Painter denies ripping off war veteran

A Rotorua tradesman who took $800 from war veteran Aubrey Balzer to paint his house but then didn't finished the work says he never intended to rip anyone off.

The painter, whose name has not been published for legal reasons, said he had not painted Aubrey Balzer's house during the past six weeks because it had been wet and windy.

Mr Balzer, 87, who was an officer with the 28th Maori Battalion's "B" Company, handed over $800 to the painter about six weeks ago.

Rotorua police have said it was the third complaint they had received about the painter, who appeared to be picking on Rotorua's senior citizens.

Mr Balzer said he paid the man to paint his house because he was going to hospital for a hip replacement.

Mr Balzer gave the painter $800 - $600 for paint and $200 for labour.

After waterblasting parts of his house, the man made all sorts of excuses not to come back and complete the job, Mr Balzer said.

After reading of Mr Balzer's plight in the Weekend Edition of The Daily Post, local painter Malcolm Adlam decided he would help.

He donated three of his workers for three days to paint Mr Balzer's house and Resene paints donated the paint required free of charge.

Meanwhile, the original painter Mr Balzer paid contacted The Daily Post this week to tell his side of the story, claiming he had not painted the house because of the weather. He said he didn't think it was professional to paint a wet house.

"Yes I have let him down in ways by not turning up but all my excuses have been legitimate."

The painter said he had "racked his brains" but couldn't think who the other two people were who had made complaints to the Rotorua police.

Senior Sergeant Tony Colby said Rotorua police were still investigating the complaints.