Mystery photographer offers cash benefit
A PHOTO sent to a Port Chalmers gallery addressed to Allan Adams — a wellknown homeless man living in the area — will be auctioned but the photographer’s identity remains a mystery.
Last week a package was sent to Pea Sea Art addressed to Mr Adams.
The gallery owners tracked down Mr Adams to open the package and to their surprise it was two black and white photo of Mr Adams and a letter.
In it, the photographer asked for one photo to be given to Mr Adams and the other to be sold on his behalf
‘‘It was taken outside the pharmacy of Port Chalmers,’’ Mr Adams said yesterday.
‘‘He came along and I was money begging and he was trying to give me a meal and a few dollars and then he asked me if I would like my photo taken and I said ‘yes’.
‘‘It’s just about my situation . . . that I’m homeless and I do money begging along my way.
Mr Adams (Nga¯puhi, Chinese) was born in 1961 in Whakata¯ne and grew up in the Tu¯ hoe area before leaving for Auckland with his parents in the 1970s when his father, a train driver, moved for work.
In 1979 he finished school and followed in his dad’s footsteps, working for the New Zealand Railways.
‘‘I was young back then, in my 20s, and just travelled around with the New Zealand railway.’’
In 2001, he ended up in Dunedin, where he has been since.
Over time he found himself homeless and in Port Chalmers.
‘‘It was just the way things happened for me, I suppose, as I got older.’’
Mr Adams said he took every day as it came but would like to get into housing.
‘‘Right now things are not looking good for me, being homeless.
‘‘I rely on winning the Lotto and scratch and win more than ever before.
‘‘That’s the only thing that’s gonna get me out.’’
He was on the waiting list for a home.
‘‘It’s a long waiting list.
‘‘It’s going to take ages and ages to bring my name up.’’
Gallery owner Robert Scott said it would be fascinating to discover the identity of the photographer.
‘‘The photograph is actually signed but of course we can’t make out the signature.’’
The photo was being auctioned online and all proceeds would be given to Mr Adams. — RNZ