Wizard in colourful exchange

Press, 11 October 1988, Page 1

Wizard in colourful exchange

By

SUZANNE KEEN

The Wizard may temporarily abandon his well worn speaking spot in Cathedral Square for a higher plane — the roof of a telephone-box. He waged a battle of the paintbrush with Telecom yesterday over its decision to paint Christchurch’s tele-phone-boxes “poofie blue.” By 12.30 p.m. he had repainted red the box at the corner of Worcester Street and Oxford Terrace. In another 90 minutes Telecom had changed the colour to blue and before

nightfall the Wizard had it back to red again. He said painting the boxes blue destroyed Christchurch’s heritage and was “an attack on the soul of the city.” “You can see them red, they go well with the greenery and they are warm and cosy.” The reason the Wizard chose this particular box for repainting was that it was outside the Information Office, his base. “When I look out I see Captain Scott, the river and the phone-box.” Although most people who passed by while the Wizard

was working were supportive of his actions, one member of the public planned to “turn him in” to try to collect a $25 reward. The woman said there was a sign inside each telephone box advising that anyone providing information leading to a conviction for vandalising a box would receive the reward. “The average Kiwi couldn’t give a stuff about the colour of the phone-box. Personally, I think blue is easier on the eye.” Her intention has not fazed

the Wizard, who said it was Telecom that was vandalising the boxes by painting them blue. “I am not painting them with stripes or spots or doing graffiti.” Telecom already plans to bill the Wizard for the repainting, but he will not give up on the box without a fight. In fact, he is eyeing it as a possible speaking spot. “I think it could be a good speaking place on top of the box ... the acoustics may be better in the Square, though.”