49
COROMANDEL LIFE
SPRING 2013
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT, EXCERPTED
FROM THE mercury bay
100TH JUBILEE PROGRAMME
Mercury Bay’s
perilous trip to play Tairua
One of the greatest handicaps to the game in the early stages was still
transport to the various arenas, and the horse played an important role
in at least a part of the distance. Later on motor trucks were available on
some of the routes. Launches too played an important part.
One can recall a launch trip to Tairua from the Bay with a football
team aboard, with Alex White, owner and skipper. This almost ended
in disaster. On departure the weather was dirty and easterly but not
considered too bad. Passed Hot Water Beach then the ominous Sailors
Grave; after a little reflection some members became silent, noticeably
greener, and after “feeding the fish” went to lie down below. On entering
the approaches of Tairua harbour a useful member on board, one Jack
Hovell, got to the bilge and baled out waste oil to calm the troubled
waters. This did appear to cool it down, and the little ship got through.
Some of the team were lying down below; it seemed they couldn’t care
less what happened. Once ashore most thought little of the event.
Played tootle in Cory-Wright’s paddock, later proceeded to the hotel,
at that time located on the left side, up the Pepe River. Cleaned off
all the dirt and gore, then dined, to be followed by the evening and all
that means “speeches and sing-song.’’ Come 9 pm, Alex White began
collecting his team for the return journey. “You’ve had a good spin, now
let’s get cracking.”
Charlie Beach, the local storekeeper who knew Tairua and its harbour like
the back of his hand approached Alex, “What’s all this I hear?”
“Oh I’m just rounding up the boys, it’s nine o’clock.”
“You’re doing nothing of the sort, you’re all
staying right here for the night!”
The argument continued, but Alex was
adamant, he must go. Charlie fired the last
broad-side: “Alex this is suicide; you are
responsible for the lives of 17 men. You may be
saved. How will you feel if most of these young
men perish?”
The history of
Mercury Bay rugby
by Graham Eccles, President
Eccles was a professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s, ’70s
and ’80s playing at club for Leeds, and Wakefield Trinity.
Rugby Union football was formerly established in remote Mercury Bay,
Tairua, and Whitianga in 1888, but the game was played informally for
twenty years previously. In 1891 the Coromandel Rugby Union was
formed and official competition began. All of New Zealand, including the
Maoris who had a similar game, embraced the sport, and additional clubs
were formed throughout the Coromandel, with sturdy players drawn from
the ranks of farmers, lumber workers and miners. Matches were usually
played on Hilton Robinson’s paddock, and it took fortitude to even travel
to matches, usually by horseback or boat.
Fred Lee, who started playing at age 14 in the 1920s, remembered
some games that drew 500 spectators; and they also arrived via boat,
horseback, and foot over muddy trails, flooded streams, or stormy seas.
The periods of playing had its ups and downs. Games stopped altogether
during WWI, then resumed. In 1921-22, the Mercury Bay Rugby Union
was formed which included Mercury Bay United, Kuaotunu, and Tairua.
Recollections -
* mercury bay
This photo from the 100th Jubilee Mercury Bay programme shows a
1986 scene where Graham Eccles accepts from Graham Mourie the
trophies for best team spirit and best club spirit. Merv George, looks
on in the background. Graham currently owns Hitide Bed & Breakfast
in Whitianga.
Alex took a long breath, paused a moment, raised his head and took
Charlie by the hand! “I’ll stay!”
Many times reflecting back on this episode it was generally agreed that
there would not have been one chance in ten of getting through the
turbulent waters and safely home. The night was spent in close quarters,
as many as three men in a single bed lying edgeways for better packing
or alternatively head and tail.
Next morning the men walked about 9 miles to Whenuakite and
proceeded down the river to the Bay by launch. Those for Kuaotunu
picked up their horses, left the Bay, and lived to play another day.
-G.
Eccles
1939 marked a six year interruption in play, as men went off to war, but
resumed. In 1949, Thomas Lyon gifted the club an actual field, Lyon
Memorial Park.
The core of the clubhouse was built from the squash centre, which the
rubgy club bought from Jack Cooper. The complex now includes the
field, squash courts, a gym club, and tennis courts.
In the mid-sixties, the playing stalled once again, but saw a revival in
1973. Playing had yet another setback during the economic downturn
of 2005, with men leaving the area to find work, but the club is strongly
rebuilding, with many youth teams, First XV, and a solid Senior B team...
with visions of organising a Senior A team.
Charlie Beach, longtime Tairua rugby coach,
stopped the Mercury Bay team leaving Tairua
on a stormy night.
Rugger Hinds, shown left from with R.A. Simpson from
Mercury Bay’s 1988 programme, was a formidable player,
as mentioned in Alan Beach’s recollection on previous page.
Read about him also in the last issue of PakuViews, online at
