provide that it shall indemnify its 
officers and directors to the extent permitted by law.

                                 II-1
The Company maintains insurance under which the insurers will reimburse 
the Company for amounts which it has paid to its directors, officers and 
certain other employees by way of indemnification for claims against such 
persons in their official capacities.  The insurance also covers such 
persons as to amounts paid by them as a result of claims against them in 
their official capacities which are not reimbursed by the Company.  The 
insurance is subject to certain limitations and exclusions.

    Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

    Not applicable.

    Item 8.  Exhibits.

    See Exhibit Index.

    Item 9.  Undertakings.

    A.  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

      (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being 
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

        (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the 
Securities Act of 1933;

        (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising 
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent 
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, 
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the 
registration statement; 

        (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the plan 
of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or 
any material change to such information in the registration statement.

    Provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if 
the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by 
those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished 
to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference 
in the registration statement.

      (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed 
to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered 
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed 
to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                                    II-2
(3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective 
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the 
termination of the offering.

    B.  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of 
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of 
the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and each filing of the Plan's 
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall 
be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities 
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be 
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

    C.  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and 
controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, 
or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the 
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public 
policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the 
event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than 
the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, 
officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense 
of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or 
controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the 
registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been 
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate 
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against 
public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final 
adjudication of such issue.

                                     II-3
SIGNATURES
                                 ----------

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the 
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that its 
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused 
this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, 
thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Groton, Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts on January 23, 1998.

                                    NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS SERVICE, INC.

                                    By:/s/ John F. Fairbanks
                                       -------------------------------
                                       John F. Fairbanks, Vice President,
                                       Chief Financial Officer

                                     II-4
POWER OF ATTORNEY
                              -----------------

    Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints 
Robert J. Murray, John F. Fairbanks and Terrence W. Mahoney, and each of 
them singly, as his lawful attorneys with full power to them and each of 
them singly to sign for him in his name in the capacity indicated below 
this registration statement on Form S-8 (and any and all amendments 
thereto), hereby ratifying and confirming his signature as it may be signed 
by his said attorneys to this registration statement (and any and all 
amendments hereto).

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this 
registration statement on Form S-8 has been signed below by the following 
persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Signature                         Title                        Date
---------                         -----                        ----

/s/ Robert J. Murray
---------------------      Chairman, President
Robert J. Murray           Chief Executive Officer
                           (principal executive 
                           officer),Director               January 23, 1998

/s/ John F. Fairbanks
---------------------      Vice President, Chief
John F. Fairbanks          Financial Officer (principal
                           accounting officer)             January 23, 1998

                   
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Peter A. Brooke

/s/ Robert L. Gable
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Robert L. Gable

/s/ Benjamin H. Lacy
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Benjamin H. Lacy

/s/ Herbert W. Moller
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Herbert W. Moller

/s/ Jay R. Rhoads, Jr.
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Jay R. Rhoads, Jr.

/s/ Richard H. Rhoads
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Richard H. Rhoads

/s/ Brian E. Stern
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
Brian E. Stern

/s/ M. Anne Szostak
----------------------     Director                        January 23, 1998
M. Anne Szostak

                                    II-5
EXHIBIT INDEX
                              -------------

    Certain of the following exhibits (those marked with an asterisk) are 
filed herewith.  The remainder of the exhibits have heretofore been filed 
with the Commission and are incorporated herein by reference.  Inapplicable 
items have been omitted.

   Exhibit                                   Title
   -------                                   -----

  4.1     Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by 
          reference to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
          October 31, 1986).

  4.2     Certificate of Merger of New England Business Service, Inc. (a 
          Massachusetts corporation) and the Company, dated October 24, 
          1986, amending the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company by  
          adding Articles 14 and 15 thereto (incorporated by reference to 
          the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 31, 1986).

  4.3     Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Series A 
          Participating  Preferred Stock of the Company, dated October 27, 
          1989 (incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on 
          Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1995, filed 
          September 15, 1995).

  4.4     By-Laws of the Company, as amended (incorporated by reference to 
          the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly 
          period ended December 31, 1995, filed February 8, 1996).

  4.5     Specimen stock certificate for shares of Common Stock, par value 
          $1.00 per share, of the Company (incorporated by reference to the 
          Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 
          June 30, 1995, filed September 15, 1995).

  4.6     Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of October 27, 
          1989 as amended as of October 20, 1994, between the Company and 
          The First National Bank of Boston, National Association, as 
          rights agent, including as Exhibit B the forms of Rights 
          Certificate Election to Exercise (incorporated by reference to 
          Exhibit 4 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated 
          October 25, 1994).

  5.1*    Opinion of Hill & Barlow, a Professional Corporation.

  23.1*   Consent of Hill & Barlow, a Professional Corporation (included in 
          Exhibit 5.1).

  23.2*   Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

  23.3*   Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP

  24.1*   Power of Attorney (included above at page II-4).
II-

II-4

II-5