No number for witches in Palmy

BY SIMON WOOD

The number 13 has been banished from Palmerston North streets - but luck has nothing to do with it.

An obscure council policy means most of the city's street numbers jump straight from No 11 to No 15.

The policy has been in place so long, even council staff do not know how it came about and affected residents are also in the dark.

Hinemoana Durie, who has lived at No 15 since 2006, had no idea she was actually living in the 13th house in her street. "It never even crossed my mind but I think it's a good idea because No 13 has such negative connotations."

Miss Durie said she had not been especially unlucky while she had been in the house, but she would have preferred not to have known it was actually No 13.

Council policy analyst Todd Taiepa said the policy was in place because the number, which some consider unlucky, could put off potential buyers. He said residents could apply to the council to have their number changed. "We will definitely consider allocating No 13 if anyone wants it, but we don't expect great numbers to do that."

Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt, Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch all use No 13 and Palmerston North city councillor Chris Teo-Sherrell said it was time for Palmerston North to join them.

"It seems absurd to me in 2009 that we still should be deciding street numbering policy or anything else on superstition. It's one of those things that keeps getting turned over because nobody says `hey, that's stupid'."

Euon Murrell, president of the Real Estate Institute's Wellington district, had not heard of anyone not buying a house because of the number 13 during his 25 years in the industry.

Meanwhile, 92-year-old World War II veteran Basil Buckley has lived in a Khandallah house in Wellington with a No 13 address on the letterbox for over 40 years.

The former anti-tank gunner said it was "nonsense" to suggest the house number had brought him bad luck. He had never given the "unlucky for some" No 13 a second thought during the time he had lived there.

ONE TO DIE FOR

It's not just 13 that can steer prospective buyers away from a house a Chinese real estate agent says some potential buyers will not consider a house with the number 4 in the address.

"In Chinese it translates to 'die', so some people don't like it," says Elaine Lam, who works for Professionals in Howick, Auckland.

"For some people it's a big deal but for others it's not ... I'm Chinese and it doesn't bother me."

Wellington City Council receives more requests to change street numbers from people whose addresses include a 4 than from those who live at No13, spokeswoman Barbara Burke says.

However, changing their numbers is not an option because it would affect emergency services. "We don't budge on any of it."

UNLUCKY NUMBER

Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. The origins of the phobia are unclear.

There were 13 people at the Last Supper, and 13 witches make up a perfect coven.

Some people consider the number 12 perfect - 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 months, 12 disciples and so on so 13 suffers by being next in order.

Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day.

The leaders of the Knights Templar were executed on October 13, 1307.

- © Fairfax NZ News