SELLING YOUR HOME

A gala dinner was held on Saturday night and a Shore vs Barbarians match on Sunday capped off the weekend.

I went to several of the events held in 1998 to mark Shore’s 125th anniversary and can say the 2023 functions were next-level in comparision. They displayed a great mixture of fun and formality, celebrating one of the oldest rugby clubs in New Zealand in style.

Given the bonhomie and good cheer that surrounded the weekend it was disappointing to see an officer from Auckland Transport (AT) moving along Vauxhall Rd on Good Friday, ticketing cars likely belonging to rugby supporters.

One car the Flagstaff observed being ticketed was parked across an unused driveway at the Devonport Kindergarten. Technically, it was in breach of parking laws. But the kindergarten was closed on Good Friday, so the vehicle was doing no harm and not impeding traffic.

Parking officers have no cause to regularly police Vauxhall Rd, so for the warden to be out on Good Friday he must have been responding to a public complaint. Fair enough that motorists should abide by road rules. But on a festival-style day, AT’s fine-collecting left a sour note.

Made the Flagstaff, made history... Former North Shore captain Phil Weedon (right), who led the side to the North Harbour 2001 premiership, turned up to Vauxhall Rd with an old Devonport Flagstaff that ran a spread on the win. He’s pictured with mate Derrick Travers.

Bad Friday... This car parked across a closed kindergarten’s driveway was among those targeted by an AT parking officer as crowds flocked to the rugby