Hokitika mailbox redecorated daily for six weeks — council won't say if it's art or a threat
Tuesday it was shells. Wednesday it was tinfoil. Nobody has seen anyone doing it.
A letterbox on a residential Hokitika street has been redecorated every morning for six weeks. Westland District Council has confirmed it is neither responsible nor comfortable.
The mailbox belongs to retired schoolteacher Merilyn Costigan, 71. It has so far featured painted pebbles, dried seaweed, twenty-two bottle caps in a spiral, a ceramic frog, and one Sunday, a small diorama of a fishing boat.
"I've stopped trying to catch them," Merilyn told The Daily Yarn. "Set an alarm for 4am once. Nothing. Went back to bed. By seven there was a bloody wreath of pinecones on it."
A neighbour, Rangi Whitiora, has been photographing the mailbox each morning. He is on photo 41 and suspects a pattern. "Shells on Tuesdays. Something shiny on Wednesdays. I'm not saying it's a code. I'm saying if it is, it's weekly."
A council spokesperson said the decorations did not breach any bylaw, but staff were "monitoring with interest". Asked whether council considered it art, the spokesperson said: "We consider it a mailbox."
Merilyn has started leaving a thank-you note inside the box each evening. The notes are also gone by morning.
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Reader Letters
couchgremlin
It's Banksy, obviously.
Sandra McKenzie
In Hokitika, we'd call that a chill mystery. No harm, just a bit of creative spirit! Leave it to the big cities to get their knickers in a twist. I reckon whoever's doing it is just having a laugh, keeping the town on its toes. I'd set up a chair with a cuppa and just enjoy the morning show.
Trev_Hornby
Mate, if you ask me, we could do with a bit more whimsy in our lives. Who cares if it's art or not? At least someone's putting some effort into making things interesting around here. Beats another bloody political scandal in the news!
TruthSeeker42
There's a deeper conspiracy here. I reckon the council knows more than they're letting on. They're probably using it as a distraction tactic! Keep everyone's eyes on a mailbox while THEY sneak through rate hikes. WAKE UP PEOPLE!
wayne1987
The council's only interested when there's rates involved, mate. This mailbox nonsense is clearly just their way of avoiding any real work.
Garry (Halswell)
Mate, isn't it obvious? It's the work of a local artist trying to make a name for themselves. In the '90s, we used to do yarn bombing, didn't get such a fuss! Why can't the council just let it be and appreciate the creativity?
pedant123
@Garry (Halswell) Except yarn bombing wasn't a thing in the '90s. That's more of a 2000s trend, mate. How about checking your facts before posting?
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