Club rocked by rent gouging

A Manurewa club says it shouldn't have to pay rent for a museum. The landlord is not convinced. Kieran Nash digs for the truth.
The South Auckland Rock and Mineral Club boasts the best rock museum outside universities.
An array of fine specimens lines the walls of the club's quarters at Nathan Homestead, Manurewa. Old Maori adzes, volcanic bombs, fossils and dinosaur poo are starring attractions.
The museum opens to the public to let school groups and other parties through to witness these wonders of nature, but a proposed rent rise has the club uncertain of the museum's future.
Club president Geoff Rankin says the rise, if it is charged, will lift to about $18 an hour.
"We're caught between a rock and a hard place," he says, perhaps inevitably. "Our membership fees would have to be bumped up to $100 per year to compensate for that."
This is just not feasible, he says, and rent at $18 an hour would amount to more than $5000 annually.
At this rate, the museum would have to either find new premises or cease to exist.
There is much uncertainty about the club's future, and the members feel they are being kept in the dark.
"I want a bit of fairness and honesty. We've been lied to. I'd like to get together and get a long-term agreement between the groups.
"The staff think it's a cash cow. It's run as a commercial centre and not as a community centre."
Manukau Arts manager Leisa Siteine denies any unfair treatment.
"It's looking at the equity between the clubs. Currently [the Rock and Mineral Club] don't pay any rent for the use of the rooms.
"We've made no formal requirement for payment. We've had one meeting to discuss it and that is as far as it's gone so far.
"We're looking at it but we haven't formally put anything to them yet."
Eyebrows may  lift at at the disclosure the club doesn't pay any rent, but Mr Rankin says, as far as he's concerned, a reciprocal agreement still stands between the club and the Manukau City Council.
"We do quite a big service so we're expecting some dispensation for that service."
Ms Siteine says the reciprocal agreement ended a number of years ago.
"The main reason was that when it was started quite a number of years ago it was quite a different arrangement.
"As time went on, the amount of reciprocal help they could do started to disappear."
Mr Rankin feels they are being forced out.
"Apart from charging us high rates, they're looking at reducing our workshop space."
This, Ms Siteine also denies.
"We made it quite clear that it wasn't our intention."
Club administrator and Mr Rankin's wife Judy Rankin opens the museum on Saturdays and in the week for school trips and other enthusiasts to look through.
"If we have to pay $18 an hour we won't even be able to open the museum to schoolchildren," Mrs Rankin says.
"It's important for the schools for education purposes and also as a source for getting information for the school classes. We're forever giving out information."
Home advantage
The Nathan Homestead is at 70 Hill Rd in Manurewa.
Built in 1925, for businessman David Nathan and his family, it sits on 3.6ha of lawn and gardens. It was occupied by the Nathan family until 1982, and is now owned by the Manukau City Council.
Numerous  clubs and societies operate from the homestead and it can be hired for exhibitions and weddings.