Police are investigating the destruction of a carving gifted by mana whenua and displayed at Pukekohe Train Station. In a Facebook post, the Franklin Local Board said the vandalism was "upsetting and disrespectful". "We are saddened at this vandalism at Pukekohe Station and gutted that a beautiful carving by Ngāti Tamaoho kaumatua Ted Ngataki, who has only ever shown us kindness and a willingness to share his wisdom, should suffer in this way.
"We are deeply sorry this happened," the post read. In a statement to RNZ, police said a report was first made on 27 October when it was noticed the carving had been smashed off its foundations. Police said it appeared the carving had also suffered damage in late September.
Speaking to RNZ, Franklin Local Board member Logan Soole said he first received a report from a concerned constituent in September describing what looked to be damage to the carving's feet and its taiaha (traditional weapon). He then received another message over the weekend on Facebook saying the pou had been destroyed. "They just said 'we've just come across this smashed carving.
Would you like us to take it home to look after it until someone can collect it?' "I thought that was amazing. Just our community straight away noticing it." Soole drove to the station himself to pick the carving up and store it at the local board office.
"Our community was just so vigilant and and has been quite devastated by it. I've taken those two messages and I've reported it to Auc.
