One of the lookouts who kept watch while the stone was being removed, was a young Scottish lad named Farquharson (Vic) Sommerville. He later brought his family out to New Zealand and I was working alongside him in the early 70s. I tried to find out what happened to the real stone but he wouldn't tell me.
Sadly, Vic and another friend from work were washed down a swollen river (Roaring Meg) while tramping at Otaki Forks about 29 years ago.
Vic was 32 at the time - he would have been in his early 60s now.