Maybe some things are not meant to be...
Twelve-year old Kia Kingi practises flax weaving beneath the pumpkin-headed statue of John Ballance during the 79-day occupation of Whanganui’s Moutoa Gardens (Pākaitore). The demonstrators believed Ballance – a former Whanganui MP and premier of New Zealand – had encouraged Māori land alienation.https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/35094/ballance-beheaded
A bronze statue of former New Zealand premier John Ballance has been unveiled in Wanganui, 14 years after its plaster-and-concrete predecessor was beheaded. The new statue, unveiled by mayor Michael Laws, stands outside the offices of the Wanganui District Council.https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/52091/ballance-restored-in-wanganui
Wanganui's controversial John Ballance statue is undergoing major repairs after it was discovered every weld in the structure needs to be replaced.
The bronze statue, which cost Wanganui District Council $64,000, was removed for repairs in March after its foot went missing one night.
However, it was revealed at the council's community and environment committee meeting yesterday that the statue's problems were more than an absent foot.
