MANUKAU CLUB SETTING FINE EXAMPLE

If collecting ironic touches in sport happens to be your hobby, the Manukau Rugby Club, now vigorously preparing to celebrate its diamond jubilee, can offer a corker.

At a meeting in 1923, Manukau Rovers approved a resolution that it cashes its chips in rugby league and affiliate with the Auckland Rugby Union.

One member, C.J. Williams, asked that his vote against the resolution be recorded. Twenty-nine years later Mick Williams was made a life-member of the rugby union. Five years later, he became its president.

"Mick's is a classic case," says Manukau's Secretary-Manager, Barry Thomas - who with 86 games is remembered as one of Auckland's finest players since the Second World War - "of a working man being honoured in a sport for his sheer hard work for it."

When invited to become the Auckland union president, Mick, always shy and modest, demurred. "Why not?" he was asked. He had a sufficient answer. As a man who had worked most of his life in MacEwan's foundry at Penrose, he travelled everywhere by bike - which is not a good idea on wet winter nights going to meetings.

In amassing heaps of photographs, old-time and modern, for celebrations which will coincide with the second test between France and New Zealand at Eden Park in June, Thomas has uncovered moments of Manukau history as fascinating as Mick Williams' contrary vote.

The club seems to have begun in junior rugby in 1885, seceded league about 1913 when player disenchantment in rugby wasn't much different from attitudes of recent years. The club returned in 1924 to a life that's grown more abundant and fruitful; especially, as to this latte, in serving as an ideal catalyst for the mixture of races which populate Mangere.

One man, Charlie Agnew, almost on his own fought off the crisis which could have led to the club's going into recess for the duration of the Second World War and for this and many other reasons he is remembered as fondly as Mick Williams.

But it was of Mick that the club thought when in 1972 its committee negotiated with Manukau City Council, surely one of the most enlightened of all local bodies in its relation ships with sport, the establishment of what became Williams Park.

For three playing fields and a commodious clubhouse, the club had to put up 25 per cent, it was granted 25 per cent by the council and its repayment of about $100,000 - now down to about $7000 - represented the rent.

Legally, the council and the club entered into a shared responsibility. The clubhouse now is valued at about $500,000. It is home to 700 or 800 members.

It must be the Mangere air or atmosphere which produces enlighten. Well ahead of similar moves by other clubs, Manukau years ago set up its own judicial committee to deal with misbehaviour on or off the playing field.

It would be impossible to measure the importance to urban areas of sporting clubs as well controlled and disciplined as Manukau has been for so many of these last 60 years.

One of the real tributes is surely paid when boys of all ages bound up to Barry Thomas. "Please, sir," they ask. "When can we start playing footy?"

INCENTIVE FOR RUGBY MEN

If the incentive of moving into new head quarters equals the quality of the clubhouse, the Manukau Rovers Rugby Football Club could become the strongest in Auckland next season.

Built in Viscount St, Mangere, at a cost of $94,150, the building will have furnishings for the second storey at an additional cost of $13,000.

Lounge for 250

The thickly carpeted L-shaped lounge, fitted around two sides of a first class bar, has seating for 250. Adjoining the lounge is a tiled dance floor, 24ft by 3ft.

A large kitchen, comparable in standard with any of the leading Auckland hotels, can cater for 300.

The whole 97ft 6in length of the lounge and dance floor is bounded at the back of the clubhouse by a wall of large sheets of armour-plate glass. The 52ft width of the western end of the lounge is also of glass.

The two international-standard playing fields and a training track which measures 90 yards by 75t yards are to be seen through the glass.

The ground will be fully lit to a standard as good as Alexander Park Raceway. The training area is also to be floodlit.

 

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