Rotorua: Bronze sculpture of tourism pioneer Camille Malfroy missing from Government Gardens

A Rotorua sculptor is “horrified” after a bronze bust of a local dignitary was reportedly “ripped out” from its stand at Government Gardens.

Rotorua Lakes Council said the sculpture of Camille Malfroy was “stolen” from the Government Gardens on Monday night, and has not been returned.

Police said on Wednesday they had received a report from someone who found a statue near the Blue Baths in the Government Gardens that had been “removed from its stand”. The Rotorua Daily Post has asked police if the statue was recovered.

Today, a police spokeswoman said the investigation was ongoing and the bust had not been located.

“We’re still encouraging anyone with information to get in contact with us. They can call police on 105 or fill out a report online at 105.police.govt.nz/, using ‘Update Report’. Please reference 230228/5009.

“Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Camille Malfroy was an engineer in Rotorua in the 1880s and 1890s who was famous for developing bathing facilities for women. He also developed three artificial geysers which could play to a height of 12 metres.

Malfroy realised Rotorua’s tourism potential and supervised the development of the Government Gardens. In 1886, he was appointed as an engineer in charge of works, becoming chairman of the Rotorua Town Board in 1891. He held the position until his death in 1897.

The 70-centimetre-high bust of Malfroy was at the Malfroy Geyser in the Government Gardens and was unveiled in 2007.

The bronze bust of Camille Malfroy has been removed from its stand at the Government Gardens. Photo / Andrew Warner

George Andrews, one of the sculptors of the statue, said it had been “ripped out” from its stand.

“It’s not there.”

Andrews said he found out on Tuesday night the sculpture had been removed and was “horrified”.

He said the sculpture was a torso “bigger than life-size” and was made out of silicon bronze.

“I did all the modelling and the casting and the finishing ... from concept to presentation.”

The bust of Camille Malfroy in the Government Gardens is dressed in a lifejacket by Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick and sculptor George Andrews in 2015. Photo / NZME

Andrews said he was approached to do the statue and it was a “combined project” with local sculptors Rakei Kingi and Jamie Pickernell.

He said the project was “effortless” and was “probably my fondest one”.

Andrews said he made some bronze statues the Pyes Pa cemetery a few years ago, which were “ripped out” and sold to a scrap metal merchant.

The 70cm-high bust of Camille Malfroy was at the Malfroy Geyser in the Government Gardens and was unveiled in 2007. Photo / Andrew Warner

A Rotorua Lakes Council spokesperson said the bronze bust of Camille Malfroy was allegedly stolen from the Government Gardens on Monday night.

Council staff reported the theft to police on Tuesday.

The spokesperson said the Government Gardens were actively patrolled by its community safety team and it had deployed additional resources to help deter any similar offending.

Police were alerted at 2.30pm on Tuesday and it was reported to have occurred overnight on February 27.

Police were making inquiries into the incident.