Busts Of P.M.s Damaged

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30093, 29 March 1963, Page 12

Busts Of P.M.s Damaged

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 28. Bronze and marble busts of some of New Zealand’s former Prime Ministers and Ministers were damaged by a middle-aged man with a pinch bar in the main vestibule of Parliament Buildings about 11.45 a.m. today. Before messengers could restrain him he struck at the effigies and did considerable damage to their features. Large chunks of marble from the likeness of Richard John Seddon littered the floor. The man, who was later apprehended by the police, was first seen by an electrician. Mr J. Slaven. The man was wielding the pinch bar. The incident lasted about three minutes. The man used such force that the end of the pinch bar was broken. The bronze of Sir Apirana Ngata suffered a few marks on the brow but the bronze of Sir William Hall-Jones — Prime Minister in 1906—was knocked off its plinth and it

hung downwards by the internal reinforcing material. Sir John McKenzie, Minister of Land from 1891 to 1900, Sir John Hall (Prime Minister, 1879-82) and Sir Harry Atkinson (Prime Minister, 1887-91) suffered disfigurements of the nose and other damage. The incident caught Parliament Buildings staff by surprise. The attendants were directing visitors on their way while the intruder was doing his damage. The police caught the man a short distance from the buildings. The main vestibule is at the top of the steps leading up to the main buildings. The House staff is at its usual recess strength and on a week day visitors are few. Most of the persons passing through the vestibule are public servants on their way to and from Ministers’ offices and members of the Department of External Affairs housed on • the top floor of Parliament Buildings. A Government caucus was in progress at the time in a room some 150 yards from the scene of the damage. The incident is by far the most serious in Parliament Buildings in recent years. Some months ago a man

threw a rock through a window of the suite of rooms occupied by the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent). There have also been instances of persons throwing badges or medals on the floor of the House of Representatives during a sitting in order to relieve their feelings or draw attention to some supposed wrong. The External Affairs Department has recently tightened up its control on those seeking admission to its floor of the buildings. Callers have to establish their bona tides with two guards stationed beside strong metal doors before they are allowed in. They must then be accompanied to the officer they desire to see by an officer of the department. A form supplied on admission has to be completed and returned to the control point guards as a check that the person admitted does leave the department’s premises. However, this arrangement does not prevent the illdisposed from entering Parliament Buildings. Once past the attendants on the main door of the Bowen street entrance, an intruder has little to prevent him reaching as far as the Prime Minister’s office, if he knows the way. The Seddon bust cost about £2OO when it was sculptured some time ago, said the Clerk of the House (Mr H. M. Dollimore). Some of the busts had been given. They were all, historically, of great value. Bellamys staff, soon after today's episode, removed the busts from their plinths and took them away for safe keeping.