Sword dangles over fishing club

By STUART DYE

One of the world's oldest fishing clubs is under threat of collapse amid bitter in-fighting and personality clashes.

The Bay of Islands Swordfish Club, the oldest and one of the largest in New Zealand, is being torn apart by the development of two implacably opposed camps, one representing Russell and the other Paihia.

Just 3km of water separates the towns, but the internal politics of the single club committee has left the warring factions worlds apart.

The Paihia camp wants the club to divide into two, but the stalwarts of Russell want to keep the historic organisation intact.

The club, which has about 1600 members and was founded in 1918, began life in earnest when American writer and fisherman Zane Grey came to the Bay of Islands and made it famous around the world with his book Tales of an Angler's El Dorado.

In 1992, members decided to open a second clubhouse in Paihia to exploit commercial possibilities.

The arguments started over Paihia members wanting to sell a property in Russell to help pay off debts. Russell members claimed the intent was asset stripping to fund the Paihia clubhouse.

The row degenerated with - according to both sides - years of animosity and parochial differences coming to a head.

Accusations and counter-accusations followed.

Amid calls to split the club, a four-strong subcommittee was formed to investigate the options.

Bob Burstall, a member for more than 20 years, proposed a compromise - remaining as one club, but with two separate committees.

However, he says the Paihia camp has gone behind his back and launched a postal ballot to divide the club in two.

"It would be disastrous for us and the end of the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club as we know it," Mr Burstall said.

"It's just a handful of people doing this in a very underhand manner. We are determined not to let this happen.

"If we become two separate clubs then we will lose the Russell club forever. It could not survive alone."

After a meeting last week, a postal ballot was sent out to all members, asking for a formal vote.

Bill Ross, a former president, is one of the architects of the ballot. He says there have been no underhand tactics.

"It is a very complex and emotional issue," he said.

"This is the best way to give everyone a say on what happens for the future.

"Differences between the factions have grown and there has been in-fighting, threats and allegations. The best prediction of future behaviour is past behaviour.

"Russell see it as losing control, but Paihia is better equipped and more robust. Being part of a club is supposed to be fun, but no one has had much of that over the past few years.

"Something has to be done and the members have to decide what.

"The ballot is the democratic way."

Problems have been exacerbated by dwindling membership and a lack of volunteers prepared to join the committee.

The deadline for postal voting is Wednesday.

* Born in Ohio in 1872, Zane Grey is largely credited with creating the Bay of Islands' reputation as a prime big-game-fishing location.

He would spend up to 300 days a year fishing in South Pacific waters, including Tahiti, Australia and Tonga, and was invited to New Zealand by the Government in the 1920s to raise the profile of game fishing.

The club claims to be the home of the largest striped marlin ever caught on rod and reel, weighing 243.6kg.

However, the official world record is held by a 224kg fish caught at Tutukaka in 1986.

A club divided

* Bay of Islands Swordfish Club:

* 1600 members.

* Claims 131 world records by club members.

* In 1918, a precursor, the Bay of Islands Kingfish Club, was formed. It disbanded five years later and the members formed the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club.

* Maintains two clubhouses (Paihia and Russell).