KEY POINTS:
Canterbury Museum is distancing itself from the furore surrounding removal of the paua shell collection of the late Invercargill couple Fred and Myrtle Flutey.
The collection of about 1000 polished paua shells was taken from the Fluteys' former Bluff home early last Friday, sparking outrage from residents and Flutey family members.
Ross Bowen, the Fluteys' grandson who bought the house and shell collection from the rest of the family, was believed to have carted the shells away in a removal van.
Australia-based Mr Bowen sparked an uproar last month when his plans to give the collection to Christchurch's Canterbury Museum on long-term loan were made public.
Bluff community board chairman Rex Powley was yesterday reported saying locals desperately wanted the shells returned to their community.
Mr Powley said earlier it was a shame Mr Bowen had decided not to accept an offer from the Bluff Community Charitable Trust to buy the collection and the house.
Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt said it was "devastating" the collection had been removed in the dead of night.
One of the Fluteys' daughters who lives next door to the paua house, Gloria Henderson, said Canterbury Museum's stance could shed light on the collection's future.
But museum director Anthony Wright yesterday said the museum had been unable to reach an agreement with Mr Bowen and was now keeping a "watching brief" on the controversy.
Mr Wright stressed that the museum's first option was always for the shell collection to remain in Bluff "because that's best museum practice". He said the museum respected the wishes of the collection's owner, Mr Bowen, who had been open in his dealings with museum staff.
"He's acted entirely honourably in all his dealings with us."
Canterbury Museum, Mr Wright said, had always seen itself as "backstop in the national interest".
"We've got a national treasure here and we think it's incredibly important that it's not lost to New Zealand, and particularly the South Island," Mr Wright said.
"We'll maintain a watching brief and if we get the opportunity to exercise that backstop role in the future, then we'll look at it again."
- NZPA
