Goldie stolen, then handed to canon

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33370, 31 October 1973, Page 1

Goldie stolen, then handed to canon

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 30. A Goldie painting stolen from the Auckland Grammar School was recovered in Rotorua this afternoon, a few hours after it had been reported missing.

The painting, entitled “The Dignity of the Maori” and w’orth between $6OOO and $7OOO, was handed to the police by Canon N. T. Te Hau, of St Faith’s pastorate, at Rotorua. The painting was reported missing at 11 a.m., and the Rotorua police took possession of it shortly after 3 p.m. Canon Te Hau said tonight that he was given the painting by a long-haired but tidily dressed young man who called unexpectedly at hi., home in Honemuri just before midday. Not seen before Canon Te Hau said he had never seen the man before. The stranger gave him the painting, wrapped in newspapers. and said: “I know it is valuable, I do not want it to go astray.” Canon Te Hau asked what he was supposed to do with the painting, and the man replied: ‘‘Hang on to it. You will know what to do.” Without further explanation the man left.

Canon Te Hail said he realised the painting was a Goldie, and, after officiating at a funeral and attending to other duties, he reported the incident to the police. The man, he said, obviously knew the painting was valuable and had looked after it. It was undamaged. Later in the day Canon Te Hau heard that the painting had been stolen. Theft discovered The theft was discovered bv the school caretaker, Mr W. McCall, on Monday, but was not reported to the police until this morning. Two mysterious telephone calls, one to Mr McCall’s wife and the other to the school’s art teacher, Mr J. Crippen, were made on Monday evening. Mrs McCall answered a telephone call about 6.15 p.m. on Monday from a man who asked if the school had any Goldie paintings. Mrs McCall replied that she did not know, and the man then asked if a painting was missing “from the headmaster’s office.” Mrs

McCall mentioned the call to her husband, who telephoned the headmaster, Mr D. J. Graham. Mr Graham told the caretaker there was a Goldie painting hanging in the hall. He asked Mr McCall to check that it was safe. Mr McCall went to the hall, and found that the portrait was missing.

Meanwhile, Mr Crippen received a telephone call at his home about 6.30 p.m. from a man who claimed to be writing an article on Goldie for a New Zealand magazine. The caller asked if the school had a Goldie painting, and then hung up. The paiiiting was presented to the school by a former pupil, Mr E. R. Davis. It was posed for in 1918. Other thefts Two other Goldie paintings, each worth about $6OOO, were stolen from the National Art Gallery in Wellington on September 7. They have not yet been recovered.