Wrong For 25 Years

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31029, 7 April 1966, Page 3

Wrong For 25 Years

N’cu> Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 6 For the past 25 years the Royal Coat of Arms, proudly displayed on the Government Buildings, Wellington. has been painted in the wrong colours. When the Government Buildings became due for a repaint the Ministry of Works took a careful note of the colour scheme already on the Coat of Arms. This was to forestall any possibility of the heraldic sign being painted wrong. The only trouble, it seems, is that the colours of the Royal Arms were wrong in the first place, and have been that way for about 25 years. Mr E. K. Dinsdale, the district architect, of the Ministry of Works, said today that the mistake must have been made about 25 years ago. He said that during that time the building had been painted three times, and the Coat of Arms' colours had been religiously followed on each occasion.

“This year, instead of painting the arms with yellow paint, we did it in gold." he said. “This probably caught people's attention.” At present all four quarters of the arms have a blue background. Only the third quarter should have a blue field. The first and fourth quarters should have a red field, while the second a gold background. The first and fourth quarters depict three lions, one above the other. They are painted gold, which is the correct colour. But the figures in the second and third quarters are the wrong colour. The rampant lion is at present gold, it should be red. The harp should be gold and silver, instead of all gold. The Coat of Arms is to receive an immediate facelift. Mr Dinsdale said that easy access to the arms was available and the mistake would be rectified at once.