When Clutha Southland MP Bill English was about to cut the ribbon to officially open KingsView School last month, he paused, noticed the ribbon was in the Otago colours of blue and gold, and said Queenstown was really in Southland.
The remark brought to mind the annual confusion in the Wakatipu regarding Otago Anniversary Day, a nominated public holiday for some, but not for others.
The Queenstown Times spoke to a variety of businesses and service providers and found some aligned themselves with Southland and observed that region's anniversary on the Monday nearest January 17.
Some marked Otago's day with a surcharge, while others added either anniversary holiday to their Christmas or Easter breaks. Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden yesterday said it was hard to choose which anniversary day to observe, but it was good the community had the benefits of both.
"We've got parts of the community aligned with Otago and parts aligned with Southland, such as the schools. Yes, there is confusion, but it's left to employer and employee preferences, and staff are well covered with the Employment Relations Act.
"I'm a Southlander so I would probably observe Southland's day, but there are equally as many people who want to observe Otago's day."
Ms van Uden said some businesses and tourist operators were always available to cater for visitors if some choose to close on either holiday. The Queenstown Lakes district could not come up with its own nominated public holiday as it was not a province, she said.
While Queenstown Chamber of Commerce members had not discussed the observance of Otago Anniversary Day, chairman Alistair Porter yesterday said he personally would support a review by the authorities with input from the chamber.
"It's very unfortunate to have it as a muddle. The reality is if we don't address it then people are going to continue to do what they do, which is bolt it on to other days, and the muddle will continue.
"You never quite know who is going to be at work and who isn't on Otago Anniversary Day. People make arrangements to suit themselves and it's complicated in terms of whether it's a public holiday or not, and people paying people."
Mr Porter said a nominated public holiday for the Queenstown Lakes district was an interesting idea, but the problem was people might still want to add it to existing holidays and remain open on the designated date.
Moving the public holiday to a shoulder season date may be supported by employers, but employees may prefer an extended weekend in summer weather, he said.
"In my view, we should find a day that's consistent and much more widely adopted than the current arrangement. It's very tricky, but there's got to be a better solution."
Two tribes
Gold rivalry, political manoeuvreing, accessibility to either Dunedin or Invercargill and public sentiments bounced Queenstown between Otago and Southland for about 160 years.
Lakes District Museum director David Clarke said yesterday the first provincial government, which included Otago and Southland, presided from March 23, 1852, the date celebrated as Otago Anniversary Day on the nearest Monday.
"On January 17, 1856, the provincial government gazetted the intention to build Invercargill, which is the Southland anniversary date," Mr Clarke said.
"Then on March 25, 1861, the Southland province was proclaimed. You'd think our anniversaries could be on the same date.
"On April 1, Southland became an independent province and that's right before the gold rush. On October 6, 1870, Southland rejoins the provincial government because they were running out of money."
To open or not to open
How the Wakatipu observed Otago Anniversary Day.
Open:
Arrowtown Community Preschool, Arrowtown Early Learning Centre, Arrowtown School, ASB, AWS Legal, Fresh Choice, Glenorchy School, Judith Flett + associates Family Lawyers, KingsView School, Lakes District Museum, Lakes Leisure, Midtown Medical Centre appointments and walk-in, New World Wakatipu, Otago Southland Waste Services, Public Health South, Queenstown District Court, Queenstown Events Centre, Queenstown Lakes District Council offices, Queenstown Medical Centre walk-in, Queenstown Primary School, Remarkables Park Town Centre, Remarkables Primary School, The Warehouse, Wakatipu High School, Wakatipu Recycling Centre.
Closed:
ABC Arrowtown Montessori, Air New Zealand Holidays Queenstown, Anderson Lloyd, Arrowtown Memorial Pool, closed for season, BNZ, Destination Queenstown, Frankton Playcentre, Kiwibank, Mactodd, Otago Daily Times front office, NZ Post offices in Queenstown and Arrowtown, Queenstown Lakes District libraries, Queenstown Gym, Queenstown Montessori Preschool, Queenstown Playcentre, Southland Building Society, Wakatipu Kindergarten, Wakatipu Medical Centre.
