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Off his perch . . . The statue of Trooper David Mickle Jack
is lowered from the top of the Boer War monument in central
Oamaru yesterday for the first time in 104 years. Photo by
Sally Rae.
It was a monumental mission.
After 104 years on top of the Boer War monument in central
Oamaru, the 2.74m high statue of Trooper David Mickle Jack
was carefully removed shortly after 4.30pm yesterday.
The statue was transferred by crane to a truck in a
meticulously-planned exercise, which went without a hitch.
The statue, along with the 960-tonne monument, is being
shifted about 40m south and turned around 180 degrees to face
north.
It is the first time since the monument was completed in
November, 1904, the statue has been on the ground.
Transit New Zealand regional projects manager Simon Underwood
said the statue would be given a light clean and there would
be an opportunity for the public to inspect it before it was
returned to its perch.
Part of the trooper's rifle was removed so the steel cage
constructed to hoist the statue from the monument would fit.
The weapon would be restored.
The monument shift is part of major safety road works planned
through central Oamaru on State Highway 1.
