MISSING HEAD OF STATUE
Discovered In Spoil By Workman NAPIER WAR MEMORIAL CAN NOW BE RESTORED The head of the statue of a soldier, which before the earthquake of 1931 surmounted Napier's South African War Memorial, was accidentally discovered last week in a quantity of spoil which was being moved during extensive remodelling on the bank of the Tutaekuri river in George's drive, clearing up a seven-year-old mystery. The memorial, which stands on Marine parade, at the head of Emerson street, was damaged in the earthquake, the figure of a soldier crashing to the ground. It lay there among other debris for some time, and when the work of clearing up began it was discovered that the head of the soldier was missing.
An extensive search for the missing head later began and inquiries were made not only in Napier, but all over the district, but all to no purpose. Various rumours reached IhG authorities, among them being that the missing head had been seen on the tray of a motorlorry leaving Napier for Gisborne. The search thereafter widened, and extended almost over the whole of the North Island.
Eventually all hope of recovering the missing head was given up, and in the meantime suggestions were put forward for the restoration of the memorial, but nothing was decided on. _
The missing head was found by a Borough Council workman, Mr W. Thomas. It is stained somewhat by contact with earth and debris, but otherwise is in quite good condition, and should require very little in the way of restoration. The brim of the soldier's hat is slightly chipped but the face is undamaged. Various theories have been put forward to account for the disappearance of the head. One widely accepted is that the head was "souvenired" and when the matter was placod in the hands of the police, the person who removed it, becoming alarmed, disposed of it by burying it where it was found. The recovery of the head will now make possible the restoration of one of Napier's best-known memorials.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22308, 24 January 1938, Page 10
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342MISSING HEAD OF STATUE Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22308, 24 January 1938, Page 10
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